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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/nov/26/black-friday-christmas-shopping-longer-opening-hours
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| Shop until you drop: Black Friday and the call for longer opening hours | Shop until you drop: Black Friday and the call for longer opening hours |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Millions of pounds could be spent every minute as people panic shop for their friends and family for Christmas. As intensity within stores increases, stress on shop employees also increases. In preparation for “Black Friday”, a day of retail sales that originated in the US, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has asked shops to improve security ahead of tomorrow’s flash sale, in the hope of avoiding the fighting that broke out last year. | Millions of pounds could be spent every minute as people panic shop for their friends and family for Christmas. As intensity within stores increases, stress on shop employees also increases. In preparation for “Black Friday”, a day of retail sales that originated in the US, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has asked shops to improve security ahead of tomorrow’s flash sale, in the hope of avoiding the fighting that broke out last year. |
| Retailers, however, still want more opportunities for people to shop. A group of London’s most influential retailers recently lobbied the British government, calling for rules on Sunday trading to be relaxed. However, David Cameron was forced to put parliamentary plans on hold in the face of opposition by the SNP. | Retailers, however, still want more opportunities for people to shop. A group of London’s most influential retailers recently lobbied the British government, calling for rules on Sunday trading to be relaxed. However, David Cameron was forced to put parliamentary plans on hold in the face of opposition by the SNP. |
| Any move towards longer opening hours is strongly opposed by the trade union USDAW, which represents 443,000 shop and supply chain workers across the UK. In a recent survey of 2,000 of USDAW’s members, 91% opposed longer Sunday trading hours. | Any move towards longer opening hours is strongly opposed by the trade union USDAW, which represents 443,000 shop and supply chain workers across the UK. In a recent survey of 2,000 of USDAW’s members, 91% opposed longer Sunday trading hours. |
| John Hannett, general secretary of USDAW, says retailers want longer hours to avoid paying overtime to staff. “We forecast that employers would ultimately say ‘we can’t afford to pay premium because we’ve got the store open longer, we’ve got the lights on longer, we’ve got our overheads’. What we’re trying to do is hold the status quo, the 1994 agreement that legalised Sunday trading.” | John Hannett, general secretary of USDAW, says retailers want longer hours to avoid paying overtime to staff. “We forecast that employers would ultimately say ‘we can’t afford to pay premium because we’ve got the store open longer, we’ve got the lights on longer, we’ve got our overheads’. What we’re trying to do is hold the status quo, the 1994 agreement that legalised Sunday trading.” |
| The legalisation of Sunday trading in the UK in 1994 was opposed by Marks & Spencer and Waitrose. In Germany, Sunday trading is forbidden because Sunday is reserved as a day of rest. | The legalisation of Sunday trading in the UK in 1994 was opposed by Marks & Spencer and Waitrose. In Germany, Sunday trading is forbidden because Sunday is reserved as a day of rest. |
| Hannett says British shop workers have the most deregulated hours in Europe and they deserve a break. “This is about the right balance – that’s why our members are against longer Sunday hours, they’ve got caring responsibilities and other pressures. Sunday is the only real respite people get, so if they do six hours on a Sunday, they’ve still got some of Sunday.” | Hannett says British shop workers have the most deregulated hours in Europe and they deserve a break. “This is about the right balance – that’s why our members are against longer Sunday hours, they’ve got caring responsibilities and other pressures. Sunday is the only real respite people get, so if they do six hours on a Sunday, they’ve still got some of Sunday.” |
| Related: A hard day's night: the hidden health risks of working the night shift | Related: A hard day's night: the hidden health risks of working the night shift |
| Harvey Nichols was one of the retailers leading the call for longer Sunday trading hours. In a letter to the Sunday Times, a group of major retailers including Selfridges and Harrods argued that they would create 2,000 new jobs and earn £200m more if Sunday opening hours were extended. Harvey Nichols chief executive Stacey Cartwright said in a statement: “Knightsbridge is a highly attractive shopping destination for the domestic and international customer, and to keep competitive against other international retail hubs we have to offer the highest level of service and convenient trading hours for our customers.” | Harvey Nichols was one of the retailers leading the call for longer Sunday trading hours. In a letter to the Sunday Times, a group of major retailers including Selfridges and Harrods argued that they would create 2,000 new jobs and earn £200m more if Sunday opening hours were extended. Harvey Nichols chief executive Stacey Cartwright said in a statement: “Knightsbridge is a highly attractive shopping destination for the domestic and international customer, and to keep competitive against other international retail hubs we have to offer the highest level of service and convenient trading hours for our customers.” |
