Shoppers and Businesses Say Yes to 9am Sunday Opening Hours

South Australian retailers are reporting significant increases in trade since the Malinauskas Government introduced 9am Sunday opening 12 months ago.

The reforms, a key election commitment, enabled shops across Adelaide to open at 9am on Sundays and to permanently allow Boxing Day trading in the city and suburbs, with the exception of larger supermarkets.

Pasadena Foodland is report reporting sales are up more than 15 per cent, and that transactions are up about the same, since 9am Sunday opening was introduced last year.

The changes have struck a balance between the interests of large and small business, workers and consumers, and have allowed our thriving independent supermarket sector to compete against the bigger market players.

The Government has today also announced three weekdays of midnight trading to finalise the schedule for this year’s busy Christmas trading period.

Shops across Adelaide will be able to open until midnight on Black Friday (24 November) as well as 14, 21 and 22 December in the lead up to Christmas following amendments to shop trading hours legislation.

Businesses can still choose to open later than 9am or not at all on Sundays and Boxing Day if they wish. Workers can also refuse to work on Sundays and public holidays.

Previously, shops across Adelaide opened on Sundays from 11am to 5pm. Only shops in the Adelaide CBD could open on Boxing Day, trading from 11am to 5pm.

The rest of regional SA is deregulated and shops can trade whenever they choose. Visit SafeWork SA’s Retail trading hours page to see trading hours for all retailers in South Australia.

The community has really embraced the earlier opening times on Sundays - it’s been great for the supermarket sales which is great for local employment.

These rules were designed as a compromise between large and small businesses, and I’m pleased it’s been done in a way that supports workers.