UK Act of Parliament 1994 United Kingdom

Sunday Trading Act 1994

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.

Enforced by
Local Authority
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Prosecution 2 of 5 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 2 carry different penalties and 1 has no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Occupier2 Any Person1

Plus 2 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Occupier — also bound by 235 other Acts
Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.002 Loading and unloading at large shops on Sunday morning. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must consult and notify before restricting Sunday loadingLocal authority

Fine up to £5,000

s.006 Consequential repeal or amendment of local Acts. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must consult local authorities before changing local ActsCrown / Minister / Government department
7 other provisions — procedural and definitional
Schedules

Schedules

3 of 36 shown
s.sch001 Restrictions on Sunday opening of large shops (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Open a large shop on Sunday for retail customersOccupier

Unlimited fine

s.sch002 Supplementary Provisions (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Register a large shop for Jewish Sabbath observance to modify Sunday tradingOccupier

Unlimited fine

s.sch003 Loading and Unloading at Large Shops on Sunday Morning (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Load or unload goods before 9 am on Sunday without consentAny Person

Fine up to £1,000

33 other schedules
s.sch001 In this Schedule— “ alcohol ” has the same meaning...
s.sch001 (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) below, a large...
s.sch001 (1) The shops referred to in paragraph 2(2)(a) above are—...
s.sch001 (1) A person who is, or proposes to become, the...
s.sch001 (1) Every local authority shall keep a register of shops...
s.sch001 At any time when— (a) a large shop is open...
s.sch001 (1) If paragraph 2(1) above is contravened in relation to...
s.sch001 Where a person is charged with having contravened paragraph 2(1)...
s.sch001 Any notice given for the purposes of paragraph 4(1) above...
s.sch002 It shall be the duty of every local authority to...
s.sch002 (1) Any shop which is registered under section 53 of...
s.sch002 For the purposes of their duties under paragraph 1 above...
s.sch002 An inspector appointed by a local authority under paragraph 2...
s.sch002 Any person who intentionally obstructs an inspector appointed under paragraph...
s.sch002 For the investigatory powers available to a local authority and...
s.sch002 Where the commission by any person of an offence under...
s.sch002 (1) Where an offence under this Act committed by a...
s.sch002 (1) In any proceedings for an offence under this Act...
s.sch002 (1) A person of the Jewish religion who is the...
s.sch002 Paragraph 8 above shall apply to persons who are members...
s.sch003 This Schedule applies to any shop— (a) which is a...
s.sch003 Paragraph 2 does not apply where the Sunday is Christmas...
s.sch003 The occupier of a shop to which this Schedule applies...
s.sch003 (1) A consent under this Schedule may be granted subject...
s.sch003 An application for a consent under this Schedule shall be...
s.sch003 An applicant for a consent under this Schedule shall pay...
s.sch003 (1) Where an application is duly made to the local...
s.sch003 Where— (a) the occupier of a shop in respect of...
s.sch003 Where a local authority grant a consent under this Schedule,...
s.sch003 A person who contravenes paragraph 2 above shall be liable...
s.sch004 In section 20 of the Children and Young Persons Act...

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Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.