To think they should abolish Sunday trading hours/ laws?

[DobbyLovesSocks]

So I've just realised that I am out of pop socks for work, not a major disaster but something I would normally think 'oh I'll pop down to Asda and grab a new box' only its now nearly 6pm on a Sunday and all the shows are now shut.
I get that Sunday's are precious and all that jazz but in this modern day of 24 hour supermarkets and shift working etc etc is it not time we thought about the fact that come 4pm on a Sunday if you haven't bought what you need, you need to wait until tomorrow. Yes I could probably be more organised etc
Am i in a minority and therefore being unreasonable??

I think they should be shut on Sundays. I suspect a lot of the people who want longer opening hours work Monday to Friday

Retail workers should have time with their families too.

Well, yes. We all should. How would abolishing Sunday trading hours stop that from happening?

I have just got back from being at work for 24 hours and have seen very little of my children. I will get to spend more time with them after school this week though.

My friend's husband works in retail but he still gets to spend time with his family. Sure, it's nice that if he gets to come home early on Sunday, but if he didn't he would do what a lot of us have to do.

I don't understand the "shop workers should get time with their families" thing tbh. I always worked in catering and hospitality and worked weekends. Every weekend. It was a part of the job. DH works every second weekend in his factory job. Most shops have more than one member of staff and a Sunday would be treated the same a Saturday surely? You gotta work or you don't?

Also surely people are going to spend the same amount of money whether its over 6 days or 7. So paying to staff shops 7 days makes retail as a whole less profitable (or keeps retail wages down)

I work in retail and l like the fact that most shops shut early on a Sunday. I do think URBU, as some p have mentioned, there are corner shops or Express shops, you can use.

I live somewhere (not the UK) where everywhere bar a single tavern shuts by 4pm on a Saturday and nothing is open on Sunday. Shops shut by 5:30 (petrol station at 10.) on a weekday. Local stops serving at 7pm. Pretty much nowt was open over the festive season.
The law dictates that Saturdays, Sundays and after hours equals a bump in award rates.
(I live in rural Queensland, Aus).
I'm a Brit and I do miss 24/7 shopping sometimes and having cheap easy next day delivery. But honestly I wouldn't swap what I have now. More time with Dh (chef) because his workplace actually shuts at reasonable hours (rather than 7am until 10pm in a pub he's working 11:30-2pm shifts, 3-7 or 9am until 2:30, amazing hours for catering). People seem happier and less stressed. I save money, less pressure to constantly buy shit. Less focus on consumerism as a whole I think. And It makes my life simpler and better. In all the time I've lived here there has not been a catastrophe when I can't get hold of something SOOOO important at 5pm on a Saturday or on a Sunday. There's been a couple "oh shit I didn't get milk!" moments where I've forgotten something but hey shit happens. If it's something I really need I wouldn't forget it!

I don't think anything is that urgent late on a Sunday, tbh. The only thing I can possibly think of would be maybe OTC medication and if you can't manage without it then go to out of hours/call them and see if they can help. If not it's only a few hours until they're open.

I think it'll only harm more people as in the uk retail workers have seen so many downgrades in contracts, triple time on Sundays became double time now it's time and a half if you're lucky mostly you don't get paid extra at all. Lots of hours, lots of hard work and very little in the way of financial gain. Sunday trading has added to this and in addition it may well be the only day someone can go to work and be home before 10/11pm.

I don't understand why anyone would want to make someone else's life harder for the sake of 18 hours a week, when out of 168 hours the shops are open for 150??? I don't get it. Sorry.

Think of the families, many parents of young children who work in a supermarket as that fits with their families. Why do they want to work longer on a Sunday when their children are at home.

Again, we would all love that. No one wants to work weekends (well, not many people) but it's part of my job so I have to do it and suck it up.

Retail workers aren't a special breed who deserve more time with their families. We all deserve that, and all of us have to work hours we rather we didn't and all of us have to sacrifice time with our families.

So I am not sure why we should all be thinking about retail workers and their families.

I work in retail.

Couldn't disagree more if I tried.

I'm with all those that think they should be reformed - back to not being allowed to open at all.
There is no reason for anyone to need a supermarket on a Sunday, nor all the clothes shops etc.

As others have said, come to Scotland. We don't have Sunday trading laws, shops can open whenever they want to. The only restriction is on buying booze - you can't do that in a shop until 10am, whatever the day of the week.

I find the English approach incredibly antiquated and restricted.

I think it'll only harm more people as in the uk retail workers have seen so many downgrades in contracts, triple time on Sundays became double time now it's time and a half if you're lucky mostly you don't get paid extra at all. Lots of hours, lots of hard work and very little in the way of financial gain.

