ACS

On the day that large retail chains are pressing for relaxation of Sunday trading laws, national polling has shown that an overwhelming majority of the public support the current laws.

In the poll, commissioned by ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores), 76% of those asked said that they wanted the Sunday Trading laws to stay the same, while of the 19% that wanted changes in the law, more than half advocated a complete end to Sunday opening. Of the total sample, only 5% wanted large shops and department stores to be open longer on Sundays.

Key Figures from the Polling

• 76% of public support existing laws
• 70% of those who oppose the current laws favour stronger restrictions on Sunday trading
• 5% wanted a relaxation of the trading laws; 89% of the total sample favour no change or further restrictions
• 85% of the total sample oppose the one off change for Boxing Day argued for by retail chains today.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Our polling shows that the large retail companies arguing for relaxation of Sunday trading laws are out of touch with the public. The overwhelming public opposition to relaxation of Sunday trading shows that the current law should be retained.

“Local shops benefit from the current restrictions because it supports a balance towards local shopping in small stores on a Sunday. This is a balance that customers are clearly happy with, and un-settling this would have a significant impact on the viability of local shops to trade not just on Sundays but throughout the year.

“The current law works, imposes no regulatory burdens on businesses, and is popular. Whoever is in Government after the General Election should maintain this important feature of the UK’s retailing environment.”

Contacts:

Shane Brennan Public Affairs Director
01252 515001 07921 372978
Chris Noice Communications Assistant
01252 533013

Notes to Editors

1. ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) is the voice of local shops, representing over 33,500 convenience stores. ACS helps local shops thrive through lobbying, support and networking opportunities.

2. Topshop, New Look, House of Fraser, Selfridges, Hamleys, Boots and Burton have written to the Business Secretary Peter Mandelson to argue for a relaxation in Sunday trading laws which currently restrict Sunday opening to six consecutive hours for stores over 3,000 sq ft. They are focusing their campaign on the need to liberalise Sunday trading on Boxing Day (which in 2010 will be on a Sunday). Garden centres, led by the Horticultural Trades Association and the Garden Centre Group are also calling for liberalisation following an Easter during which it appears a number of garden centres flouted Sunday trading laws and opened.

3. The questions from the polling, conducted by Gfk/NOP are as follows:

Q.1 Under the Sunday Trading Act, most shops including large supermarkets and department stores are allowed to open for up to 6 hours on a sunday. Do you support or oppose this current rule?

Support: 76%
Oppose: 19%
Don’t Know/ No opinion: 6%

Q.2 Which of these changes would you most support?
Base : all who oppose the Sunday Trading Act

No Sunday Opening: 52% (96/187)
Fewer Permitted Sunday Opening Hours: 18%
Small Increase in Opening Hours: 13%
Complete Relaxation of Sunday Trading Laws: 15%
Don’t know/None of the above: 2%

Q.3 This year Boxing day is a Sunday.
Do you think that on Boxing day shops should be able to open longer than a usual Sunday, or should there be no change in the law for this day?

Yes, longer: 13%
No change: 85%
Don’t know: 2%