Supermarkets in the tourist areas of the Gold Coast will trade 24 hours a day during the Commonwealth Games in order to meet the needs of tens of thousands of visitors, competitors and team officials.
The National Retail Association has collated information from major retail chains and can reveal that grocery stores in major centres such as Pacific Fair, Harbourtown, Helensvale, Australia Fair, Surfers Paradise and Southport will remain open for the duration of the games.
NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said major department stores in those locations were likely to trade from 6am until midnight, as were grocery stores outside the major centres.
“The NRA last year applied successfully to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission for extended retail trading during the Commonwealth Games. We are delighted that retailers have responded to the opportunity the Commission provided,” Ms Lamb said.
“The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will be the largest sporting event Australia will see this decade, and the biggest sporting spectacular the Gold Coast has ever seen.
“We are expecting more than 6600 athletes and team officials from 70 nations, as well as tens of thousands of spectators and visiting media.
“We want to send them a message that Queensland is open for business – a vibrant and dynamic place to do business and to participate in leisure activities, including shopping.
“Having major stores open around the clock will help meet the needs of visitors outside normal hours, when they are likely to be engaged in games events.
“It will also provide thousands of hours of additional employment for retail workers, many of whom are students and will be looking to use the holiday period when the games are on to secure additional work.”
Ms Lamb noted the QIRC’s directive that retail workers could not be forced to work the additional hours, and must choose to do so voluntarily. The Commission also noted that normal award or enterprise agreement conditions will continue to apply.
The extended trading hours will operate from April 3 up to and including April 17.