Retailers launch a campaign to end trading restrictions
Eleven years after The Sunday Trading Act came into force, a poll has shown that 30 per cent of men and 20 per cent of women want restrictions on selling hours scrapped altogether.

Natasha Burton, marketing manager at FootFall, which carried out the poll, said: 'Our research shows that 73 per cent of those asked have shopped on a Sunday, with 19 per cent doing so more frequently than a year ago and 16 per cent doing so every week.'

The Sunday Trading Act, which came into force on August 28, 1994, means shops are restricted to six hours of trading and outlets of more than 3,000 sq ft (280 sq m) must remain closed. Now some retailers are launching Deregulate, a campaign to allow stores to open on a Sunday.

However, the majority of those surveyed still want to keep Sunday as a day of rest, and both the Church of England and the Keep Sunday Special Campaign have argued that the Sabbath should be reserved for quiet or family time.

Burton added: 'While 51 per cent of people empathise with these views, our research shows that they and many others would still rather make the final decision themselves.'

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