Millicent’s regulated Woolworths and Fosters Foodland supermarkets are set to extend their trading hours on a temporary basis starting Sunday.

The green light is also expected for trading on Sunday, December 18 and Tuesday, December 27 which is a gazetted public holiday for Proclamation Day.

The three additional December trading days in 2022 compare with five a year ago.

Fosters Foodland manager Dave Foster said there had been a long tradition in Millicent to also open on the first Sunday in December.

However, Mr Foster said this date had proven to be a day of low turn-over.

The additional trading arrangements have applied for several years and require special dispensation from the State Government and Industrial Relations Minister Kyam Maher through an application by the Millicent Business Community Association.

Some unregulated Millicent traders also choose to open their doors on Sundays and public holidays in December to capture the tourist and Christmas trade.

For the past 20 years, Millicent has been the only country area of South Australia to have regulated shopping hours which impact on retailers.

Under legislation dating back to the 1920s, Millicent’s Proclaimed Shopping District had also regulated the trading hours of the former Target Country department store in George Street which closed at the beginning of last year.

The IGA supermarket is not regulated as its floor space falls under the 400 square metre threshold.

Due to Christmas Day falling on Sunday in 2022, a four-day long weekend will be created.