Retail trading hours in Queensland are regulated by State Government legislation and are generally set as 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 5pm on Saturday. Extended hours may apply in certain areas. Sunday trading hours vary by location and this also applies to certain public holidays.
Extended trading hours are likely to become the issue of the next few years as supermarkets in particular lobby to go 24 hour trading in particular locations. Already, a Woolworths store has commenced 24 hours, 7 days a week trade at the airport precinct, able to do so as it falls outside of the State’s regulations.
Other supermarkets in select locations, such as New Farm, trade to 9pm, 7 days a week but there is likely to be a push for further extensions.
The Queensland government announced in July last year that retail trading hours will be reviewed but it appears little has been done since. There were further calls in March this year to bring Queensland into line with other states which enjoy unrestricted trading hours.
In a move that is likely to create some momentum on the issue, CCIQ have just launched a survey for its members and the general public seeking opinion on Queensland’s trading hours, deemed to be the most confusing in the country.
Queensland has quite a high proportion of enclosed shopping centres, a product of needing to air condition retail areas in a warm humid climate. This, however, would restrict some larger stores from trading longer hours if restrictions are eased.
Supermarkets and other stores like big pharmacies are likely to increasingly favour open centres in areas where extended hours can work as there can be direct access to these stores.