The Commerce Commission is warning businesses Easter Saturday and Sunday are not public holidays and businesses must not mislead customers when applying a surcharge.

Commission general manager Kate Morrison says it's easy to think the four days during the Easter period are all public holidays when they are not.

Most businesses are required to close for half a day today, for Good Friday, opening at 12pm.

'Easter Saturday and Sunday are not public holidays and traders should not apply a surcharge to compensate for higher wages on those days. 'Businesses should also be aware that they may not be able to apply a surcharge if staff working on Good Friday and Easter Monday are casual and therefore not being paid extra under the Holidays Act regulations.” Kate says this is a regular battle with some in the business community who are either prepared to flout the law or have not made themselves aware of the Act.

'Businesses can charge what they want and consumers can then make a decision to shop there. But it would be misleading under the Fair Trading Act to apply a surcharge on Saturday and Sunday and claim it was due to the Holidays Act. 'When businesses are applying a surcharge in legitimate circumstances they must prominently advertise it and be honest about the reasons for it.”