Shops were traditionally forbidden from opening on Sundays primarily to honor the Christian Sabbath as a day of rest, worship, and family time. Known as "blue laws," these restrictions aimed to protect workers from exploitation, promote social well-being, and maintain community traditions.
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.
The current Sunday trading laws, which only permit larger shops to open for a maximum of six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm whilst allowing smaller shops longer opening hours to maintain their economic viability, have proven to be a good compromise.
Shops To Open Longer On Sundays | Good Morning Britain
Did the UK store open on Sunday?
Yes, most stores in the UK are open on Sundays, but large shops (over 280 sq m/3,000 sq ft) in England and Wales have restricted hours, typically opening for only six continuous hours between 10 am and 6 pm, while smaller shops have no restrictions, and Scotland has no Sunday trading laws at all. Pharmacies, service stations, and airport shops are often exempt from these rules.
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.
Many organizations occasionally want some of their employees to work on weekends and holidays. If you do not wish to do so, you must make it clear to your employer, instead of constantly refusing them afterward.
The Lord's Day Act was a federal law to regulate and prohibit activities on Sundays in Canada. It was in force from 1907 until 1985, when it was found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Canada. Campaigned for by members of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, it was passed in 1906.
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.
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.
There have been no restrictions on shopping hours – apart from Sundays – since the introduction of the Sunday Trading Act in 1994. All shops are now able to open without restrictions between Monday and Saturday.
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.
German supermarkets, as well as clothes shops, bookshops and pharmacies, are all closed on Sundays. Sunday is a “quiet day” in Germany, and a law adopted in 1950 prohibits shops from opening so people can enjoy recreational activities and time with family and friends.
The Aldi £13 rule refers to its significant pay increases for UK store assistants, making it the first supermarket to pay above £13 per hour, with rates rising to £13.35 nationally and £14.71 within the M25 from March 2026, with even higher rates for experience, all part of its pledge to lead on pay and offer paid breaks.
It's called the "Aisle of Shame" (or "Aldi Finds") because shoppers often abandon their grocery lists and budgets to impulse buy delightful but unnecessary items like home goods, apparel, and seasonal gadgets found in the middle aisle, leading to a "shameful" amount of extras they didn't plan for, but it's an affectionate term for the store's addictive treasure hunt.
The "996 rule" is a demanding work schedule, popular in some Chinese tech companies, meaning employees work from 9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week, totaling 72 hours weekly, which violates Chinese labor laws and causes burnout, though it's been debated for its perceived link to rapid growth, with figures like Infosys founder Narayana Murthy recently suggesting similar hard work for India's progress, sparking significant controversy.
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).
So why do we worship on Sunday and not Saturday? The first day of the week was the day on which our Lord rose from the dead (John 20:1; cf. Ps. 118:24).
