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Good Friday and Easter Monday remain public holidays, but many retailers are still choosing to open their doors…

The ability to pop down to the local supermarket at any moment is a convenience that most of us rely on to get us through the week, so the thought of running out of essentials over the Easter long weekend is enough to strike fear into the hearts of most parents. A growing number of retailers are choosing to keep their doors open, despite official public holidays, leading many to ask if shops should stay open over the Easter break.

A Growing Demand

It was announced this week that Adelaide retailers will now be allowed to trade on Easter Monday in response to growing consumer demand Ragtrader reports. David Stout, National Retail Association Manager of Policy, says the move brings the South Australian city in line with other major centres around the country. “Retailers across Adelaide are delighted that the shackles have been removed and they will be able to trade on Easter Monday for the first time ever,” he said. “There has been a massive demand for the existing trading hours laws to become more flexible.” Good Friday remains a restricted trading day, with most major retailers closed, making the Saturday of the long weekend particularly busy at most shopping centres.

Different Reasons

While the Easter long weekend and corresponding public holidays have religious significance for Christians, many non-believers and those of differing faiths say they don’t have an issue with reduced trading hours. “I don’t celebrate it as a religious holiday but it is just one of a handful of days each year where things are shut. So what?” one consumer posted on Whirlpool.  “I think you should be much more concerned about why you can’t plan your life a mere 24 hours ahead.” “I love how people complain that shops should be open, but I bet they would complain if they had to go to work today as well!” said another.

This debate is a tricky one, but we think most people are happy to accept a couple of days without shopping for a long weekend, regardless of what significance it holds for them.

Do you think shops should be open throughout the Easter long weekend? Let us know in the comments.

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  • NO. Honestly we dont need stores to be open 24/7.
    My daughter used to work at McD’s and she had one family that got all 3 meals per day vis the drive through and this family complained that McD’s was going to be closed on Christmas Day. WOW.

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  • I grew up in the Netherlands and it used to be so that all shops were closed even on Sunday, Monday morning and all all these celebration days. Those days are gone and it seems that people hardly survive when the shops are closed for a day.

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  • I would love to see the big retailers close over these days – it would give people a holiday and allow the corner shops to get a small profit. It used to work in the earlier days and I am sure it would work again./

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  • Surely the retailers should be deciding this, I remember when I was little everything would be closed and no one particularly suffered.

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  • I like that things are all closed for a day or two. In a way it makes everything more like a holiday.

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  • I think it should be up to the individual retailers

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  • i think it should be up to individual retailers and that no-one should be forced to work it.

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  • I think it’s up to the shop owners. People complain when they’re shut, then people complain when they’re open. You certainly can’t please everyone. I think it becomes about $ and whether or not it’s worthwhile for a store to be open. All stores have staff who deserve a day off too, so we shouldn’t just assume that because we’re on a day off, we should be able to shop. I’m not fussed either way, but appreciate stores that are closed, do so for a good reason.

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  • Yes they should stay closed plenty of days to do ones shopping so shut the doors and give people a break they well deserve.

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  • They should definitely stay closed Over Easter ????

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  • I am happy for them to be shut – in the country everything shuts at 12 Saturday lunch time and re-opens 8am Mondays and it isn’t a hardship. Cannot believe that in these days of refrigeration people can’t plan ahead to cater for a few days off. I still only shop once a week and manage quite well.

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  • I think it is fine for them to shut – providing they advertise it well on their shop fronts/websites etc. They all have families too. Years ago when I was a kid nothing was open on the significant holidays – everything was shut easter and christmas etc – you had to be organised and be prepared for nothing to be open. so every family could spend time with their loved ones over those holidays.

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  • The people who work in the shops have family too so why shouldn’t they have the time off. They shouldn’t be made to work, they should be allowed to have quality time with their own families.

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  • I don’t think they need to be open, people can prepare beforehand.

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  • I think there is no need for them to be open. We coped very well in the 70’s. They deserve to have long weekends too.

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