Easter will once again be a quiet time for Kiwi retail, with none of New Zealand's main local authorities using their right to allow widespread trading. Photo / Doug Sherring
Easter will once again be a quiet time for Kiwi retail, with none of New Zealand's main local authorities using their right to allow widespread trading. Photo / Doug Sherring
Easter shoppers face another year of disappointment in the major cities, with none of New Zealand's main centres changing holiday trading rules.
Councils in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton have all confirmed they won't be using new powers to allow more shops to trade over Easter - meaning just the bare essentials will be open as usual, unless business operators want to risk a conviction and $1000 fine.
But, for the first time a number of smaller centres are allowed to open for trading as normal, with councils in Rotorua, Napier and in the Far North among 19 regions where Easter Sunday trading has the go ahead.
Lawmakers changed the Shop Trading Hours Act last year, with the biggest difference handing councils the power to decide whether mass trading on Easter Sunday (April 16) should be allowed in their area.
Shops allowed to open include those selling daily essentials, such as dairies, service stations and pharmacies, while garden centres and souvenir shops are also able to trade.
But it is against the law for other retailers to open for business - such as supermarkets and those selling clothing, electronics, furniture and homeware.
Changes to the law also mean employers must provide written notice to employees - informing them of their right to refuse to work on Easter Sunday - while retailers face a $1000 fine for trading without permission.
While Auckland councillors will discuss the subject before Easter, rule changes are already off the table.
"The Act was amended last August, and the council's new governing body will decide on the direction it wants to take around Easter Sunday trading at its meeting on March 30. There is insufficient time to complete the statutory consultation process in time for Easter this year," Michael Sinclair said, Auckland Council's manager of social policy and bylaws.
Queenstown and Taupo have regional exemptions, allowing businesses in those areas to trade as normal, but Wellington, Hamilton and Christchurch are in the same boat as Auckland.
"At this point we're not planning to consult on making any changes for Easter 2017, there's possible committee meetings about discussing it for next year," a spokeswoman for Wellington City Council said.
Easter will once again be a quiet time for Kiwi retail, with none of New Zealand's main local authorities using their right to allow widespread trading. Photo / Doug Sherring
Helen Beaumont, Christchurch City Council's head of strategic policy, said it's already under way with asking locals what they'd like to see - but they won't have time to make a decision in time for this year either.
Hamilton City Council general manager Sean Hickey said it was also looking at next year, after opening its consultation process on Thursday.
"The policy, if introduced, would apply to all shops within the Hamilton city boundary but business owners wouldn't be required to open on Easter Sunday if they didn't want to."
Supermarket chain Countdown said it wants to be able to open on Easter Sunday's to give people more options.
"We have identified a list of stores that we would like to open on Easter Sunday which are mostly in areas visited by local and international tourists," Countdown spokesman James Walker said. "There are some stores we would consider opening in the main centres, if the opportunity arose. If councils decide to allow Easter trading, it provides retailers, workers and customers a choice.
"Other competitor supermarkets have opened in the past, without penalty, which is frustrating. We will not open stores outside the law and we haven't done this in the past."
Shops must close on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and face a $1000 fine if they do not.
Last year two retailers faced prosecution for opening over Easter weekend. According to figures from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, there was an average of 34 prosecutions each year between 2007 and 2012, however there were only two prosecutions in 2013 and none in 2014.
Building, hardware and gardening chain Mitre 10 said it did not fall under the exemption given to garden centres. General manager of marketing, Dave Elliott, said decisions on whether to open for Easter Sunday was down to the individual stores.
"As the decision on Easter trading is now made by local bodies, it's also now a decision for our local stores and not something for us to comment on nationally," Elliott said.
COUNCILS ALLOWING EASTER TRADING • Carterton • Central Otago • Clutha • Far North • Hauraki • Kawerau • Marlborough • Masterton • Napier • New Plymouth • Queenstown-Lakes • Rangitikei • Rotorua • Stratford • Southland • South Wairarapa • Taupo • Waitomo • Thames-Coromandel
COUNCILS CONTINUING THE BAN FOR EASTER 2017 • Ashburton • Auckland • Christchurch • Hamilton • Nelson • Palmerston North • Tasman • Wellington
RULES FOR EASTER TRADING WHERE THE BAN STILL APPLIES On Good Friday and Easter Sunday, almost all shops are required to be closed under the Shop Trading Hours Repeal Act 1990.
EXCEPT: • Dairies • Service stations • Takeaways, bars, restaurants and cafés • Duty-free stores • A shop providing services, rather than selling goods (such as a hairdresser) • Real Estate Agency • Pharmacies • Garden centres (only on Easter Sunday, not Good Friday) • A shop at any public transport terminal or station • A shop in a premises where an exhibition or show is taking place (includes markets, craft shows and stalls at these exhibitions and shows) • A shop selling only souvenirs • The goods you sell are items people can't put off buying until the next day, such as baby formula or pet food, and the quantity of goods for sale is no more than needed to meet the needs of people in the area. • Shops that don't fit into one of the exemption categories commit an offence if they open and trade on restricted shop trading days. The "occupier" of the shop may be liable for a fine of up to $1000.
