সরকার নিশ্চিত করেছে যে তারা বর্তমানে রবিবারের ট্রেডিং আইন পরিবর্তন করার পরিকল্পনা করছে না।

The Government has confirmed that it is not currently planning to change Sunday Trading laws in response to lobbying from the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed). The Fed wrote to the Chancellor and the Department for Business in early October expressing concerns at the idea after sources at the Treasury were reported as saying they were looking at opening up Sunday trading for bigger supermarkets to trade on a similar basis to smaller shops.

In the Fed’s letter of 2nd October, National President, Hetal Patel, said, “…as previous consultation and debate has shown, the current rules provide the balance we need to ensure bigger stores remain open in the core hours of the day on Sunday, but do not allow supermarkets to overwhelm smaller shops on the weekend. This has been shown because it has been made clear that opening bigger shops longer at the weekend does not increase trade overall but merely transfers it to larger shops.”

Consumer Protection Minister, Kate Dearden MP, stated: “On the matter of Sunday Trading laws, I recognise the concerns about potential impacts on smaller retailers. The government is not currently planning to make changes to Sunday trading rules.”

Kate Dearden also said she understood the wider challenges facing independent retail shared in the October letter, including the spectre of retail crime and high business and Government costs. “I would like to acknowledge the vital role that the Federation of Independent Retailers plays in representing approximately 9,000 independent retailers across Britain and Ireland. Independent retailers are indeed crucial to our economic growth agenda and form the backbone of many local communities across the country… I welcome the Federation’s continued engagement with government and note your previous meetings with my colleagues.”

Hetal Patel said: “I would like to thank the Minister for her warm words thanking the Fed for its Political Engagement work this year – the news on Sunday trading is particularly welcome. Clearly, more challenges remain ahead for small shops, but we look forward to engaging closely again with the Minister and her colleagues in the Labour Government in 2026.”