Thousands of shoppers rush for Boxing Day sales across Adelaide

Hundreds of people lined up for Boxing Day sales at Rundle Mall, and thousands hit the shops across Adelaide – but workers didn’t receive penalty rates.

Hundreds of eager shoppers lined up outside stores in anticipation for Boxing Day sales in Rundle Mall on Saturday morning.

Tony Becker, with his wife and two boys, arrived outside David Jones at 4.40am – but there were no more than 30 people in the queue by 7.30am. 

Mr Becker said there were usually more people lining up in previous years.

“I know it gets full very quickly,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter that you’re first in line but I suppose you get a bit of an incentive with the vouchers, so that’s a nice part of it.”

Retail gift vouchers, with a total share of $5000, were given away to early bird shoppers.

“I’ll take my boys and my wife will go alone,” Mr Becker said. “My son loves Tommy Hilfiger, so I will go straight there.”

Confetti cannons mark the opening of the Boxing Day sales in Rundle Mall. Picture: Mike Burton

Crowds rapidly increased closer to the 8am opening time, with more than 100 people lining up outside Myer and David Jones by 7.50am. Staff were ensuring people checked in with QR codes as they managed the queues.

Alana Ezard, of Melbourne, arrived at Myer one hour before it opened. 

“I don’t think it was really needed to get here so early in Adelaide,” she said before heading into the department store to get “whatever make-up I can get my hands on”.

David Jones regional manager Sandra Celentano said she was excited to be opening at 8am on Boxing Day, one hour earlier than previous years. “It was really great to encourage people to come in early,” she said.

Not much social distancing or masks as people shop in Westfield Marion on Boxing Day. Picture: Dean Martin

Shoppers line up outside Myer for the Boxing Day sales. Picture: Mike Burton

Confetti cannons were fired at 8am to mark the beginning of Boxing Day trading, as Treasurer Rob Lucas defended the State Government’s position of not declaring Saturday a public holiday.

“We know thousands of local small businesses have been smashed by COVID-19 and to declare Boxing Day a public holiday would hurt these businesses at a time when we are doing everything in our power to support them,” he said.

Rundle Mall general manager Johanna Williams was pleased with the early trading signs at 8am.

Crowds shopping at Harbour Town. Picture: Mike Burton

“It’s been a tough year for retail, so it’s certainly great to see so many people out shopping,” she said.” We are expecting tens of thousands of people here today.”

Ms Williams was not concerned about workers not receiving public-holiday penalty rates on Saturday, saying: “Working today is voluntary, and I think a lot of the retailers are happy to be open and happy to be working.”

Josh Peak, the head of the state’s powerful retail workers union, said many stores opted to pay public-holiday penalty rates voluntarily, including Woolworths, David Jones, Myer and Rebel Sport.

Not everyone went shopping … some people hit Henley Beach. Picture: Mike Burton

Opposition industrial relations spokesman Kyam Maher said retail and hospitality workers on the front line of COVID-19 should have been recognised with an additional public holiday. “We should be doing everything we can to thank these hardworking people for their efforts throughout the year,” he said. “Instead, (Premier) Steven Marshall expects them to rock up to work the day after Christmas like it is just another day.”