Sunday trading hours could be scrapped to help ease queues

Laws restricting how long shops can stay open at weekends could be suspended during the lockdown to prevent them from becoming overcrowded. Supermarket bosses have been calling or more flexible hours to ensure queues are shorter and to help customers stick to social distancing guidelines.

Under the Sunday Trading Act 1994 shops larger than 3,000 sq ft can only serve customers for six hours between 10am and 6pm.

But yesterday Boris Johnson said he is ‘looking at’ relaxing the law and a group of more than 40 MPs have written to the Government asking them to do so. In a letter, the Commons Business Committee say: ‘In this time of crisis it is evident that some outdated and restrictive practices are hampering the effort by retail outlets and by people to do the right thing.

‘We are all witnessing supermarkets and shops being overwhelmed. Social distancing isn’t being observed in queues and supermarket staff are also feeling the strain and do not always believe they can protect themselves with safe distancing. Even when supermarkets are offering slots for vulnerable and key workers, bottlenecks are seen inside and outside shops.’

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