Roman Travers: What does it say about us if we can't handle the shops being closed?

Author: Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2024, 9:40AM

Every year, Easter pops up with the ubiquitous confusion around which shops are open and when over the Easter period.

There are two reasons for this- one being so many regard shopping as a fun way to spend time and secondly, because every region has a variety of bylaws.

Most have a fantastic understanding of their local shops trading hours. But for those away on holiday around the country, the Easter trading hours can be varied, complicated and often completely flouted.

Take Wānaka for example- Wānaka New World stores decided to stay open across Easter weekend in breach of the holiday's trading laws, even though all shops across the country are required to close on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday, unless they were deemed essential or had an exemption.

New World Wānaka and New World Three Parks were trading as usual, without an exemption or essential store status. They both did the same in 2021 and 2022.

MBIE have been quite vocal over the years, voicing their concerns that big players like Foodstuffs continually flout the Easter Trading Laws, but evidently, nothing changes.

Supermarkets aren’t deemed to be ‘essential’. Essential retailers are dairies, petrol stations, pharmacies, restaurants, cafes, hairdressers and barbers. How on earth did barbers and hairdressers make that list? I guess that depends on how hirsute you are by Easter time.

You might be thinking - that’s great news for the locals. But is it? Is it really any good for anyone other than those who own those supermarkets?

What about the locals, employed there who simply want to have a long weekend like anyone else over Easter?

What’s wrong with us if we can’t get ourselves organised enough for the shops to all be closed for at least one of the four Easter holiday days?

On one hand, we often want everything on tap as and when it suits us to go get it- on the other hand, we hear all too often, that parents don’t have the time they need to have to be with their families due to the financial pressures that most of us are faced with.

Is their primary concern, making more money or the welfare of their staff? I’d guess the former would be their focus. Did the staff that worked over the long weekend have a choice, or was that something inflicted upon the majority, under the guise of that tried-and-true diatribe of – “we’re a seven day a week business, and if you read your contract…”

The point there is this: no. You’re not supposed to be open. Yes. There will be staff who ‘chose to work’ that would have preferred not to.

Nothing ever sells for anything more than what people are prepared to pay for, and I’m picking that margins were adjusted accordingly to cover the cost of the daily $1000.00 fine.

Ask yourself this when you become indignant at the prospect of not being able to shop for at least a few days of the long weekend:

How sad is your life if shopping is your number one, top of the list for a good time? And this too- would it be so hideously horrific if the shops closed and allowed everyone to have a lovely long weekend? Do you think you could cope?

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