Thursday, 20 March 2025

Easter Sunday trading rules approved

Queenstown Lakes District Council has adopted a policy that permits all shops in the district to open on Easter Sunday.

QLDC Easter Sunday Shop Trading Web Page Graphic Oct24

At a Council meeting on 20 March, the Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy 2025 was approved by councillors and is effective immediately.  

The 2025 policy is a continuation of the district’s now-expired 2017 policy which permitted all shops in the Queenstown Lakes District to open if they chose to.  

The new policy promotes ease of business, recognises the needs of the retail and tourism sectors to be able to choose to open on Easter Sunday if they wish to, and applies a consistent and simple approach to Easter Sunday shop trading. 

Easter Sunday is a restricted trading day under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 which requires shops to remain closed, except for certain shops under certain conditions. These include dairies, cafes, service stations, garden centres, pharmacies, souvenir and duty-free shops. 

In 2016, amendments to the Act enabled councils to adopt policies to permit all shops to open on Easter Sunday in the whole or a part of their district. This provision is only applicable to Easter Sunday and does not include Good Friday nor Easter Monday. 

Employees have the right to choose not to work on Easter Sunday. The Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 lists responsibilities for both employers and employees for Easter Sunday. 

ENDS|KUA MUTU.

 

FURTHER INFORMATION | KĀ PĀROKO TĀPIRI 

Easter weekend trading rules for Queenstown Lakes District

  • Good Friday: There is an exemption order (Employment NZ - Valid exemptions granted page 12) under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 for Queenstown that allows shops within a 35km radius from the corner of Camp Street and Ballarat Street, to open on Good Friday. 
  • Saturday: This is not a restricted day of trading in the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990. 
  • Easter Sunday: The Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy 2025 permits trading in the district on Easter Sunday. 
  • Easter Monday: This is not a restricted day of trading in the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990.