Petition · past parliament

Pass emergency legislation forcing shops to have opening hours for the elderly

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

Panic buying is everywhere. Sadly the elderly, disabled and people in similar situations can't get in to buy essentials. We are asking the government to legislate for dedicated opening times for such people.
The Chairman of Iceland has done this, they have dedicated 8am-9am for the elderly. Surely all other businesses can do the same?

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

The opening arrangements for supermarkets are a matter for individual retailers, not the Government or Parliament. A number of retailers have announced plans to open early for elderly or vulnerable customers. You should contact your local supermarket to find out if they have put such arrangements in place.

The Government has made certain changes to enable supermarkets to work together during the coronavirus outbreak, particularly to serve customers who are elderly, ill or vulnerable: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/supermarkets-to-join-forces-to-feed-the-nation

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Timeline

16 Mar 2020 Petition opened for signatures
26 Mar 2020 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21
Status Rejected
Rejected 26 Mar 2020

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.