| Others believe we have shopped enough. “In its current phase, capitalism depends on people going out to shop,” said Anna Coote, associate director of social policy at the New Economics Foundation. “We buy so much stuff we can’t fit it into our homes. And most of it is made in ways that are energy and resource intensive – in short, bad for the environment. To meet our carbon reduction targets so that the natural world stands a chance of sustaining human civilisation for more than another 50 years, we absolutely have to shop less, not more.” | Others believe we have shopped enough. “In its current phase, capitalism depends on people going out to shop,” said Anna Coote, associate director of social policy at the New Economics Foundation. “We buy so much stuff we can’t fit it into our homes. And most of it is made in ways that are energy and resource intensive – in short, bad for the environment. To meet our carbon reduction targets so that the natural world stands a chance of sustaining human civilisation for more than another 50 years, we absolutely have to shop less, not more.” |
| Pleasure or a chore? | Pleasure or a chore? |
| If it is damaging for the environment and stressful for both customers and retail staff, should we be questioning our consumer culture? | |
| Beyond the West End of London, there are other communities concerned with the impact of relaxed trading hours. In Wales, some worry about how society might be affected. The Reverend Canon Carol Wardman, the Archbishop of Wales’ adviser for church and society, has been outspoken on this issue. As a representative of one of the most senior Anglican church figures in the UK, she says it’s important for there to be at least one day where people have the option of time with their family: “The idea of respecting people’s time to do things which are not connected with work, and which they may wish to do together as a family and a community, is very important. That doesn’t just affect Christians, it affects everybody.” | Beyond the West End of London, there are other communities concerned with the impact of relaxed trading hours. In Wales, some worry about how society might be affected. The Reverend Canon Carol Wardman, the Archbishop of Wales’ adviser for church and society, has been outspoken on this issue. As a representative of one of the most senior Anglican church figures in the UK, she says it’s important for there to be at least one day where people have the option of time with their family: “The idea of respecting people’s time to do things which are not connected with work, and which they may wish to do together as a family and a community, is very important. That doesn’t just affect Christians, it affects everybody.” |
| Wardman also says longer hours could negatively impact rural communities: “It could be that people would be more tempted to travel out of rural communities on Sundays to do shopping rather than just popping down to the local shops. That’s a particular issue in Wales, where 80% of [the country] is rural.” | Wardman also says longer hours could negatively impact rural communities: “It could be that people would be more tempted to travel out of rural communities on Sundays to do shopping rather than just popping down to the local shops. That’s a particular issue in Wales, where 80% of [the country] is rural.” |
| Not everyone would agree. In July, business minister Anna Soubry said Sunday was the most miserable day of the week before Sunday trading. However, according to Coote, there are plenty of other ways for people to spend their time on Sundays: “There’s more to life than shopping, surely? It’s time to get off the treadmill and value other things, such as hanging out with friends and neighbours, making things, preparing meals, playing games, dancing, reading, going for walks, exercise ... These are not about spending money and accumulating possessions, but about enriching daily life and flourishing.” | Not everyone would agree. In July, business minister Anna Soubry said Sunday was the most miserable day of the week before Sunday trading. However, according to Coote, there are plenty of other ways for people to spend their time on Sundays: “There’s more to life than shopping, surely? It’s time to get off the treadmill and value other things, such as hanging out with friends and neighbours, making things, preparing meals, playing games, dancing, reading, going for walks, exercise ... These are not about spending money and accumulating possessions, but about enriching daily life and flourishing.” |
| Additional reporting by Sam Alwyine-Mosely. |
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