SA Election 2018: Small businesses fear shopping-hour deregulation would force them to work like robots

CONSUMERS seem to want shopping hours deregulated — but local small businesses worry competition will force them to either close or work “like robots” every day of the year.

Malvern IGA owner Geoff Morris is concerned about deregulated trading hours. Picture: AAP/Morgan Sette

• South Australians want shops open longer, UniSA study shows
• Liberals promise shopping hour deregulation within first 100 days

CONSUMERS seem to want shopping hours deregulated — but local small businesses are not convinced.

A survey by UniSA’s Institute for Choice released last week found 75 per cent of South Australians wanted to see changes to shopping hours and the same proportion thought it would be good for the economy.

Deregulation is supported by the Liberal Party and opposed by Labor and SA Best.

Speaking in the lead up to this weekend’s state election, Malvern IGA owner Geoff Morris said allowing major supermarkets to open early on Sunday, on Saturday and Sunday night, and on public holidays would “definitely have an adverse impact on my staff and me”.

He would employ fewer staff at those times in anticipation of falling sales due to the increased competition.

“The majority of our business is after hours business so there’s no question it would be tough,” Mr Morris said.

Hyde Park Fruit owner Arvind Ramji said he might close in face of the competition.

“Of course it will definitely not be good for us,” Mr Ramji said.

Joe Tsoleridis, who owns Hyde Park’s Extra Newsagency with his brother Chris, said his business had suffered every time trading-hour regulations had been eased over the past 30 years.

“We’re not being selfish, we just really own this (business) to survive,” Mr Tsoleridis said.

“I’m not here to become super-wealthy — it’s more about having an income — and I get great pleasure in employing people and when I don’t have the ability, it hurts me.”

Even at Unley Shopping Centre, which is currently closed on Sunday mornings and public holidays, shopkeepers were not keen for a change.

Impressa Cafe owner Diana Martino said she was “firmly against” opening on Sundays or public holidays, which were the only times she and her family had time off.

“Otherwise, we would be like robots working seven days a week, 365 days a year,” Ms Martino said.

Drakes Supermarkets owner Roger Drake is opposed to shopping-hour deregulation. Picture: Kelly Barnes/The Australian

Ditters nut shop owner Clark Ditter was not sure if he would open on public holidays because of the expense of penalty rates.

Roger Drake, who owns the Wayville Foodland and the Glen Osmond Market, said the push for deregulated trading hours was nothing more than “corporate greed”.

“It will herald the end of the convenience store as we know it,” Mr Drake said.

He said the idea businesses could choose not to open if they wanted under deregulation was “bunkum” because they would be forced to compete.