Extend trade permanently

Retail giants Woolworths and Coles want trading hours extended on weeknights and Sundays year-round after shoppers embraced the extra hours of trade over the festive period.

Today wraps up the final day of the City of Albany’s extended trading period over the festive season, which allowed general retailers to trade on Sundays and after 5pm from December 1. A Woolworths spokesman said the business would like to see Sunday trading introduced permanently, with customers being “overwhelmingly in favour” in previous holiday periods.

“Woolworths strongly supports the introduction of Sunday trading in the Albany area,” he said.

“Allowing Woolworths’ three Albany stores to trade on Sundays would immediately create new employment opportunities in the town, would extend the convenience of Sunday trading currently being enjoyed elsewhere in WA, and provide a boost to the local economy.”

A Coles spokeswoman said extended trading, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas, made shopping more convenient for customers. She said Coles would be happy to discuss a proposal to discuss extended trading on a permanent basis with the City.

In a statement provided to the Advertiser, the City of Albany said it had no plans to alter its current policy, which was endorsed by councillors in July.

The short-term extended trading hours policy allows general retailers to extend trading hours in peak visitor times from December 1-January 31, during Easter holidays, on public holiday long weekends, and public holidays excluding Christmas Day and Good Friday. There are about 57 general retail businesses within Albany this policy affects.