End backward, outdated Sunday trading laws!
Restrictions on large stores trading hours on Sundays are a relic of a bygone era which strangle high streets and hold back growth, says Mark Allatt
In an era where the rhythm of daily life has accelerated beyond recognition, the UK’s archaic Sunday trading laws stand as a stubborn relic, stifling economic vitality and curtailing consumer freedoms.
For over three decades, the Sunday Trading Act 1994 has shackled large retailers – those with stores exceeding 280 square metres – to just six consecutive hours of operation between 10am and 6pm each Sunday. This not only hampers business growth but also denies hardworking families the flexibility in an always-on world. Recent whispers from Westminster, however, signal a potential sea change. As reported in several newspapers, the government is mulling over relaxing these curbs amid broader economic debates. They highlighted proposals that could extend hours for giants like Tesco, Lidl and Aldi, potentially reshaping shopping habits across the nation. Retail industry commentators have noted Treasury sources floating ideas to calm retailer unrest over rising business rates.
Open Sundays, the voice of consumers and retailers united for reform, urges the government to seize this moment and liberalise Sunday trading now.
The case for reform is overwhelming. During the London 2012 Olympics, to encourage further tourist spending, the government suspended Sunday trading laws for eight consecutive weekends. The results for September 2012 showed an increase of 3.2 per cent in retail compared to 1.6 per cent the following month when the restrictions were back in place. Imagine the ripple effects: more footfall means thriving high streets, sustained employment for over 3m retail workers, and vital tax revenues to fund public services. In a recent national newspaper poll readers overwhelmingly backed full-day openings for major chains, reflecting a public appetite for choice over constraint.
Modern Britons juggle demanding schedules – shift work, childcare and weekend errands – that don’t align with the 1994 law’s rigid framework. Parents rushing post-football matches or professionals catching up on weekly shops shouldn’t face locked doors at 4pm. Smaller stores, exempt from the rules, already trade freely. Easing restrictions could level the playing field, allowing larger outlets to compete more effectively with online behemoths like Amazon, which deliver 24/7 without pause.
Scotland shows the way
Look elsewhere in the United Kingdom for proof of success. In Scotland, where no such caps exist, Sunday trading flourishes without societal collapse. Why, then, cling to a law born of 1990s moral panics? Critics, often rooted in union lobbies or traditionalist views, warn of worker exploitation. They invoke the “specialness” of Sundays, yet this overlooks the reality: most retail staff already work weekends voluntarily. The Act itself mandates compensatory rest days, ensuring no one is overworked. Open Sundays advocates for protections rather than blunt prohibitions that punish the majority for the fears of the few.
In Scotland, where no such caps exist, Sunday trading flourishes without societal collapse
Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces a fiscal crunch, with business rates reform central to Labour’s growth agenda. Relaxing Sunday trading offers a painless offset: extra revenue from extended operations could fund the very small-business reliefs the government champions, without raising taxes. Reported departmental brainstorming to soothe retailer fury discussed how past failures stemmed from cross-party squeamishness – Conservatives fretting “Sabbath sanctity”, Labour eyeing union ire. But today’s self-proclaimed pro-growth Labour administration can transcend this.
Liberalisation would enhance inclusivity too. Ethnic minorities, whose religious observances may not centre on Christian Sundays, gain equitable access. And let’s not forget tourism: visitors from liberal markets like the US baulk at early closures, denting hospitality revenues. By contrast, full openings could mirror festive boosts seen on Boxing Day and during the Olympics in 2012, when temporary exemptions drove record turnovers.
To Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Reeves: act decisively. Introduce a Sunday Trading (Modernisation) Bill in the next King’s Speech, piloting full-day trials in select regions. Engage stakeholders – retailers, workers and consumers – in a rapid review, targeting implementation by Easter 2026. The 1994 Act was a compromise born of compromise; today’s Britain demands bold evolution.
Mark Allatt, Open Sundays campaign (opensundays.uk)