Sunday trading was historically prohibited to uphold the religious, social, and cultural tradition of Sunday as a mandatory day of rest, worship, and family time, rather than a day for commerce. Rooted in Christian tradition and "blue laws" dating back centuries, these restrictions ensured workers had a break and prevented commercial exploitation.
The government says there are no plans to change the law. Sunday Trading regulations date back to the Sunday Fares Act of 1488, when the last day of the week was traditionally a religious day of rest.
The Sunday Trading Act came into effect at the end of August, 1994. It removed all restrictions on Sunday trading from all small shops (and certain larger ones) but permitted other large shops to open for six hours on Sundays.
On Sundays, large shops may open for no more than 6 continual hours between the period 10am and 6pm. All large shops must close on Easter Sunday. Under the Christmas Day (Trading Act) 2004 all large shops must close on Christmas Day on whatever day of the week it falls.
It's not illegal for shops to be open on Sunday in the UK, but large stores (over 280 sq m) have restrictions, allowing only 6 continuous hours between 10 am-6 pm and requiring closure on Easter Sunday & Christmas Day; small shops have no restrictions, while various types like pharmacies, pubs, farm shops, and petrol stations are exempt, all under the Sunday Trading Act 1994, notes the Bolton Council and GOV.UK.
Open all hours - is the Government about to relax Sunday trading laws?
What was the Sunday trading Bill 1986?
The Shops Bill 1986 was a parliamentary bill in the United Kingdom that would have ended government regulation of Sunday shopping in England and Wales.
What was it called when everything was closed on Sunday?
Blue laws (also known as Sunday laws, Sunday trade laws, and Sunday closing laws) are laws restricting or banning certain activities on specified days, usually Sundays in the western world. The laws were adopted originally for religious reasons, specifically to promote the observance of the Christian day of worship.
If you are an automatically protected worker, you have the following rights: You can refuse to do Sunday work. You cannot be dismissed, disciplined or treated less favourably, such as being denied overtime, promotion or training opportunities, if the reason for such treatment is your refusal to work on Sunday.
Lower liquidity – Although extended-hours trading has increased, it's still small compared to the number of transactions that take place during prime trading hours. If you're trying to buy or sell during certain hours, you might find fewer counterparties, making it more difficult to execute a trade.
The 1994 law was a compromise which fell short of an attempt by Margaret Thatcher's government in 1986 to do away with all restrictions. The following year Sunday licensing laws were relaxed to allow all-day opening for pubs and other places selling alcoholic beverages.
Buying and selling on Sunday had previously been illegal, with exceptions, under the Shops Act 1950. An Act to reform the law of England and Wales relating to Sunday trading; to make provision as to the rights of shop workers under the law of England and Wales in relation to Sunday working; and for connected purposes.
The name "Sunday" comes from the Old English word “Sunnandæg,” which means “Sun's day.” ☀️ In many languages, the name also has to do with the sun! For example, in Spanish, it's "domingo," which comes from "dominica," meaning the Lord's day! 🕊️ Ancient Romans believed Sunday was dedicated to the sun god, Sol.
The majority of shops over 3000 sq ft can only open on a Sunday for a continuous period of six hours between 10.00 and 18.00. However, some categories of large shop are exempt from the restrictions placed on opening hours by the Sunday Trading Act 1994.
The "90 Rule" in trading, often called the 90-90-90 Rule, is a harsh market observation stating that roughly 90% of new traders lose 90% of their money within their first 90 days, highlighting the high failure rate due to lack of strategy, poor risk management, and emotional trading rather than market complexity. It serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing that success requires discipline, a solid trading plan, proper education, and managing psychological pitfalls like overconfidence or revenge trading, not just market knowledge.
3 = Do not risk more than 3% of your total capital on a single trade. 5 = Keep your total exposure to open trades less than 5%. 7 = Aim for at least a 7:1 profit-loss ratio on each trade. For example, if you risk $500, your potential profit should be around $3500.
Is it illegal to work 7 days a week with two jobs?
It is considered the obligation of both their main employer and secondary employer to ensure that someone isn't working more than 48 hours per week on average, unless they have signed an opt-out agreement to say they are happy to work more than that.
What is the longest shift you can legally work in a day?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that a normal work shift is no more than 8 consecutive hours in a day, with each shift split by at least 8 hours of rest. A normal workweek is 5 such work days. However, this is not binding. OSHA does not penalize employers who demand more.
Saturday was named after the god Saturn, and is the only day of the week to retain its Roman name. Sunday, the day of the Sun, was called Solis in Latin and Sonnandæg in Anglo-Saxon.
Blue laws still exist because they can be considered secularly beneficial. Like no alcohol sales on Sunday promotes health and a day of rest for all citizens, even if it's really an old fashioned way to have more people attend church on Sundays. Look at McGowan v. Maryland (1961).
