Not just shops but markets throughout the country risk prosecution and fines if they proceed with trading on Easter Sunday.
Under current restrictions, only dairies, restaurants, pharmacies and petrol stations are allowed to trade on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Despite having sold food and plants every Sunday for the past four years, and having had no problem at Easter time before, the Hamilton market will not open this Easter Sunday.
Its chairperson, Jonathan Walker, says he had a call from the Labour Department telling him stallholders risked being fined $1000 each should they show up.
Given that the market vendors earn between $400 and $1500 each week, Mr Walker says, that was enough to force the cancellation of the market for Easter Sunday.
The Labour Department says the law has been in place for 20 years and markets are generally not exempted.
19 businesses apparently broke law
The department says 19 retailers checked by inspectors on Good Friday were open for business, apparently in violation of the trading laws.
The inspectors checked 27 retailers, though the department won't say which businesses were checked, or what they sold, because prosecutions are being considered.
A spokesperson says the stores did not appear to qualify for exemptions that would allow them to trade.
Last year, 32 businesses were convicted of opening on Good Friday or Easter Sunday.
