The Department of Labour is considering action against 33 retailers nationwide after the Easter weekend, but the department will not say who they are, or whether any are in Otago.
In Dunedin yesterday, video stores, bakeries, coffee shops, city bars and day four of a four-day "designer sale" at the Otago Museum's Hutton Theatre were open under government regulations in which, Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said, there were always "grey areas".
Most shops are required to close on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
The Shop Trading Hours Act makes exceptions for dairies, petrol stations, restaurants and takeaway bars, souvenir shops and pharmacies.
Under the Sale of Liquor Act, bars and taverns can serve alcohol only to lodgers or diners on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and before 1pm on Anzac Day.
After Friday, the Department of Labour said it was considering action against 17 retailers around the country following visits by inspectors to ensure compliance with Easter shop trading legislation.
Most were garden centres, although there were three music shops.
After Sunday, a further 16 were added to the list, with seven in Auckland (four home improvement/hardware stores, one music store, one bookshop and one superette), one in Hamilton, one in Tauranga, two in Hawkes Bay (all hardware/home improvement stores), three in Wellington (a bookstore, a music store and a hardware/home improvement store) and two in Christchurch (a music store and a book store).
"As inspectors have to file reports of each visit prior to decisions being made, no further information on the identities of alleged offenders will be released at this time."
Nobody from the department would be available for interviews and the department "will not be making any further comment".
A spokesman said nobody would comment until Tuesday.
Mr Christie said the chamber encouraged people to follow the law, though he realised some businesses could be frustrated they were not allowed to open, while others nearby were.
