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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think some large supermarkets should be open until 8pm

387 replies

jnfrrss · 15/04/2018 21:34

Fed up of getting back on a Sunday after a busy hetic weekend and having to do my shop at a Tesco garage.

There's three large supermarkets in my town and all close at 4pm on a Sunday. Why can't at least one do an evening shift?

After being used to Scottish shops it really sucks in England. Sunday evening would be perfect for me to do a shop. I just dont like online shopping either, but if they have to work Sunday late evenings why is it so different for the shop workers?

OP posts:
frenchknitting · 16/04/2018 06:54

YANBU - we quite often stay a couple of nights in an air b&b in England before a Mon - Fri holiday, so have Sunday as the one day for visiting an attraction or doing an activity. It always irritates me that we need to plan around shopping.

I always used to do my shopping about 8 or 9pm on a Sunday (before I had kids). During the week I would often work late or have evening classes or other activities after work. Saturday's and Sundays were busy with hobbies or visiting friends. Sunday night was the perfect time for it. It also meant salad stuff would be fresh enough to do work lunches for the whole week.

One of those things that you take for granted!

araiwa · 16/04/2018 06:57

Id be more concerned that a trip to tesco is your idea of fun

Pubs are open at that time on a sunday

speakout · 16/04/2018 07:13

Another Scot here- 24/7 is normal. OH and I do our weekly shop at 8am on a Sunday morning- sneak out while kids are asleep and have breakfast at ASDA.

Yogagirl123 · 16/04/2018 07:20

I can’t see why if would be necessary for shops to be open longer/more hours than they are already.

Situp · 16/04/2018 07:24

We live in Austria and all shops are closed from 6pm on saturday until Monday. There is also no online shopping.
It was annoying at first but now we have got used to it.

We have friends who work in retail and it is nice to always know you can arrange something for a Sunday as they won't be working.

We now always plan family activities on the Sunday as we are not tempted to drag the kids to a DIY store or to Tesco.

speakout · 16/04/2018 07:26

I can’t see why if would be necessary for shops to be open longer/more hours than they are already.

I think the question should be why are there legal limitations on this.
Why can't shops decide for themselves?

What kind of moral degradation will happen?

MadisonAvenue · 16/04/2018 07:33

YANBU

thecatsthecats · 16/04/2018 07:45

This thread is a real eye opener. I never knew people were that invested in going to bloody Tesco or Asda! Or found it that difficult to have food available in the house for more than 36 consecutive hours.

iBiscuit · 16/04/2018 07:48

Shorter Sunday hours means there's one day a week when most people are going to be off work. This is good for extended family and friendship groups, good for people's wellbeing. There's more to life than making and spending money.

I'd happily see supermarkets close all day Sunday tbh, but that's not going to happen. Boxing Day sales are an abomination.

Andrewofgg · 16/04/2018 07:48

Situp When you say that in Austria there is no online shopping on Sunday what on earth does that mean? How is it enforced? Is it a criminal offence to buy online? Are Austrian online businesses required to switch off their servers? Can you buy from an online retailer in another country?

Or is it just deliveries on Sunday which are forbidden?

speakout · 16/04/2018 07:50

thecatsthecat it's nothing to do with being "invested".

It's to do with flexibility.

I do my shopping at 8am on a Sunday morning. I enjoy leisure time on a Saturday.

Is that somehow immoral?

speakout · 16/04/2018 07:53

iBiscuit - you sound so calvanistic. This is good for extended family and friendship groups, good for people's wellbeing.

Or maybe people can sort that stuff out for themselves.

Pengggwn · 16/04/2018 07:54

There is no right to have shops open when you want them open, is there?

speakout · 16/04/2018 07:56

It's a religious thing.

And I for one welcome any disengagement from those tight greasy tendrils.

Snugglepiggy · 16/04/2018 07:59

YABU.Just do some forward planning.I'm personally sick of our 24/7 consumer society attitude. As you say small convenience stores are open for essentials like bread and milk.We recently went to Germany for a wedding. On the Sunday we got up to wander around the town and initially were surprised to see every shop closed.But loads of families were out and about and there was a lovely relaxed atmosphere.It made nme sad at how frenetic and actually spoilt weve become expecting everything to be available just when we want it.When we get back from a weekend away there is always something in the freezer to quickly defrost or plenty in the cupboards to cobbke together a meal.And agree with the poster who hates Boxing Day sales etc.

GnotherGnu · 16/04/2018 07:59

Doing your shopping another day isn't possible if you often leave Friday straight from school and come back Sunday. Many things only have a few days shelf life.

Why not? Is there any reason why you can't shop on Mondays and Thursdays?

DeadGood · 16/04/2018 08:04

No, I like the Sunday trading hours. Gives a flow to the week. The sense of “Sunday” is lost if shops are all open all hours. It’s nice that retail workers can be part of that. Having a Tuesday off isn’t the same as experiencing that same call, Sunday night feeling :)

speakout · 16/04/2018 08:06

It’s nice that retail workers can be part of that.

How benevolent of you.

Whip them lightly on a Sunday.

IIIustriouslyIllogical · 16/04/2018 08:10

I've lived in Germany and spain and large supermarkets were open late on Sundays.

Really? When I lived in Germany shops were shut on a Sunday & only open until 2 on a Saturday unless it was the first Saturday of the month, in which case they were open until 5 - it was heaven!!

If you can't plan your life around the 18 hours a week that big Tesco isn't open then you need to give yourself a shake. There are always small shops/garages for "essentials", as for the rest - get it during the week.....

IIIustriouslyIllogical · 16/04/2018 08:11

When you say that in Austria there is no online shopping on Sunday what on earth does that mean?

I think it's pretty obvious that she means there are is no "Tesco Online" or its equivalent.

Hmm
LakieLady · 16/04/2018 08:12

I'd like to go back to no shops open at all on a Sunday. Not for religious reasons, but it was lovely having that one day in a week where town centres were quiet and it was easy for people to spend time to do stuff with friends and families.

People managed fine. They did their shopping in the week or on Saturday and that is easier than ever now that you can shop online and have stuff delivered late into the evening, and most homes have a decent sized fridge and a freezer. No-one had a fridge the size of a double wardrobe back in the 60s!

I also think the UK should never have been allowed to opt out of the working hours regulations, which permits employers to pressurise staff to work ridiculously long hours.

It's bad enough that people in the emergency services, healthcare and public transport have to work when their families are at home, but I realise that these are essential services. No-one in retail should have to.

iBiscuit · 16/04/2018 08:13

I'm as atheist as they come. I just don't think it benefits society to allow capitalism to run roughshod over society any more than it already has.

ICantCopeAnymore · 16/04/2018 08:15

The person who said retail was harder than teaching can't have ever taught.

Also, I agree OP. The trading laws on a Sunday are absolutely ridiculous. In this day and age, where the younger generations are realising that religion is made up codswallop, there is no need for the laws.

GnotherGnu · 16/04/2018 08:18

Likewise, I'm completely non-religious, but I've heard enough people who work in big supermarkets saying that limited trading hours on a Sunday are a lifesaver to believe them. I just can't see why it's so impossible for anyone to organise themselves to shop at some point during the 6 days a week when the big shops are open at least till 9 p.m.

SharronNeedles · 16/04/2018 08:19

Can't you 'sneak off' to the shop once the kids are asleep on a Friday evening? Or Saturday? Why does it have to be Sunday? Big shops aren't open, smaller ones are. They will have the basics which I assume is all you need?
I don't get how people have adapted their lives to be massively inconvenient?

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