Coronavirus: The essential services that will keep running in New Zealand
List of essential businesses:
Accommodation
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Accommodation services for essential workers and people who need to be isolated/quarantined
Border
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Customs New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries
Building and construction
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Building and construction related to essential services, critical infrastructure, or immediately needed to maintain human health and safety at home/work
Courts, tribunals and the justice system
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Courts of New Zealand and tribunals
Critical Crown entities (eg Electoral Commission)
Education
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At level 3 only: Schools and educational facilities (e.g. ECE centres)
Fast-moving consumer goods
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Businesses involved in the supply, delivery, distribution and sale of food, beverage and other key consumer goods (but not takeaway shops)
Financial services
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Banks, insurers and other financial institutions
Health
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Hospitals, primary care clinics, pharmacies, medical laboratories, care facilities
Ambulance services
Mortuary services
New Zealand Blood Service donations
Local and national government
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Any entity involved in COVID-19 response or that has civil defence/emergency management functions
Key public services
Primary industries, including food and beverage production and processing
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Packaging, production and processing of food and beverage products
Food safety and verification, inspection or associated laboratory services, food safety and biosecurity functions
Veterinary and animal health/welfare services
Public safety and national security
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Emergency services
Security and intelligence services
Justice system
Public safety and national security roles
Science
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Any entity (including research organisations) involved in COVID-19 response, hazard monitoring, resilience, diagnostics for essential services
Social services
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Welfare and social services, including NGOs, which meet immediate needs (further guidance will be provided)
Transport and logistics
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Transport services
New Zealand Post and courier services
Any small passenger service vehicle driver - including taxis and ride-share services
Utilities and communications, including supply chains
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Electricity, gas, water, waste, fuel, telecommunication services, internet providers and media
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Christmas Eve busiest shopping day of the year with more than 500,000 sales
Busiest shopping day of the year
Peak time 12 noon-1 pm - 563,303 transactions
Per second peak - 167 transactions
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Number of sales beats Black Friday, but lowest Christmas Eve in six years
Christmas Eve has been the busiest shopping day of the year with 9,745 sales a minute at its peak.
Payments company Worldline says noon to 1pm saw 563,303 sales recorded on its network, down by about 7 percent on a year ago.
The company's network covers about three-quarters of the electronic terminals in operation.
Worldline did not have a dollar value for spending, but the peak number of transactions was the lowest for the past six years and well shy of the record 679,436 in 2019, before the pandemic.
Earlier this month it noted rising sales in the first three weeks of the month, but they remained 1.3 percent lower than 2024, with most parts of the country trailing the previous year's spending.
Official data from Stats NZ to the end of November showed a small rise in spending on the previous month, to 1.6 percent higher for the year.
Retail spending has been subdued as households have remained cautious because of high prices and a slow benefit from lower interest rates, and as well as concerns about the soft labour market.
However, recent surveys have shown improving consumer sentiment with ANZ bank's monthly report showing confidence at its highest level in four years.
Boxing Day is traditionally the country's favourite shopping day, but with Black Friday spending also softer this year the amount going through retailers' terminals may also be down on a year ago.
Adding a dampener to consumer spending may be the recent rises in longer term fixed mortgage rates because of higher wholesale rates.
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Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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79.2% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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20.8% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
Exclusive Christmas Sleep Deals - Up to 65% OFF Beds!
Hi neighbours,
This coming Christmas, why not treat yourself to better sleep? For one day only, we’re offering an extra 5% OFF on top of our already reduced Boxing Day Bed Sale prices!
With up to 65% OFF on selected beds and FREE delivery, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your sleep. But hurry, these deals are moving fast, and once stock is gone, it’s gone!
If you’d like to see what’s available:
Find your nearest Beds4U store: beds4u.co.nz/store-locator
Browse all Boxing Day deals: beds4u.co.nz/boxing-day
Don’t miss out, give yourself the gift of quality sleep this Christmas!
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