Easter weekend: ‘Extraordinarily confusing’ laws around shopping on long weekend explained

March 29, 2018

TVNZ1's Breakfast's Daniel Faitaua discusses Easter trading with Retail NZ's Greg Harford.

As Kiwis look to hit the cafes and shops during Easter weekend laws around shopping including opening hours and surcharges are "extraordinarily confusing" according to Retail NZ 

By law almost all shops will be closed on Good Friday apart from limited exemptions including stores in Queenstown, service stations and dairys. 

On Easter Sunday, throughout most of the country shops are allowed to choose to open.

This decision comes from a law passed two years ago that allowed local councils to decide if shops in their district open.

Greg Harford of Retail NZ told TVNZ1's Breakfast today: "It's extraordinarily confusing, I think it's fair to say governments over the years have totally failed the retail sector in providing clarity."  

"The main centres like Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Palmerston North have all made a call not to allow their shops to open," says Mr Harford. 

All businesses are technically able to apply a surcharge but Mr Harford says it's important to remember that Easter Sunday is not a public holiday. 

"They can only really apply a holiday surcharge on Good Friday or Easter Monday." 

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