Five Minutes Until Closing: The Buyer's Right or the Seller's Comfort Zone?July 27th. Evening. You rush into a store for bread, and the clock shows 21:55, although the store closes at 22:00. The seller is already turning off the lights, the cashier looks with disapproval, and the security guard makes a significant gesture at the clock. Familiar situation? The question of whether a retail worker has the right to make public remarks to a customer who comes five minutes before closing and how it is regulated in different countries concerns many. The answer, as often happens, lies at the intersection of law, ethics, and national traditions.What the Law Says: The Customer Is Always Right (Almost)In most countries, legislation clearly interprets this issue in favor of the customer. If the store's sign indicates hours until 22:00, it means that the customer has the right to enter the store and be served until 22:00 inclusive. The seller is not entitled to refuse service on the grounds that \"there is not much time left\" or \"the cash register is already closing).In Russia, this norm is enshrined in the Law \"On Protection of Consumer Rights\" (Article 11, Part 3), which obliges the seller to comply with the established working hours. In Belarus, similar rules are contained in the \"Rules for the Implementation of Trade in Types of Goods and Public Catering\": all customers present in the trading facility at the time of its closure must be served. Ten minutes before the end of work, the seller may only warn about the impending closure but cannot prevent access to the hall. Cash registers are turned off only after the last customer has been settled.Thus, from a legal point of view, a public remark to a customer who comes five minutes before closing, if it is expressed in the form of a reprimand or a requirement to leave the store, is a violation. Moreover, refusal of service may result in administrative liability (in Russia — a fine of up to 10,000 rubles for legal entities ... Read more