Larger stores are not allowed to open as long as smaller shops on Sundays (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage’s deputy leader has said that he does not see why existing Sunday trading rules need to change after the Government was rumoured to be considering tweaks. Reform UK’s deputy leader, Richard Tice MP, told the Express: “I remain opposed to changing the Sunday trading laws as they currently are. They have existed for decades, and I see no reason to change them.” Mr Tice has hinted that he would become Chancellor if his party won the next general election in 2029.
Gawain Towler, a member of Reform’s board, meanwhile, added: “It won’t boost the economy. It will just make life harder for smaller businesses.” He added: “There’s a reason why the rules are in place.” Larger stores have competitive advantages, which means, for the moment, the UK has “hit a reasonable balance”, Mr Towler also said, while highlighting that customers currently have access to shops, but it’s “not another pressure on small businesses”.
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When told that the Treasury had said that it has no plans to change the rules, Nigel Farage‘s former right hand man warned that it may change its mind.
Richard Tice has said that he does not think Sunday trading hours should change (Image: Getty)
He said: “How many times have we heard that?
“I have great confidence in my Chancellor of the Exchequer.”
Reform is at the moment riding high in the polls, getting as much as a 35% vote share.
A mega survey in September suggested that Mr Farage was on course to become Prime Minister.
The Government previously told the Express: “This pro-business government is creating a fairer business rates system to protect the high street, support investment, and level the playing field and we intend to introduce a permanently lower business rates multiplier for retail properties from next year.
“The Government does not intend to make changes to Sunday trading rules.”
This was after it was reported by the Grocer that ministers had floated the idea of reform.
A senior source told the website that the idea of “looking again” at the law had been raised by Treasury sources as part of a wider discussion about business rates and measures to aid retailers.
The Government says it does not intend to change the rules (Image: Getty)
Currently, there are “no firm plans”, they added.
Under present regulations, small shops – those under 280 square metres – can trade freely on Sundays.
But larger stores, including supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Waitrose, are only allowed to open for a six-hour period between 10am and 6pm.
Those against any tweaks to the status quo suggest that allowing stores to remain open for the normal length of time would take a toll on workers and smaller businesses, and deny Brits valuable time with their families and loved ones and to relax.
However, advocates for adjustments have highlighted a “flatlining” economy, and argue that a changed society means that the way things work at the moment is outdated.
Reform UK Issues Statement Over Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi Changing Sunday Opening Hours
Reform UK has issued a statement over reports that Sunday trading rules could be changed, potentially allowing major supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi to open for longer at weekends.
The issue has attracted renewed political attention because large shops in England and Wales are currently restricted to six consecutive hours of trading on Sundays. The rules mean that many large supermarkets typically open at 10am and close at 4pm, although individual retailers can choose their precise six-hour period within the legal window.
Reform UK has previously made clear that it does not support changing the existing Sunday trading restrictions.
Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader, said in 2025 that he remained opposed to changing the Sunday trading laws and saw no reason to alter rules that had been in place for decades.
The controversy is therefore not about Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Aldi independently deciding to abandon the six-hour limit. Rather, it concerns the possibility of Parliament changing the law that governs large shops.
What are the current Sunday trading rules?
Under the Sunday Trading Act 1994, large shops in England and Wales — those with more than 280 square metres of retail space — can open on Sundays, but only for six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm.
They must also close on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day.
Smaller shops, by contrast, are not subject to the same Sunday opening restrictions. Scotland has no equivalent Sunday trading restrictions, while Northern Ireland operates under a separate legal framework.
The rules have existed in their modern form since the early 1990s, when Parliament moved away from the much stricter arrangements that had previously limited Sunday shopping.
For consumers, the six-hour restriction can be particularly noticeable at large supermarkets.
A customer who finishes work or returns from a weekend trip late on Sunday afternoon may find that a major supermarket has already closed, even though smaller convenience stores remain open.
That difference is one of the arguments used by supporters of reform.
Why has the issue returned?
The latest debate has been connected to wider discussions about business rates and the future of Britain’s high streets.
Reports previously suggested that government officials and supermarket representatives had discussed whether longer Sunday trading could help retailers deal with changes to the business-rates system.
Major supermarkets have faced significant operating costs, including wages, energy, property expenses and business rates.
Extending opening hours could potentially allow retailers to spread trading across a longer period, although the economic effect would depend on customer demand and the additional costs involved.
The government previously indicated that it had no plans to change Sunday trading rules.
That means the reports should not be interpreted as confirmation that Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Aldi are about to receive permission to remain open throughout Sunday.
Instead, the debate concerns whether the legislation should eventually be changed.
Reform’s opposition
Reform UK’s position has been notably different from arguments made by those seeking longer opening hours.
Richard Tice said he was opposed to changing the Sunday trading laws as they currently stand.
His position reflects an argument that Sunday should retain a different status from other days of the week and that existing rules provide a predictable framework for retailers and workers.
Reform has also questioned whether extending Sunday opening would produce meaningful benefits for consumers.
