Supermarkets and other retailers across suburban Adelaide will continue to be permitted to trade extended hours, including 9am Sunday morning starts, to help maintain vital social distancing measures as South Australians embrace easing restrictions.
The decision – supported by advice from public health experts within SA Health – will also allow all suburban retailers, regardless of their size, to trade from 9am to 9pm on the Queen's Birthday public holiday (Monday, June 8) for the first time.
Until now, only shops in the CBD and regional SA have been able to trade on the public holiday.
June 8 is also the day Stage 2 restrictions are scheduled to be lifted in SA.
Treasurer Rob Lucas said scenes of thousands of shoppers flocking to suburban shopping centres and supermarkets over the weekend highlighted why it was so important we don't 'undo all the good' and that South Australians continue to maintain important social distancing.
"The consistent SA Health advice has been that additional shop trading hours help facilitate social distancing, which is one of the best ways to help limit the spread of coronavirus," said Treasurer Lucas.
"This remains incredibly important as the state begins to ease restrictions which, as we saw on the weekend, gives many more South Australians the confidence to get out and about and support local businesses and jobs.
"We know our previous exemptions have been embraced by both consumers and retailers alike, including independent supermarkets that have traded until 8:30pm or 9pm and opened hours earlier on Sunday mornings."
The Government's new 30-day exemption, for all supermarkets (over 400sqm) and other non-exempt shops (over 200sqm), will apply from Wednesday, May 20 up to and including Thursday, June 18.
The changes will also give them the option of 24-hour weekday trade, from 12am to 9pm Saturdays and from 9am to 9pm Sundays.
On the Queen's Birthday holiday, retailers will be able to trade from 9am to 9pm.
All employees working during the extended hours would do so strictly on a voluntary basis and no-one can be forced to work additional hours. Under section 5 of the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977, an exemption can't be approved for a period of longer than 30 days.
