Since 1 March 2025, heated and cooled stores and hospitality outlets across the entire Brussels region are obliged to keep all entry doors closed. They can no longer heat or cool premises with entry doors open to entice customers to enter. The Brussels government took the measure in January to save energy.
Heated Brussels stores and hospitality legally bound to keep doors closed to save energy
Colin Clapson
Published:
Shoppers in the Dansaertstraat, a street in the City of Brussels popular with Flemings, quizzed by VRT understand the measure. ‘It's so wasteful to leave the doors open when the heating is on. It's such a waste, so I think it's a good measure,’ says a mother shopping with her son.
But not everyone agrees. Retailers feel that a closed door increases the barrier for browsing customers to enter. ‘As a citizen, I understand the measure, but as a shop owner it is more difficult. Because you really notice that people are more likely to come in and take a look round when the door is open.’
The measure was introduced temporarily in the winter of 2022-23, because of the energy crisis. Now it is being introduced as a permanent measure.