To think Sunday trading hours is silly

[iguano88]

Everyone waiting at the self service and normal checkouts from 10:45, with full baskets and trolleys (shop was open for browsing but Sunday hours 11-5). Staff then opened all the tills at exactly 11 but not a minute before.

Why do we still only open large shops for 6 hours on a Sunday? 11 seems really late to open. There’s a blend of religions in society and more people need hours at work, Sunday evenings would suit students or parents who need to work opposing hours to their other half for childcare reasons. The more I think about it the sillier it is. I also think it adds to the ‘Sunday scaries’ people experience.

AIBU to think it should just be abolished and business as usual?

Just do an online delivery.
It's easier and Tesco delivers till 10pm

Where I am, Sunday trading is 10am-4pm generally. When my kids were at uni (some still are), they love it as it’s paid at double time and fits more with a sleep in and shorter day without being financially disadvantaged. I’m on board with that😁.

Come to Northern Ireland. Shops (except for small ones) don't open till 1 and close at 6pm. It is sooooo annoying and I feel sorry for poor tourists wandering about at 11 on a Sunday .....

As do I, but that has nothing to do with either my question or your original post that I quoted?

My Tesco opens at 7 and shuts at 11 today so normal hours. I think I've bought booze before 11 as well there.
Waitrose is the annoying one as they allow people in but don't open tills til the dot of 12. By that point the shop is absolutely rammed, and remains so for several hours. Like they never clear that initial backlog.
I remember there used to be some weird cut off point in the middle of the day where you couldn't buy alcohol on sundays? Back in the late 80s.

How many of you moan about home shopping delivery pickers getting in the way when you are shopping? Or shelf stackers having their cages full of stock in the way? Or the floor cleaning machine being in the way? There is way more than just serving customers going on.
And it does impact on family time because a weds off when kids are at school, partner at work really isn't family time at all. Some supermarkets are 24hrs, most are at least 6am -10 pm or midnight 6 days a week. Only 6 hours on a Sunday is not a major hardship.

@SocksAndTheCity I think it’s reasonable for shops to close on Christmas day so people who work in them have the opportunity to spend time with their family / friends .

For 2 or 3 days out of 366 days the shops will be closed, how will we ever survive!
I recall how in the '60s some towns' shops closed for Good Friday and people drove over to the towns where they were open!

Easter is the more important Christian feast day so I can see why it would be closed. Many still celebrate it in going to church etc.

I remember as a kid, my friend and I would walk 3 miles to the only supermarket/shop open on a Sunday, so we could get sweets, then we'd eat them walking back!

There wasn't anything else to do as absolutely everywhere was shut!l

I agree. It's really, really stupid. I know lots of people say it's so that staff get a day off - but just hire enough staff to cover the hours, like places that CAN'T get a day off, like hospitals etc.

We never had them in Scotland, so I find it very odd when I’m in England. That being said I manage. So I can see both sides of the fence on this one.

Yes it is ridiculous and annoying, and I'm sure not helping the health of the High St.

Easter is the most important date in the Christian calendar and we are a CofE country!?!

It’s anachronistic in this day and age to close everything for one day for the members of any religion.

If people want to celebrate Easter by going to church, fine, have it written in that they must be allowed to take the day off.

I feel similarly about Christmas, but that’s become more of a cultural celebration for a lot of people regardless of religion, so more of an argument for closing things.

Both should be up to the individual shops IMO.

Exactly, and very long hours into the evening. Surely everyone can cope without a day shopping- or limited hours on ONE day.

Because workers are pressurised and even forced to work those hours. If it was totally voluntary, and staff only for students or people who don't have family, etc, it would be fine. But in most shops, there is no choice- either you work the hours they give you, or you lose your job.

@fleurneige what about those of us at work during the week?

Staff (with the exception of checkouts) still work as normal on Sundays. And yes, that means getting there at silly o'clock in the morning!

I think the Sunday trading should be looked at again too. Spanish supermarkets were open till 10pm. Extended hours in England would give more employment options, and better shopping opportunities for shift workers etc. I agree with closures on Christmas Day, Boxing Day & Easter Sunday so supermarket workers get a break.

I claim that Sunday trading actually disadvantages women

Women often work in retail and hospitality (perhaps wrongly). If balancing childcare, weekend working often allows them opportunity to work more hours and increase income. Sunday trading can limit available hours thus limiting womens earning potential

As someone who has always worked sundays, I disagree. Having worked in both hospitality and retail.

If shut, I would have to work an extra weekday which would cost me £200+ a month in childcare.

I also quite like having the weekday off when children are at school and can make appointments for things shut on sundays like opticians or dentists etc.

I also get paid for a full work day despite it being a couple of hours shorter.

There are plenty of smaller shops open all day.
Tesco express, for example, are open from early to 11pm if you forget something.

Most supermarkets are open from around 7am until 10pm 6 days a week as well as open on a sunday.
Why isn't that enough?

I very much doubt you work 6am-midnight, six days a week, do you?

@lifebeginsaftercoffee I leave the house for work at 7:30, get home at 7:30. My nearest supermarket is half an hour away, so I can't go before work, can't go after work as I have things to do, so sometimes a Sunday shopping trip is needed?

And you have six hours on a Sunday to go shopping.
Or you could order online.
Or do a click and collect.
Or go at 6am before work, or at 8pm after work.

I very, very much doubt that every single one of those options is impossible for you!

@lifebeginsaftercoffee before work is, as (like I said) I leave at 7:30. So therefore I would have to be up at 5:30 to get to my closest supermarket, which isn't sustainable. After work I have to go to the gym, cook dinner, study and sleep. I used to work Sundays 7:30-6:30 or even later when I worked in hospitality, they could even do shorter shifts. Sunday trading doesn't actually help anyone

Yet that protection doesn't extend to other minimum wage workers. Why is a retail worker more deserving of family time than a waitress?