Longer Sunday trading hours‘opposed by public’ | TalkingRetail.com

The vast majority of people remain opposed to any relaxation of Sunday trading laws to allow the big supermarkets to operate longer opening hours.

The government is currently seeking the views of the public and businesses on the future of Sunday trading laws and the restrictions on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day trading as part of its Red Tape Challenge initiative.

A consumer poll in April 2010 commissioned by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) revealed three-quarters (76%) of people supported existing laws introduced in 1994 that limited trading by stores over 3,000sq ft to six hours on Sundays. Only 5% of people favoured longer opening times on Sundays.

Under current laws, larger retailers are also blocked from opening at all on Easter Sunday or Christmas Day.

Comments on thewww.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.ukwebsite from more than 1,700 people showed an overwhelming percentage of the public either wanted the Sunday trading laws to stay as they were or for them to become even more restrictive,.

Asda tried to revive the campaign to change Sunday trading laws in 2007, but other supermarket rivals, most notably Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks& Spencer, were reluctant to back such a bid.

The Red Tape Challenge also looks at the bureaucracy involved in a number of other retail issues, including the complex rules on age-restricted goods, health and safety and waste regulations. The government is looking at areas of red tape that could be amended, abolished or remain in place.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said local shops were“crippled by the time and money required to comply with bad regulation” and he welcomed the opportunity to comment on red tape regulations. “We will be encouraging our members to have their say across all the regulations being considered,” he said.

Comments can be made on the government website (see web address above) until 5 May.

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