Sunday trading

Sunday trading requirements for large shops

Large shops - retail businesses with a floor area of more than 280 square metres (3,000 square feet) may face restrictions on their Sunday opening hours under the Sunday Trading Act 1994. The Act only applies to businesses in England and Wales.

Many large shops can only open on a Sunday for a continuous period of six hours between 10.00 and 18.00.

But there are large shops that are exempt from Sunday trading rules. For more information, see the page in this guide on large shops which are exempt from Sunday trading rules.

If your business is affected by the rules, you must display notices of the six-hour period during which you plan to trade on Sundays in a clearly visible position inside and outside your shop.

You also need to check whether you require permission from your local authority to load and unload goods before 09.00 on a Sunday. You can find your local authority using our Contacts Directory.

There are significant fines for failing to comply with Sunday trading requirements.

There are also requirements for large shops on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. See the page in this guide on the requirements for large shops on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day.

Remember that workers in any size of shop that opens on a Sunday may have special employment rights. For more information, see our guide to Sunday working and night working.

There are no restrictions on Sunday trading hours in Scotland.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• Sunday trading requirements for large shops
• Large shops which are exempt from Sunday trading rules
• Requirements for large shops on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day

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