Anzac Day 2026 trading hours: What’s open and closed in every Australian state

Australians planning a grocery run or weekend shopping trip this Anzac Day may need to think twice, with a complex patchwork of trading laws set to leave many major retailers shuttered across the country. The national day of remembrance falls on Saturday, April 25 in 2026, and while it brings a long weekend for some workers, it also brings some of the strictest retail restrictions of the year, particularly in NSW, where sweeping new laws will force major businesses to remain closed for the day. Across the country, rules vary dramatically from state to state, leaving shoppers facing a confusing mix of full closures, late openings and deregulated trading depending on where they live. NSW faces biggest shutdown yet Shoppers in NSW will see the most dramatic changes in 2026. Under the Retail Trading Amendment (Anzac Day Trading Hours) Act 2024, major retailers can no longer open after 1pm and must now remain closed for the day. That means supermarkets and large chains including Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Bunnings, Kmart, Target, Big W and Westfield shopping centres will all be shut on Saturday. Stand-alone bottle shops such as Dan Murphy’s, BWS, Liquorland and Vintage Cellars are also banned from opening. Essential services will still be available, with exemptions for chemists, newsagencies, petrol stations, cafes and small shops with four or fewer employees. Takeaway alcohol will still be available from pubs, clubs and hotels, which are allowed to trade. Victoria pauses for remembrance until afternoon In Victoria, the morning remains reserved for reflection, as most retail businesses must stay closed until 1pm. Exemptions apply to essential services including chemists, petrol stations, cafes and restaurants. Small businesses with 20 or fewer employees can trade during the morning, while cinemas and live entertainment venues must also observe the 1pm opening rule. Queensland keeps strict trading limits Queensland retains tight restrictions, with general retail trading banned for the day. Independent retailers can open from 1pm, while exempt businesses, including chemists, petrol stations, cafes and predominantly food or smaller grocery stores, can trade without time limits. Major national retailers such as Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings and Kmart will remain closed across the state. South Australia’s historic shift South Australia will introduce a major change in 2026, with suburban supermarkets allowed to open for the first time from noon to 9pm on Anzac Day. In the Adelaide CBD, non-exempt shops can trade between 12pm and 5pm. Cafes, restaurants, pharmacies and petrol stations remain broadly exempt from restrictions. Western Australia closes major retail In Western Australia, general retail shops remain closed all day, meaning most major chains will not open. Small retail shops face no trading restrictions and can open at any time, while “special retail shops” such as pharmacies and hardware stores may trade between 6am and 11.30pm. Dining venues, cafes and service stations can open freely. Tasmania opens after lunch Tasmanian businesses are largely restricted from opening before 12.30pm. Standard exemptions apply to pharmacies, newsagents, bottle shops, service stations and hospitality venues. Smaller shops outside major shopping centres can also trade if they employ no more than 10 staff. ACT and NT fully deregulated ACT and Northern Territory residents face the least disruption, with trading hours fully deregulated. Businesses, including major supermarkets and retailers, can open all day, although some may operate on reduced public holiday hours. Who gets the extra public holiday? Not every state receives an additional day off when Anzac Day falls on a weekend, with only the ACT, NSW and Western Australia observing a substitute public holiday on Monday, April 27. The NT, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria will not receive an extra weekday holiday. With rules differing widely across the country, shoppers are urged to check local trading hours before heading out this Anzac Day weekend.