Should Sunday opening restrictions be eased in the UK? We ask an expert

Once in a while the question arises: are Sunday trading laws too restrictive? They were relaxed briefly in 2012, for the Olympics, but Conservative plans to change the rules failed in 2016 and 2020. I asked James Lowman, CEO of the Association of Convenience Stores, about it. /p>

What are the Sunday trading rules? Since 1994, in England and Wales, a store larger than 280 square meters (about the size of a doubles tennis court) can only open for six consecutive hours on a Sunday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. p>

And Scotland? There are no restrictions, but most stores still have different hours on Sundays.

Oh, interesting! If people don't want to shop on Sundays, you wouldn't spend money to stay open. There are a bunch of factors. In 1994, the main concerns were: what is the right balance for traders, what does Sunday working hours mean for family life and having a day like no other? There were religious considerations, but less than claimed.

I talked about the opening hours at my in-laws and let's just say I didn't not seen such a divided opinion since Brexit. When we talk to consumers, there is support for rules. But people who don't like the rules are split between those who say opening shops at all on Sundays is a mistake, and those who say shops should be able to open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Overall, major retailers seem content, as it is understood that potential revenue from a longer opening ends up being spread over the week anyway. more money. What about workers? I know that the merchants' union is against it. It comes down to this idea of ​​a day like no other. This fuels wage rewards – there are still Sunday overtime bonuses in many stores – and the fact that, legally, store workers cannot be forced to work on Sundays. Since the possibilities for the whole family to be together are limited, the feeling is that these rules make life easier for families.

Do you think that with a job hybrid and flexible, Sunday restrictions may soon become inconvenient, as our work weeks stray from traditional patterns? On the contrary ! Restrictions are less disruptive than ever. At the time, you had your big shop in one place. Today, people buy in a variety of ways: supermarkets, specialist discounters, online. So it's really just a banned option for a few hours.

But with the cost of living crisis, people may need to access to cheap supermarkets and book stores rather than convenience stores? It's interesting, the reputation of our sector with the public has evolved, especially with the Covid. We are aware that we cannot compete on price. Yet around two-thirds of our customers surveyed said convenience stores are still important to them because they save them a car trip, help manage their cash flow, and reduce food waste because you tend not to buy in multipacks.

Use cash and buy unique items from a local friendly face - that's old fashioned shopping! Maybe changing the rules would solve a problem that doesn't exist. Exactly. Whether it was intentional or just how it worked, these rules have lasting appeal.