Spar joins growing calls against Sunday trading relaxations

Leading convenience retailer Spar has come down against the government plans to relax Sunday trading laws. 

Louise Hoste, managing director of Spar UK, said the the move will have a “personal impact” on independent family businesses who serve local communities everyday.

“We are outraged that the government are planning to suspend Sunday trading laws,” she said. “We feel disappointed that our efforts to feed the nation have not been seen as enough.”

The Times has reported on the government plans to suspend Sunday trading laws for a year in measures to revive the economy from the coronavirus crisis.

Earlier, the government has revealed that it was considering a review of the laws after several MPs called on Business Secretary Alok Sharma to suspend the law, which restricts large shops (over 280 square metres) from opening for sale to a maximum of 6 hours between 10am and 6pm.

Buying group Unitas Wholesale and the trade body Association of Convenience Stores have already voiced their criticism of the move, warning about its impact on the small retailers.

Hoste added that it will be an “affront” now to introduce the change after convenience stores have supported the nation during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“The current Sunday trading laws help to maintain a balance between large supermarket and small convenience stores providing food and other essential items. Extending Sunday trading hours would divert trade away from smaller community based stores to larger supermarkets, bringing negative growth to the high street,” she said.

Several independent Spar retailers concurred.

“The extra hours we have on Sunday evenings are so important. For some retailers it can mean the difference between a business surviving or dying,” commented Tristan King, who owns a family business of five SPAR stores in Chesterfield, Mansfield and Retford.

“With all the other rising costs that come with running an independent business today, this will be the straw that breaks our backs.”

King added that he has already written to MPs in constituencies his stores are located.

Julian Taylor-Green, who runs two SPAR stores, said the proposed move feels like “a kick in teeth.”

“The government needed our support to help them through the past few months and will continue to need independent retailers in the next 12-18 months. It’s absolutely frightening that they could think like this,” he said.

“The government obviously does not recognise what we’ve been doing. We should be acknowledged for our work – not penalised.”

Mark Cleary, owner of eight SPAR stores in the Manchester area, added: “We stepped up to the plate and acted faster than any other business during the pandemic, doing more per customer than anyone else. We’ve proved our worth and how important we are to communities, going out of our way to support local people who need us now more than ever.

“It just seems bizarre that as soon as we demonstrate what it is we do well, the government decides to take it away from independent retailers.

“If the government suspends Sunday trading laws, it will not kick-start the economy and independent stores will close.”

Spar has urged everyone in the convenience industry to write to their local MP, urging them not to support the suspension of Sunday trading laws.