Extra Christmas shopping hours to help stimulate retail trading

A boost of 36 extra shopping hours over the Christmas period has been approved by the McGowan Government to help stimulate trading for general retail shops in the Perth metropolitan area during the festive season.

Commerce Minister John Quigley is urging Western Australian consumers to take advantage of the extra shopping hours which start on Saturday, December 5. Sunday and public holiday trading has been extended an extra four hours a day, 8am to 6pm (normally 11am-5pm), with an additional one hour on Saturdays.

From Monday, December 14 to Christmas Eve inclusive, larger shops can choose to open one hour earlier from 7am until 9pm on weekdays.

Under the Retail Trading Hours Act, the Minister has the power to extend trading for a 28-day period prior to New Year’s Day and for public holidays outside this period, except for Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day when general retail shops must close.

Trading for the Australia Day public holiday on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 will also be extended by four hours – 8am to 6pm.

As stated by Commerce Minister John Quigley:

“It’s been a tough year for many WA retailers with COVID-19 restrictions impacting on business.

“With a number of stimulus measures such as the $600 power bill credit putting more money in people’s pockets prior to Christmas, as well as improving consumer confidence in WA, we are hoping the extra trading hours will result in higher retail sales this Christmas and give a welcome boost to our retail sector.

“There has never been a more important time to support WA retailers, so we ask that you invest your money in this State and help your fellow Western Australians by shopping locally, rather than shopping online with overseas businesses.

“I urge all Western Australians to keep their money here in the west and use the extra trading hours to support local traders.”