Most farmers markets to open Anzac Day

Bolly Bollinger selling

Most farmers' markets will open this Sunday, but many of them will trade in the afternoon out of respect for our national day of remembrance.

Trading laws prevent most businesses from opening before 1pm on Anzac Day, but do allow trading at an exhibition or show, provided those goods are connected in some way with the show or exhibition.

A Department of Labour spokesperson said most farmers markets were not shows or exhibitions.

Farmers' Markets New Zealand chairperson Chris Fortune said about 20 markets throughout New Zealand would trade on Sunday as normal, but only a couple would be open during the morning.

The remainder normally open on a Saturday.

The Hawkes Bay Farmers' Market will trade on Sunday morning, but will have a bugler playing and a minute's silence to remember the fallen.

The market will also be selling poppies, a spokesperson for the market said.

Fortune said the Hamilton Farmers' Market would open during the afternoon, although their resource consent states they can only open during the morning.

The Department of Labour is urging stallholders to seek legal advice before making a call because each case was different.

"We provide information and guidance but we are also the enforcement agency, which is why we are telling people to seek independent legal advice," spokesperson Colin Patterson said.

Each individual stall was classed as a retailer or shop so it was possible in some markets some stalls could open and others couldn't, depending on the type of goods they were selling, he said.

Fortune said the situation was fairly unique because Anzac Day only fell on a Sunday once every few years.

Farmers' Market New Zealand was recommending its members respected the day by not opening before 1pm.

Those that did should remember the fallen in some way.

A Department of Labour fact sheet refers to a shop "in a premises where an exhibition or show is taking place."

"This includes markets, craft shows and stalls at these exhibitions and shows The shop/stall must be within the premises of a bona fide exhibition or show The bona fide exhibition or show must be devoted entirely or primarily to agriculture, art, industry, and science, or any of these.

The Department of Labour considers that to be quite a strict requirement, and that to be considered 'devoted' to a show or exhibition a shop must be selling goods that are connected in some way with the show. For example, arts and crafts at an art and craft show, or farming supplies at an agriculture show, rather than general goods."

The rules around shop trading restrictions can be found at the Department of Labour's website here.

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