The move is being considered alongside a raft of measures to help boost local economies across the country, which have been laid low by the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime minister Boris Johnson, chief adviser Dominic Cummings, chancellor Rishi Sunak and business secretary Alok Sharma are all understood to support the measure, according to The Times.

Current Sunday trading laws limit shops with retail space over 280 square metres to a maximum of six hours of trading – under new legislation larger supermarkets would be able to open for longer.