By Anthony Penney, Business SA Executive Director, Industry and Government Engagement
Full-time workers know how hard it can be to get to the shops to buy essentials – whether it be groceries for the week or something for their loved ones. South Australia’s underemployed, particularly our youth who make up the bulk of retail staff, also know how hard it can be to get extra hours.
According to the most recent and comprehensive study on consumer preferences for shop-trading hours undertaken by the University of South Australia’s Institute for Choice, we know the vast majority of shoppers want to see retailers open after 5pm on weekends, earlier than 11am on Sundays and in the suburbs on public holidays – to enable them to shop when it best suits them.
We have medieval shop trading laws in South Australia and the people have spoken. They want to see greater deregulation. They want shopping to be set free.
The world-renowned Institute for Choice’s research, to be released this week, found an overwhelming 75 per cent of the South Australian consumers surveyed want to see changes to shop trading hours. In regional areas where there are restrictions, the figure was 84 per cent.
There is a strong appetite for change, and that means deregulation. If not full deregulation, then partial deregulation to allow shops to close later to meet customer needs, open earlier on Sundays if they choose, and share a piece of the public holiday pie.
If you’re Harvey Norman, that would mean pulling up the nonsensical shutters which prevent South Australian consumers from buying computers and whitegoods on public holidays.
Business SA wants to see the next State Government introduce deregulation – giving retailers the ability to choose when they open or close – because South Australian trading regulations are a mess.
Deregulating shop trading hours means retailers can compete with Amazon and other online sellers. When the shops are closed customers go online. We all know it’s far more convenient to try on clothes in a real shop – let’s give workers who can’t get out during the day that choice.
If deregulated hours work in Tasmania, Darwin and regional South Australia, they will work in metropolitan Adelaide where we have a far greater population.
The number of retailers in Victoria increased after it introduced deregulated hours, which means more people found jobs and the economy grew. Close to a third of the study participants said they would spend more money and shop more frequently too. Most said longer hours would make shopping more relaxing, enjoyable, flexible and convenient.
Last year a poll of Business SA members found more than 82 per cent thought our trading hour restrictions created a negative perception of South Australia.
Deregulation doesn’t mean all shops will be forced to stay open late every night if they don’t want to, it just allows them to open earlier on a Sunday morning if it suits them, or after 5pm on a Saturday night if they’re busy.
Let’s hope our next State Government can take the shackles off business and see the opportunities for jobs,economic growth and especially our youth.