Waitangi Day: What's open, what's not, and when you have to pay a surcharge

12:00 pm today

With more than 100 stores, the widest selection of brands, Mānawa Bay is the newest outlet shopping mall in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Trading restrictions don't apply to Waitangi Day. Photo: Mānawa Bay

Waitangi day is a non-working day just like any other public holiday - so if you're working on the day (as regularly rostered), you're entitled to time-and-a-half pay and an alternative day off.

But, unlike Easter holidays, Christmas, or the first half of Anzac Day, trading restrictions don't apply.

So what's open?

Shops, restaurants, cafes and other hospitality and retail venues will be open as usual on Waitangi Day, but they can choose to close if they wish - so it pays to check opening hours beforehand.

Supermarkets and malls will be open too, but some may operate with shorter hours.

Surcharges

Public holidays are an expensive day to be a business and Waitangi Day is no different.

Hospitality businesses in particular may add a 15 percent surcharge to their services - this is usually to cover the costs of paying employees time-and-a-half.

If a business does charge a surcharge, they must have clear signage communicating this to the customer.

This can be done with the display of signs detailing the surcharge, a message on the business's website, or by verbally letting the customer know at the time of purchase or before they order.

If customers believe they have been misled about a surcharge, they can complain to the Commerce Commission.