Easter Sunday Trading Policy

Easter Sunday Trading Policy now in effect for the entire Upper Hutt District

On 20 September 2023, Council voted to retain our existing Easter Sunday trading policy.  The policy has been in place since 2017 and enables all shops in Upper Hutt to choose whether to trade on Easter Sunday.

Under the policy, the choice to trade on Easter Sunday rests with each individual business. It relates only to Easter Sunday trading and not to other holidays over Easter (i.e. Good Friday and Easter Monday).

The Easter Sunday trading policy falls under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 which gives Council the discretion to introduce a policy.

Council encourages business operators to talk to their employees early about their plans for trading on Easter Sunday. Advice for employers and employees can be found on the website links identified below.

View Council's Easter Sunday trading policy here.(PDF, 144KB)

More information

If you have any questions about the Easter Sunday trading policy, please contact us on (04) 527 2169.

Background

Section 5A of the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 allows councils to adopt a local Easter Sunday shop trading policy so as to allow shops to open in the whole city or defined parts of it. The Act does not allow a policy to:

  • permit shops to open only for some purposes; or
  • permit only some types of shops in the area to open; or
  • specify times at which shops may or may not open; or
  • include any other conditions as to the circumstances in which shops in the area may open.

For more information on Easter Sunday trading please follow the links below:

  • Employment New Zealand’s website offers some more detailed advice and tools for employers and employees on the rules around opening or working on Easter Sunday: employment.govt.nz
  • Retail New Zealand’s website:  retail.kiwi
  • Legislation – Shop Trading Hours Act 1990: legislation.govt.nz

 

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