The London Olympics and Paralympics have led to new pressures on the UK’s retail and distribution infrastructure, and it was no surprise the government decreed a relaxation of the current Sunday Trading laws (in which shops in England and Wales of more than 280 sq m can open for a maximum of six hours on a Sunday, and only between the hours of 10am and 6pm.

However, the government is now considering extending the Games-based relaxation so bigger supermarkets can continue to open late on Sundays. That may be great for them, but evidence suggests independents are increasingly concerned.

They believe that by opening late on Sundays, they’re able to offer something more than the multiples - and in a sector where economies of scale play such a major role, they need every advantage they can get.

They often operate on extremely tight margins and times are hard for both them and their customers. In fact, they fear that if they lose this advantage it could impact one of the busiest parts of the week for them. We could then see more local shops shutting up for good, blighting their local communities.

Local store owners are usually enmeshed in those communities - they often check up on customers they’ve not seen in a few days, know shoppers by name and may even accept phone orders. They offer a personal service that goes beyond money.

Proponents of broader Sunday opening refer to ‘consumer choice’. There’s no question that shoppers deserve choice, but they can currently buy anything - even groceries - pretty much 24 hours a day online. And thanks to the Olympics, the retail sector as a whole has had a chance to pilot new ways of working, such as Sunday and night-time deliveries that help to reduce congestion. But they don’t work for everyone and Sunday Trading is another example where the devil may be in the detail.

It’s generally agreed that some parts of society need support or a degree of protectionism, Looser Sunday Trading laws will hit independents where it hurts the most and could seriously damage our communities.

Martyn Ward is MD commercial & sales at Palmer & Harvey

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