Retailers in New South Wales and Western Australia have been granted extended trading hours in the lead up to Christmas.
For the second time ever, major Perth retailers will now be able to trade from 7:00am on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 8:00am on Sundays, while on weekends stores will be allowed to trade until 6:00pm. In NSW, all stores within a business zone will be allowed to open 24 hours from midnight December 11 to 11:59pm December 24 without planning approval.
It comes as figures released by the Australian Retailers Associations (ARA) and Roy Morgan Research indicate Australian shoppers will spend $46.8 billion in retail stores from November 15 to December 24, 2015. Western Australia and NSW are expected to account for $5.4 billion and $14.8 billion respectively of total Christmas spending.
Shoppers are expected to take full advantage of the extra hours available in the lead up to Christmas to stock up on products including Christmas gifts, decorations, and groceries for the festive season, ARA executive director, Russell Zimmerman, said.
“The extension of hours is reflective of the new 24/7 global economy we now live in, with consumers able to jump online and purchase at any hour of the day or night they desire. Physical retail stores are also cashing in on this convenience, which for both consumers and retailers alike, is a real bonus during the busy Christmas period,” he said.
Boxing Day shopping trips are also expected to be more popular than ever this year, as retailers in all parts of NSW will be able to open their doors for the first time. Previously only retailers in the Sydney CBD and tourist precincts were permitted to trade on Boxing Day.