The government said it is considering a review of the Sunday trading laws after MPs called on Business Secretary Alok Sharma to suspend the law to help mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Sunday Trading Act restricts large shops (over 280 square metres) from opening for sale to a maximum of 6 hours between 10am and 6pm.
In a letter, a group of 40 cross-party MPs – led by Tory MP Nusrat Ghani and her Labour colleague on BEIS Select Committee Peter Kyle – has said the restrictions make it much harder for shops to manage the number of people entering the premises.
“The existing restrictive Sunday Trading Laws seem absurd in this present climate. For many of our key workers, Sunday is the only time they are not on the front line and they should not be standing in long queues for their once-in-a-week shop,” the letter read.
“Sunday Trading Laws should be suspended for the same period that emergency legislation is in place, to cover this short-term crisis.”
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has now confirmed that a review of the rules is under consideration.
“We continue to have regular conversations with the food sector and will keep measures, including Sunday trading rules, under review in these unprecedented times,” The Sun quoted a spokesperson of the department as saying.
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