A petition to stop shops opening on Boxing Day has 100,000 signatures
A petition calling for shops to shut on Boxing Day has gathered more than 100,000 signatures.
Boxing Day, which falls on 26 December, is traditionally a massive day for shopping as most major retailers begin their post-Christmas sales. Many companies have already launched promotions ahead of Black Friday, which falls on 25 November this year.
The petition, started by Ian Lapworth on Change.org, will be delivered to Prime Minister Theresa May.
Lapworth stated: "Shops, especially supermarkets, do not need to open on Boxing Day. Whilst not everyone may see Christmas as a religious holiday, it should be respected as such, and retail workers (who work so hard on the run up to the big day) given some decent family time to relax and enjoy the festivities like everyone else.
"Most retail workers are on the go up to Christmas Eve, then back on Boxing Day. Sometimes they have no choice. We managed 30 and 40 years ago…when shops were sometimes shut for a whole week. Let's get back to the way it was."
Forget making money for one day, let's concentrate on making more memories with the ones we love.
So far, 107,988 supporters have signed the petition.
The Boxing Day petition comes after MPs voted against proposals to relax Sunday trading hours.