Shopping days get a little longer

The decision by shopping mall owner Westfield Group to extend trading hours by half an hour on weekdays has sparked predictions that retail trading hours will continue to move later into the evening.

Westfield has changed the closing time for its 11 malls from 5.30 pm until 6pm, after its research found 75 per cent of customers were keen to shop later - ideally until 7pm.

It has kept the opening time unchanged at 9am except for Sundays when the malls will open at 10am.

"It is a toe in the water. I think there's probably room for more movement and I would predict that in time it will come," said David Russell, chief executive of the Consumers Institute.

Russell Sinclair, Auckland regional manager of the New Zealand Retailers Association, believed the change would only spark more debate. The association will ask its members if they support later trading hours, such as 10am to 6.30pm.

Westfield's general manager of leasing and shopping centre management, Clive Mackenzie said Westfield's hours were "not set forever".

"As the debate continues we may in the future change again. We will probably review this on a yearly basis," he said.

The change reflected customers' changing lifestyles - tempered by the difficulty that later hours would cause to retail workers, as a 6.30 close would prove difficult for working parents.

The National Distribution Union retail sector secretary Judy Attenberger said the union would canvas the views of workers next week.

"It will start at 6pm and they may say it has worked so we'll extend it to 7pm or 8pm. I think they're just testing it - I do think they will extend those hours, which is a problem for people with kids."