Major statement issued over Tesco, Sainsbury's and Aldi changing Sunday opening hours

At the time of the most recent Census in 2021, 27.5million people - around 40% of the UK's population - identified as Christian. It is by no means the only religion followed in Britain, and a great many people identify as atheists, but many Brits' weekly and yearly routines are still, to a large extent, guided by the country's more Bible-governed past.

Christmas is huge, as well as Easter, and many stores still have to abide by stricter opening hours on Sundays. Small shops - those under 280 square metres - can trade freely, whereas 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.

Recent reports have suggested the Government is considering relaxing the law, with Treasury insiders purportedly hinting at changes amid growing tensions over business rates reform for big retailers. But when approached by the Express, the Treasury said the Government "does not intend to make changes". Nonetheless, the debate over whether alterations are necessary is only likely to intensify the more the economy struggles.

Those against suggest that longer hours would take a toll on workers and smaller businesses, and deny Brits valuable rest and time with their families and loved ones.

Tim Dieppe, Head of Public Policy at Christian Concern, believes that it is important to keep Sundays special.

"It's helpful to differentiate Sunday and keep it different as a day for people to spend time with their families and relax, and, if they want to, to go to church," he says.

Mr Dieppe adds: "The only people who really want this are the major retailers, and their staff don't really want to have another day when they all have to go into work.

"It makes Sunday more and more like any other day."

Theologically speaking, he believes calls for more leniency is a factor of dechristianisation, and would take the country away from a "Christian foundation" of prioritising one's family and worshipping.

Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of the Christian Institute, tells the Express that a shared day of rest protects workers' wellbeing.

He says: "I'm not even sure anyone can articulate the benefits of longer opening hours.

"It doesn't magically increase the amount of money consumers have to spend.

"It does, of course, increase overheads."

Retail workers' union USDAW says its members remain totally opposed to extending hours.

"Longer Sunday trading will take a heavy toll on staff who will come under even more pressure to work, when they would rather be spending time with family and engaging in community, sports and leisure activities or attending church," a spokesperson says.

They add that even supporters of extended Sunday opening hours have not been able to show it will lead to economic benefits or job creation.

"Put simply, opening shops for longer does not mean people have more money to spend," they say.

"It is our hope that the longstanding compromise on Sunday trading will not be undermined, because it fairly provides a tried and tested, workable solution for everyone involved in the debate."

Advocates for change have highlighted a "flatlining" economy, and argue that a changed society means the current regulations are outdated.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures suggested that the UK saw zero growth in July, following a 0.4% expansion in June, in a blow to Rachel Reeves before her November Budget.

Professor Len Shackleton, an editorial and research fellow at the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) and professor of economics at the University of Buckingham, believes that "businesses and workers know better than governments and special interests".

The world has changed since a compromise over opening hours was reached in the 1990s, he adds.

Online shopping, a "decline of religion" and changed demography means "the rules should change too to reflect this".

It may promote a gradual shift away from smaller, more expensive shops towards lower-cost operations, which would benefit the consumer, the academic tells the Express.

"While it is understandable that particular individuals and families may be worried about the impact on their businesses, this needs thinking through," he says.

"We shouldn't exaggerate the impact.

"A family corner shop still has the advantage of location - you can pop in for milk and bread rather than get in the car and drive to the big supermarket."

Many so-called smaller shops are branches of the big chains, such as Tesco Express or Sainsbury Local, anyway, he argues.

"In a wider context, small family-owned shops lock workers and capital into a low-productivity sector.

"They have served a useful purpose for first-generation migrants who might not have had a wide range of jobs and investment outlets for their savings, but we can widen opportunities, and second- and third-generation minorities are much better educated and are moving into new jobs and sectors."

The UK economy has a very poor productivity record, the specialist highlights, and any improvement here is likely to involve people "moving from lower-productivity activities".

Despite his support for a relaxation of the rules, Professor Shackleton, does not think it would be a "game changer", and would only amount to a boost of between one and 2% in retail turnover overall.

"But it could be a useful component of a package of measures to reduce unnecessary regulation in the economy," he adds.

"It would be a useful signal that, as society and the economy change, regulations can change too rather than preserve the preferences of people who are no longer here."

Muniya Barua, Deputy Chief Executive at BusinessLDN, emphasises the relevance of stretched public finances and a flatlining economy.

Expanding Sunday trading hours would be a cost-free policy that would boost growth, and "a win-win", she adds.

The expert specifically moots targeted exemptions for popular shopping areas, such as the West End and Knightsbridge in London.

Filled with international shoppers, she suggests that more liberal trading laws could generate around £350million in extra sales and create thousands of jobs.

"Doing so would bring opening times in the capital's key shopping districts in-line with those in competitor destinations like Paris, Milan and New York," Ms Barua says.

Another helpful measure, she mentions, would be reinstating VAT-free shopping for global visitors - scrapped on January 1, 2021, following Brexit - to "ensure the UK's tourism incentives are internationally competitive".

The prospect of change is not on the radar of others.

The Association of Convenience Stores believes that the majority of the public support the rules as they are, and there is "very little appetite for change".

A spokesperson adds: "There is no credible economic case for a change to Sunday Trading hours, which is why there has been no mention of scrapping the existing compromise in over a dozen reviews of the high street in the last decade."

Tom Ironside, Director of Business and Regulation at the British Retail Consortium, says that the industry will "look carefully" at any future consultation on Sunday trading, if one ever emerges.

But the sector's current focus is firmly on the needs to ensure meaningful business rates reform in the next Budget, ensuring a significant permanent rate reduction for retail, hospitality and leisure, with no shop paying more as a result.

Retail properties have enjoyed a 75% discount on business rates, capped at £110,000 per business, from 2020 until April this year.

Former Conservative Cabinet minister Sir Gavin Williamson told the House of Commons in June that this has had "a material impact on the way that people run their businesses".

He said: "We are all aware that the initial rates relief was introduced at the height of the pandemic to help businesses.

"However, businesses, especially on our high streets, have taken time to recover from the pandemic, which saw a shift in the way that many people buy their goods, in people's shopping habits and in the way that we use our town, city and village centres.

"The rates relief was vital to so many businesses, shops, pubs, hotels and people in adjusting to the new reality that they found themselves living in."

In his constituency of Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge in the West Midlands, a typical shop has seen its bill climb from £3,589 to £8,613, Mr Williamson specified.

For a typical restaurant, the bill has risen from an average of £5,051 to £12,122.

A HM Treasury spokesperson says: "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."

For the moment, changes in opening hours do not seem forthcoming.

But, if the UK's economy continues to stall, Rachel Reeves could find herself gazing more longingly at this particular lever.

Every little helps.