Same for those who work in catering. My son doesn't get paid extra to work at the weekends, which is shit.

I don't get paid extra for working weekends either.

That isn't unique to retail workers.

I work in retail and I agree. No one is forced to work a Sunday, most do it for the extra money (my store/company) and I used to be contracted Sundays with friday/Saturday as my days off.

My husband works non essential services and his force go out to work weekends. They also get 2 days off on a week.

Not 24 hours though. Just 6/7ish. Worked well when GB hosted the Olympics.

This is a thread about retail workers.
I can feel sorry for retail workers while also feeling sorry for chefs, waitresses, factory workers, processing workers, cleaners.... every low paid worker expected to do long hours for a pittance whatever they do.
I just don't think it's relevant to wade in with
"WHAT ABOUT THE CLEANERS" on a thread about shops/retail workers.

I don't like them either. I work weekend nights and Sunday is sort of my 'Friday' as a result but usually by the time I'm awake, dressed and feeling human again I've got a 20 min window in which to get to the shops.
I do feel the same as others about it giving retailers a break, and I've worked in retail myself and Sundays I would be happy to finish early but as said above, some people would like to work those extra hours-it could create more jobs if places opened normally. Not everyone doesn't want to work Sundays.

Plus, what about other institutions that are open on Sundays (pubs, children's homes, A&E, vets, etc etc.... They don't get the luxury so I struggle with the theory that we need these restrictions for the sake of retail workers. They can have other days/times off.

I'd happily see shops shut on a Sunday. Its really not necessary to have access to shopping 24/7.

i never understand the argument that it’s unfair to ask retail workers to work late on Sunday because they should be able to spend more time with their families. But it’s ok for people who work in cinemas, pubs, restaurants, hotels, theatres, petrol stations, Tesco express etc to work till late on Sunday? What about their right to family time?

Yes I agree puppy It's a bit of a red herring and doesn't really make sense. What if they want to spend time with their family on a Saturday/Wednesday (just being a bit silly now but you know what I mean)What if bartenders/waitresses/doctors/nurses/vets want to be at home on a Sunday...

Just make Sunday working voluntary and everyone can have the choice. No reason why everyone has to suffer just because a few people won't let us work/shop.

One thing I love about Spain / Italy is that most shops close on Sunday! I really wish it was the same here. No one needs shops 24/7

I'd happily see shops shut on a Sunday. Its really not necessary to have access to shopping 24/7.

It's not necessary for restaurants, McDonalds, pubs and so on to be open on Sundays. I have never seen a thread saying they should close on Sundays because it isn't fair on the people who work there.

for years I worked in retail 6 days a week, this was before online shopping, so Sunday was my only day to shop.
Let people choose their own lives. No one is forcing them to shop Sundays. I chose to do a job that ended up with me doing 6 days a week (I loved the job)
Puppy, exactly. All those who moan 'think of the shop workers'but will happily go to Nandos/ Pizza Express/ cinema/pub etc on a sat/sun night
Also I know several couples wouldn't survive without weekend working. One partner works Mon-Fri, at weekend has the kids so their partner can work retail/ pub/hospitality. This suits many couples I know who simply would'nt manage without this arrangement. To lose Sunday's pay would make a big difference

And I've also worked two jobs in retail (same company) 7 days a week. I was a Sunday Manager for one shop. I could not have lived in London without this

I am very much in favour of no trading on Sundays. It should be a day of rest and family time.

never understand the argument that it’s unfair to ask retail workers to work late on Sunday because they should be able to spend more time with their families. But it’s ok for people who work in cinemas, pubs, restaurants, hotels, theatres, petrol stations, Tesco express etc to work till late on Sunday? What about their right to family time?

It just doesn't make sense does it?. I wonder how many people who don't think we should abolish Sunday trading hours have gone to the pub for a roast on a Sunday, the cinema, Tesco express and everything you mentioned?

I wonder if they think of their families whilst using these places?

Not everyone has a 'happy family life' and people to spend Sunday with.

I am religious, have a family, I work in retail and am happy to work Sundays - I love my time off in the week when it is quieter.

Loads of people have to work Sundays - hospitals, police, military etc etc. Life is just now much more 24/7 than it used to be - we have to embrace it. i am old enough to remember half day closing and John Lewis closing at lunch times on Saturday and not re-opening until Tuesday .

Look at all the threads on here about people who get lonely at weekends and have no one to talk to - at least they can potter around the shops or volunteer in a charity shop.