Consumer insights on shop trading hours: project overview and findings

Abstract

Business South Australia, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Business SA hereinafter) contracted this study to seek input from consumers about their attitudes to existing shop trading hour restrictions in both the regulated environment in Adelaide and the deregulated rural and regional towns. To meet these needs, the Institute for Choice (I4C) conducted experimental choice studies to identify the most preferred policy option if shop trading hours were to be increased throughout the state. I4C is the world leader in developing and applying innovative techniques to understand choice behaviour across a wide variety of contexts, including but not limited to consumer strategy. The sample of 572 consumers was drawn from across SA, proportional to population of three distinct shopping districts; A) Greater Adelaide shopping districts B) Regional shopping districts with restricted shop trading hours C) Regional shopping districts without restricted shop trading hours