Shop trading laws to change

Shop owners will be able to open their doors earlier on Sundays from November 6 under new legislation passed in parliament last week.

The amendments to the Shop Trading Hours (Extension of Hours) Amendment Act 2022 allow a business to open from 9am, rather the current 11am. Business can choose to open later than 9am or not at all on Sundays and Boxing Day if they wish.

Workers cannot be forced to work on Sundays and public holidays without their agreement.

As the state heads into a busy Christmas trading period, the changes aim to strike the right balance for workers, large and small business owners, and shoppers.

The new legislation also locks in three extra days of midnight shopping in the leadup to Christmas. The government is consulting with businesses with a view to locking in Wednesday 21, Thursday 22 and Friday 23 December as midnight trading dates.

The legislation includes a number of other reforms including:

• Locking in Boxing Day trading across the city and suburbs.
• Ensuring that Ministerial shop trading exemptions can only be granted after consultation with industry stakeholders and where there is clear consensus.

For more information about retail trading hours, visit SafeWork SA.