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• Easter weekend will see most stores closed due to the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990.
• Good Friday and Easter Sunday have restricted trading, with exemptions for essential services and specific areas.
• Public holiday surcharges apply on Good Friday and Easter Monday, with alcohol sales regulated separately.

Expect New Zealand towns and cities to be a little sleepier this weekend, as  delivers a four-day break for Kiwis and most shops closed this Friday and Sunday.

Under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990, retail stores in Aotearoa are required to close over three-and-a-half days every year.

With  and Easter Sunday counting for two of the restricted trading days, this weekend looks especially different for employers, workers and customers.

In 2016, the act was amended to let councils set their own local Easter Sunday trading policies - although Good Friday remains a restricted trading day under the changes.

Regulations and bylaws vary across the country, complicating rules around which stores can actually open over the long weekend.

Here’s what to expect to help you plan ahead this Easter.

Customers and businesses face confusing regulations over Easter, so we've broken it down for you. Photo / 123RF

What can open?

Nationwide, only certain shops are permitted to open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, depending on what they sell.

According to Employment NZ, shops can open on these days if they’re defined as one of the following:

• Small grocery shop
• Service station
• Restaurant
• Cafe
• Takeaway store
• Duty-free store
• Service-providing shop (e.g. barber)
• Real estate agency
• Pharmacy
• Garden centre (Easter Sunday only)
• Certain shops in public transport stations
• Certain shops at an exhibition, show, or market
• Souvenir shop

Exempt stores are also subject to restrictions that dictate what they can and can’t sell.

Retail NZ says open stores should only sell services or essential goods. This includes items “people can’t put off buying until the next day, such as baby formula or pet food”.

The rules for each day still look a little different, as Good Friday is a public holiday and a restricted trading day, Easter Sunday is also restricted but not a public holiday, and Easter Monday is a public holiday without trading restrictions.

If you’re eating out on Good Friday or Easter Monday, prepare to pay a public holiday surcharge. This is typically set at 15%.

Prepare to pay a surcharge if you're heading out to eat on Good Friday or Easter Monday. Photo / Getty Images

What can’t open?

Supermarkets  on Good Friday and Easter Sunday - but smaller grocery stores and dairies are exempt.

Cafes, restaurants and bars can open, but can only serve alcohol if patrons buy a meal with their drink, while off-licence stores must remain closed on both days, with alcohol sales regulated separately by the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

Of course, shops in areas with valid exemptions can open under local Easter Sunday policies.

Who’s exempt from the national restrictions?

Although the main city councils have yet to introduce their own Easter Sunday trading bylaws, some have exempt areas with shops permitted to open.

For Auckland, that’s Parnell Village, while Christchurch’s Arts Centre can open its doors too.

Queenstown, Paihia and Taupō are designated tourist destinations and are exempt from the national Easter trading restrictions, meaning they can open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Shops in Picton’s Mariners Mall can trade on both days too, but a cruise ship must be docked in port to allow Easter Sunday trading to occur.

Queenstown, Paihia and Taupō are exempt from Easter trading rules, being designated tourist areas. Photo / Amanda Tutton, Destination Queenstown

Golden Bay businesses have an exemption from the Tasman District Council to trade on Easter Sunday if they wish.

Wellington, Porirua and Lower Hutt do not have any exempt areas, while Dunedin’s Carnegie Centre can only sell arts and crafts.

Since 2016, councils have been able to roll out their own local Easter Sunday trading policies over a specific area or their whole district.

Most regional and district councils have adopted their own trading policies and rules since the amendment was passed.

For example, all shops in places like the Far North, Hauraki, Marlborough and Tauranga are permitted to open on Easter Sunday, although they can also choose to remain closed.

Others, mostly city councils, lack a local policy or only have certain areas exempt, meaning stores within their jurisdiction remain subject to the Shop Trading Hours Act’s restrictions.

This includes, but is not limited to, the councils governing Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Hutt City, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Check with your council for specific details on local Easter Sunday trading rules. Photo / 123RF

How to tell if a shop is allowed to open

If you’re struggling to decipher which stores are exempt from Easter restrictions, a good rule of thumb is to check whether it’s selling goods or a service.

Stores offering services, such as hairdressers or beauty salons, are able to open, but they can only sell services, not tangible goods.

For example, you can open a spa facility on either day to sell treatments such as massages and facials, but cannot sell products such as skincare or massage oils for customers to take home.

If you’re still unsure, check with a store directly before visiting.

Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.