Trial extended Boxing Day trading in Adelaide’s suburbs to get underway

Boxing Day sales across Adelaide’s suburbs will only become a permanent festive season fixture if shoppers turn out in force for today’s first trial of extra trading, Premier Steven Marshall says. TAKE OUR POLL

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Boxing Day sales across Adelaide’s suburbs will only become a permanent festive season fixture if shoppers turn out in force for today’s first trial of extra trading, Premier Steven Marshall says.

Shoppers across the state can hit the stores from 9am in what will be one of the biggest trading days of the year.

The Australian Retailers Association predicts SA will record the second largest annual increase in Boxing Day sales across the nation, rising 3.5 per cent from last year to a total of $133 million today.

It follows the State Government’s controversial decision to issue a special exemption which expands Boxing Day shopping beyond just the CBD, Glenelg and Harbour Town after Parliament rejected plans for wider reform that would apply on other public holidays as well as the weekends.

Mr Marshall said the proof would be in the pudding today, and the Government’s next moves would depend on the level of interest from stores to open and shoppers to turn out.

“This is the first year it has ever occurred, so it’ll be interesting to see what the results are,” Mr Marshall told The Advertiser. “We anticipate that they will be positive, because this is what South Australians have been saying for a long period of time that they want.

“People have been saying ‘why is it that we have Boxing Day sales in the CBD but not at Noarlunga or Elizabeth or Tea Tree Gully or Marion?’.

“It makes no sense.”

Major department store chains like Myer and David Jones will trade, but it remains to be seen whether smaller retailers in the suburbs open.

Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said most of his members expected to trade.

He expects South Australians to spend $1.2 billion between December 26 and January 15, a 3.1 per cent rise on last year.

Nationally, festive season shoppers are predicted to splurge $2.46 billion on Boxing Day alone. The retailers association predicts that Victoria, which will experience growth of 5.23 per cent, is the only state which will improve more than SA.

Mr Zimmerman said there was “considerable excitement” among SA traders this year.

“I expect there will be a fair share of them actually opening up and offering their customers something special,” he said.

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association has strongly opposed the extra hours and claims people will feel forced to work when they would rather be with family.

SDA assistant secretary Josh Peak has said the Government is using a legal “loophole” after Parliament rejected its plan for deregulation.

READY TO SHOP: Helen Potter and her son Jett, 9, get a sneak peek at the sales in Myer’s Marion store. Picture: NAOMI JELLICOE

“Allowing shops to open on Boxing Day doesn’t create more jobs or more sales, it just means retail workers will be denied one of their only guaranteed two-day breaks from work,” Mr Peak said.

“Boxing Day isn’t just another ordinary day. It’s one of the rare days where retail workers are entitled to spend time with family and that right should not be for sale.”

Mr Marshall said the success of Boxing Day sales would be measured by talking to traders and the public at large.

“It’s important to emphasise that this is not compulsory Boxing Day trading. All it is doing is leaving the option with the trader, not the union,” he said. “We’ll talk to traders. Importantly, we’ll talk to the people of SA to see whether they enjoyed this further deregulation. I think that they will. I think it’ll go particularly well.” Asked if the Government would consider similar exemptions on days like Australia Day or Easter Monday, Mr Marshall said: “We haven’t made any decisions, but it’s fair to say that we believe in deregulated shop trading hours.”