[Jan Fisher]

How did we manage shopping years ago?

I look at the insane scramble people go through when they can’t shop at the supermarket for just one day on Easter Friday or Christmas Day and it makes me wonder how we managed in the past.

In my 20s supermarkets opened at 8.45am and shut at 5.45pm and between 8.45am and noon on Saturdays. Those Saturdays were wild. It was crazy busy, but we got it done.

Nowadays supermarkets open at 7am and close at 10pm and even just one shut day and everyone goes into a panic.

Try being just a little bit more prepared next time. The world is not going to end because you couldn’t get bread and milk for 24 hours.

And while you have the day off, try and think about all those workers who have to turn up during a public holiday to make your life easier. I’m sure they’d like a day off too.

Do you think supermarkets should open Christmas Day and Good Friday

[Clelo]

Of course they should, after all it is just another day, really. Furthermore, pubs, restaurants and all shops should be open. I also believe penalty rates should not be paid for working on these days. There is an age old attitude fostered by the Christian lobby that both days should be sacrosanct, however, Australia has become so religiously cosmopolitan that I feel the weight of their voice has diminished in relevance. Currently games are played on Good Friday by a number of top echelon sports but not Christmas Day yet, possibly due to the family focus on that day. With that in mind it is likely it would be reflected through the turnstiles anyway. This raises a far bigger question of just where we are going as a country. Personally, I favour eradicating all penalty rates and raising the hourly rate people are employed for. This would allow employers to open their outlets on ‘public holidays’ and not be penalised by exorbitant hourly rates. It would also stop outlets charging customers a surcharge for their patronage on these days. Agreed, it is not as simple as that and would need quite a bit of tweaking but if we don’t change our tack soon our economic future is likely to become well and truly mired, if not already.

[petercalo]

Of course they shouldn’t. It is not just another day. Shopping hours should be cut and most shops should be closed on Sundays. Only shops that were open during covid lockdown should be able to open on Sundays. Pubs, clubs and Cinemas should be closed on Sundays as well. The standard shopping hours should be 11.00 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday and 11.00 am to 5.00 pm Saturday and closed all day Sunday. The system worked quite well for 40 years from the second world war. Sundays was for Religious observance in the morning and visiting family and friends in the afternoon. Society was much better, personal debt was almost non existent and homes and rents were more affordable. Unlimited shopping hours ruined society.

[Author]

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