// Sunday trading laws to be relaxed in a bid to boost economy
// Trading laws could be suspended for a year
The government is drawing up legislation to enable larger supermarkets to open for more than six hours on Sundays, in a bid to boost the economy.
The Sunday trading laws could be suspended for a year in a move that the government hopes will stimulate the economy.
As concerns around unemployment grow, Downing Street is under pressure to secure jobs and boost business as the UK emerges from lockdown.
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- Non-essential retailers to reopen from June 15, government says
Boris Johnson, his chief adviser Dominic Cummings, chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and business secretary Alok Sharma, are said to support the measure.
Sunday trading laws were introduced under the Sunday Trading Act 1994, which limits shops with retail space over 280 square metres to a maximum of six hours of trading.
New legislation would enable larger supermarkets to open for more than six hours on Sundays.
However, Labour and Co-operative party councillor in Lewisham, south London, Joe Dromey tweeted:
Scrapping Sunday trading laws will do little to boost the economy, but it will cause a lot of disruption to the lives of low paid retail workers who have kept the country going through this crisis.
And you can bet that it will not be temporary.
This must be blocked. https://t.co/MxfJyMCtxl
— Joe Dromey (@Joe_Dromey) June 6, 2020
David Cameron’s attempt to abolish Sunday trading laws in 2016 failed after 27 Tory MPs rebelled.
Some supermarkets that have local convenience stores unaffected by Sunday trading laws are opposed to reform but others, including Asda and Morrisons, are said to be in favour.
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12 Comments. Leave new
The laws are outdated and make no sense, the world is totaly different to when the law was made 25 years ago. They allowed shops below 3’000 sq ft to open unlimited hours to protect the independent traders now we have thousands of tesco and sainsbury mini stores that can open early to late. And do people realise when the big supermarkets close many people still work in them stacking shelves and dealing with online orders anyway. People saying Sundays should be special do you include your local pub or restaurant in that. Either you want everything to be closed (bar local independent shops for essentials, like it was pre the law changes) or everything to open why should retail be treated different ?
Another example of a corrupt government with few or no morals or scruples….led by a buffoon
who was unable to keep his marriage promises to his wife. Next on the agenda…breaking his promises to northern constituencies and then letting the USA walk all over the UK in their trading
discussions. Longer opening hours on Sundays is a kick in the face for retail staff……
At least a couple of shops round my area still close Wednesday dinner time; keeps nostalgia alive
Sunday should really be a day of rest, if you can’t get what you need on the other 6 days then you really don’t need it…
Wrong on every level, you can’t just keep on supporting one industry and ignore the rest, Supermarkets have milked the present situation enough, allowing longer trading hours with a very lame excuse of boosting the economy and providing jobs is the idea of a government fresh out of ideas.
No. No no….
Absolutely not me and my colleagues have to work long hours already so good old Joe Public can walk into our stores and BROWSE….. Waste our time then go home and buy it on the bloody Internet….. Piss off Boris
Can I please point out this legislation is for England only the trading laws in Scotland on a Sunday are different.
Everything thing to loose and nothing to gain; it’s just one more of governments attempt for heard immunity at a cost to us minions 🙂
Sunday trading should be stopped full stop!! Families need to spend time together if this virus has shown us anything its about appreciating our loved ones. It’s about time the clocks went back well and truly.
Totally agree with you, you have 6 days to buy what you need!!
Sundays should be a day of rest, what about us workers who already do double weekends, it’s just not fair, shops should not open on Sundays.