Sunday trading has been a fact of life in the UK since the
Sunday Trading Act 1994, which permitted retailers to open for
business on a Sunday within certain parameters. With the growth of
24 / 7 / 365 online shopping and the pressure on the high street to
compete with this ever growing market, the Government is currently
consulting on devolving those Sunday trading rules so as to give
local areas greater control over Sunday trading hours.
In the employment context, the Sunday trading rules have been
subject to a developing wave of criticism over the years, as they
give employees who are not specifically employed to work only on a
Sunday the right to opt-out of Sunday working. This absolute
right applies whether or not Sunday is a religious day for the
employee and without any regard to the impact their opt-out may
have on a retailer's ability to open on a Sunday.
