To wonder why we still shut all the shops at5.30?

[Lanark2]

I work all week, often sleep in at the weekend, and get my shopping mojo at about 5 on a Saturday, but then all the shops shut..why? I have so many clothes and home items from supermarkets as a result.

How have we resisted a continental pattern, when we have the darkest evenings??

Choosing to work lates isn't the same as being made to work them, though! Lots of people choose to work lates, and that's great if that's what works for them, but it's not the case for others.

If a shop that currently opens 9-5 changes it's hours to 9-9, you can't just chuck new people on the 5-9 shift and keep everyone else's hours the same! You need experienced staff and a manager on every shift (at least, that's how it works where I am). So, what happens is the current staff are told, "right, we're now opening an extra four hours each evening. We need two people to work a late each week, as there are six of you, that means you'll each have to work three evenings each (due to Sunday closing)".

Management in retail can and DO change hours like this. Yes, they have to give you notice (45 days where we are), but after that point, they can say you have to change your hours to fit the needs of the business, so, err, change or we'll make you redundant. It sucks, but that's reality.

Agreed, but the solution to that problem is not "don't extend opening hours", it's "protect worker's interests", I don't believe the two don't have to be mutually exclusive. So I still stand by my previous point.

If there was enough call to extend opening hours then it would have happened by now. Retailers never pass up the chance to make money.

if management at your work announced that your business was now open until 9 pm and everyone had to do 3 late shifts a week and if you don't like it then you know where the door is, you'd be fine with that then?

Yes I have worked in retail for years previously

I would make sense.

I am at the mercy of supermarkets as they are open when I have finished work.

The local shops are struggling, if they was to open when people are not in work then people can spend the money there.