If the legal limit were removed, supermarkets could theoretically remain open for longer. But longer opening hours would not necessarily mean that customers spend more overall.
Retailers could instead spread the same amount of shopping across a longer period.
That is one reason why the economic consequences of changing the rules are contested.
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi
The three supermarket chains named in the controversy have different operating models and store formats.
Tesco operates a large network of supermarkets and convenience stores across Britain.
Sainsbury’s similarly operates both large supermarkets and smaller local stores.
Aldi’s business model is heavily concentrated on supermarkets, meaning the Sunday trading restrictions are particularly relevant to many of its larger branches.
The legal distinction between large and small shops is important.
A small convenience store can generally choose its Sunday hours without being subject to the six-hour restriction that applies to large shops.
Consequently, a customer may already be able to shop at a smaller branch for much of Sunday, even when a large supermarket is required to close.
Supporters of longer hours
Those who favour changing the law argue that modern shopping habits have changed significantly since the legislation was introduced.
Online shopping operates around the clock, while supermarkets have increasingly invested in home delivery and self-service technology.
Supporters of reform therefore question whether a legal distinction between six hours of Sunday trading and longer opening on other days remains appropriate.
There have also been arguments that longer opening hours could benefit people whose working patterns make conventional shopping times difficult.
Workers with irregular schedules, parents with limited free time and people travelling on Sundays could potentially have more opportunities to shop.
Some businesses also argue that flexible opening hours allow retailers to respond to local demand rather than being constrained by national legislation.
The argument about workers
Opponents of extending Sunday trading point to the impact on retail workers.
Longer opening hours could mean that employees are required to work additional Sunday shifts, potentially increasing pressure on staff.
The House of Commons Library notes that Sunday shop workers have specific rights under employment legislation. Workers can in certain circumstances opt out of Sunday working, while shop workers also have rights concerning their normal working arrangements.
The debate is therefore not simply about when customers can shop.
It also concerns how much of the weekend retail employees are expected to spend at work.
For some workers, longer Sunday opening could create additional opportunities for employment and potentially additional hours.
For others, it could make it harder to protect time away from work.
The parking question
Another interesting part of the debate concerns supermarket car parks.
If large supermarkets were allowed to trade for longer, their car parks could potentially remain available for longer periods.
In busy town centres, that could provide additional parking capacity during parts of Sunday when supermarkets currently have to close.
Reports in 2025 highlighted this potential knock-on effect.
However, the practical benefit would depend on individual retailers’ policies. A supermarket being legally permitted to trade later would not necessarily mean that every car park would automatically become available for longer.
Government position
Despite the renewed debate, the government has previously said that it did not intend to change the Sunday trading rules.
That distinction is important because political discussion about changing legislation can continue for months or years without producing an actual change in the law.
For the moment, large supermarkets in England and Wales remain subject to the six-hour Sunday limit.
The government’s broader business-rates reforms have nevertheless ensured that the issue remains part of the political conversation.
Retailers are watching closely because changes to their costs could affect decisions about staffing, store investment and opening hours.
Why Reform’s statement matters
Reform UK’s opposition gives the issue an additional political dimension.
The party has positioned itself as a challenger to the established political parties and has increasingly sought to develop policies covering taxation, business, workers and the wider economy.
Its position on Sunday trading demonstrates that Reform is not automatically supporting every proposal designed to give businesses greater flexibility.
That may appear significant because Reform has also presented itself as a party focused on reducing regulation and supporting businesses.
The Sunday trading issue illustrates that economic policy does not always divide neatly into “more regulation” versus “less regulation”.
There can be competing considerations involving workers, consumers, retailers, local communities and traditional patterns of life.
No immediate change for shoppers
For customers at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi, the most important point is that reports of a possible law change do not mean that normal Sunday opening hours have already been altered.
The existing legal framework remains in place.
Large shops in England and Wales can open for a maximum of six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm on a normal Sunday.
Individual supermarkets may also have different arrangements for smaller branches, petrol stations and special dates such as bank holidays.
The situation is different in Scotland, where there are no Sunday trading restrictions equivalent to those imposed on large shops in England and Wales.
A debate likely to continue
The disagreement over Sunday opening hours reflects a much wider question about how Britain regulates modern retail.
Supporters of longer trading argue that consumers and businesses should have greater flexibility.
Opponents, including Reform UK, have questioned whether changing a longstanding law would provide sufficient benefits to justify the consequences for workers and established Sunday arrangements.
For now, however, the law has not changed.
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi therefore remain subject to the existing rules where they operate large shops in England and Wales.
Reform’s statement has ensured that any future attempt to reopen the issue will face political opposition, while retailers and other business groups are likely to continue making the case for greater flexibility.
The result is a debate that goes well beyond supermarket opening times. It touches on working life, consumer choice, business costs and the changing nature of Britain’s high streets.
Until Parliament actually changes the legislation, shoppers should continue to check their individual supermarket’s published Sunday hours rather than assuming that the reported proposals have already taken effect.