Retailers in suburban South Australia will now have the option to trade on Boxing Day, under a motion put forward by the South Australian government.
South Australian Treasurer, Rob Lucas, granted exemption for suburban shops to trade on Boxing Day, while also granting city retailers the option to stay open longer.
Currently, only the retailers in Adelaide's CBD were allowed to trade on the public holiday, but Lucas said that there have been calls for a long time to open it up to other retailers.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for South Australian retailers and consumers who, for far too long, have been crying out for extended trading on Boxing Day beyond the CBD.
“We know the Christmas period is one of the biggest and busiest for retailers and the interstate experience tells us trading on Boxing Day can generate significant additional sales, while creating valuable employment opportunities for those staff who'd like to work.”
Executive director of the ARA, Russell Zimmerman, said that the decision will allow consumers the option to contribute to their local economy.
“The SA Government’s decision to extend Boxing Day trade across all areas of SA is great news, as it will provide retailers with the opportunity to decide whether they would like to trade on the busiest times of the year to increase their sales.
“This will also allow consumers to shop in their local area, reaping the benefits of Boxing Day sales and consequently contributing to their local economy.
“This decision will also provide local retailers with equal opportunity to compete with online and interstate retailers who are already able to operate on this day.”
However, the chief executive of South Australian Independent Retailers group, Colin Shearing, said that the ruling is a win for large and major retailers.
“This is just a free kick to big interstate and overseas chains like Coles, Woolworths and the major shopping centres,” he said.
The decision was handed down on November 04.