By law shops are not allowed to open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday for trading, and risk a $1000 fine if caught.
For breaching this law on Good Friday, two retailers face prosecution, and a further 16 for Easter Sunday trading. Of the 16, seven are in Auckland, one in Hamilton, one in Tauranga, two in Hawke’s Bay, three in Wellington, and two in Christchurch.
Overall the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has had to contend with 29 valid complaints of illegal Easter trading, with all the offenders due to receive a warning letter.
Figures from MBIE reveal an average of 34 prosecutions each year between 2007 and 2012, however there were only two prosecutions in 2013, and none last year.
The dwindling number of prosecutions makes it clear that customers want the option to shop over Easter when they have free time and support shops that trade.
MBIE specifies that trading cannot take place on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Anzac Day as well as Christmas Day until 1pm. Only shops selling necessities are permitted to open.
This legislation is increasingly seen as a muddle of outdated laws, anomalies and historic exemptions that need to be sorted out by government through re-examination and provision of application for retail exemption.
