From 13 January to 14 April the DTI asked for views and evidence on all aspects of extending Sunday shop opening hours. We have received around 1,000 responses. We intend to publish a summary of the responses on the DTI website (www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/buying-selling/Sunday %20Shopping) within three months of the close of this consultation.
On 10 May we held a stakeholder conference, attended by a wide range of stakeholders, where Indepen Consulting Ltd. presented their cost-benefit analysis and participants discussed the assumptions and findings. This was followed by optional forums where we gathered views on the impact on society, the retail sector and employees, and also what can be learnt from international comparisons.
We wrote to around 150 organisations including retailers, trade associations, trade unions, faith groups and groups with an interest in family life to make them aware of the conference. Details of the conference and how to sign up were posted on the DTI website and we also placed an advertisement in a number of retail trade publications. A report of the conference with a list of the organisations that attended, will be published on the DTI website shortly.