Small shopkeepers have condemned lockdown unfairness which means they must close while major chains have customers queuing out on to the street.
Household names are taking advantage of loopholes to continue trading, while at the same time benefitting from the cancellation of business rates worth billions of pounds.
It comes after official data revealed retail sales plummeted by the largest amount since records began as the coronavirus pandemic paralysed the shopping sector.
In theory, only stores supplying essential products, such as food, home maintenance, health and pet care, should be open during the third lockdown.
However, a raft of general merchandise and homeware chains, such as Poundland, Wilko, B&M, Robert Dyas, Home Bargains, and The Range together with garden centres are trading.