the Nordic countries don't have those regulations (which in Southern European countries have a background in the Catholic Church influence) and up there everybody is happy they haven't.

The counterpart of those lacking regulations is that the overtime for those working on Sundays is very well payed and cannot be used more than 4 weeks in a row. Nobody complains about that up there what I know of. And going to a mall a rainy Sunday is god for the economy but bad for whatever ideology that people shouldn't do that or that... (in that case religion and politically correct "leftism" are very similar). Those holiday regulations remind very much of New England's "blue laws". They are more the product of a culture than a social necessity.

Regarding sales I don't see the problem with having them anytime there is a surplus that need to be liquidated, as long as the price control is efficient.

Anyway skipping sales would force to lower the prices. I think it is the case in the US. For me sales are idiotic and forced consumtion the way it's organised in France. The poor people don't profit of them either because most of the time it's not sure that you have the capital necessary to buy the thing you need (at a better price) during the sale period. Because, when you are poor, it's difficult to save.