That all changed in 1994 for England and Wales, with the introduction of the Sunday Trading Act, and in 1997 for Northern Ireland, as the Shops (Sunday Trading &c.) Order was approved.
Scotland never had the same restrictions on Sunday opening as the rest of the UK, though many shops chose to stay closed.
Today, shops across the UK are as busy as ever on Sundays, albeit with restricted opening hours for larger stores in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
But how did we fill our hours on a Sunday before the lure of retail therapy was an option?
This retro photo gallery shows some of the most popular pastimes of the 70s and 80s in the UK, from fitness trends to DIY pursuits.
How did you spend your weekends back then? Do these nostalgic photos bring back any memories for you?
For more 70s and 80s nostalgia, check out our look back at popular sweets and chocolate bars that were discontinued before their time.
5. Head to the fairground
If the fairground was in town, that was where you went for guaranteed family fun. Fairgrounds are still popular, but not to the extent they were in the 70s and 80s, when other entertainment options were more limited. | Getty Images Photo: Tom Stoddart
6. Host a dinner party
The classic comedy drama Abigail's Party hit our screens in 1977, but most dinner parties were more successful than that thrown by Alison Steadman's Alison Moss. Prawn cocktail, vol-au-vents and trifle were among the classic dinner party dishes of the 70s and 80s. The Osmonds are pictured around the dinner table here in 1974. | Getty Images Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive
7. Go for a jog
Jogging boomed during the 70s and 80s as more people became aware of the health benefits, and parks were full of runners sporting shiny new tracksuits and wristbands. It suffered a blow in 1984, when Jim Fixx, the man who had helped popularise the pursuit, tragically died of a heart attack while jogging, aged just 52. | Getty Images Photo: Geoff Bruce/Central Press/Hulton Archive
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8. Watch a movie
The 70s were a great era for movies. One of the biggest, and scariest films of the decade was 1974 horror movie The Exorcist. | Getty Images Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive