The Queenstown Lakes District Council has adopted a new policy allowing all shops in the district to open on Easter Sunday, continuing the approach established under the previous 2017 policy which has now expired.

The Easter Sunday Shop Trading Policy 2025, approved at a Council meeting on March 20, takes effect immediately and provides businesses throughout the district with the option to open on Easter Sunday if they choose to do so.

This policy aims to:

• Support ease of business operations
• Recognize the specific needs of the retail and tourism sectors
• Provide a consistent and simple approach to Easter Sunday trading

Under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990, Easter Sunday is normally a restricted trading day requiring most shops to remain closed, with exceptions for certain businesses such as dairies, cafes, service stations, garden centers, pharmacies, and souvenir shops.

The 2016 amendments to this Act gave councils the authority to adopt policies permitting shops to open on Easter Sunday within their districts. It’s important to note that this provision applies only to Easter Sunday and does not extend to Good Friday or Easter Monday.

Additionally, the policy does not affect alcohol sales, which remain regulated under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

The policy does not affect employee rights, workers continue to have the legal right to refuse to work on Easter Sunday. Both employers and employees have specific responsibilities under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 regarding Easter Sunday work arrangements and can be found in the RA Easter Trading guide in our member resources section or by calling the Helpline team for more details.