Retail NZ says it is great news that retail stores and malls will be able to open again from this Thursday.
“The retail sector has been seriously impacted by the enforced closure under the lockdown, and the move to Alert Level 2
on Thursday means that the retail sector can now re-open and and kick-start a domestic-led recovery,” Greg Harford,
Retail NZ Chief Executive said today. “Retail has been severely impacted by the lockdown, with many businesses having
now spent nearly eight weeks with almost no revenue, while customers have been unable to easily access the goods they
need. Retailers are actively planning for the move to Level 2, and with good hygiene practices and social distancing in
place, customers can be confident about getting back to the shops.
“The Government has made the right call to move to Level 2 this week. However, even though shops will be able to open
again later this week, it will take a very long time for the sector to recover. Sales are likely to be down for a
prolonged period of time as we move into a recessionary environment, and retailers will need further Government support
in order to survive. Retail NZ is calling for an extension of the Wages Subsidy to support fragile retail and
hospitality businesses over the coming period, as well as Government action on commercial leases.”