At Alert Level 4, only certain businesses can operate or have customers on the premises.
Most confusion seems to be around which businesses can have customers on site and who can deliver.
Only 14 types of essential services are allowed to have customers on their premises. These are:
- Supermarket, dairy or food bank
- Pharmacy
- Liquor store (in areas with a licensing trust)
- Petrol station
- Self-service laundry
- Hardware store (for trade customers only)
- Health service
- Accommodation service
- Court or tribunal
- Social and community-based service to maintain critical wellbeing or crisis support
- Emergency service
- Parliamentary services
- Passenger transport by road, rail, air or sea
- School hostel
Food that can be delivered:
- Uncooked food delivery services such as meal kits
- Cooked food delivery services where referred by MSD, DHB or ACC, for example Meals on Wheels.
Green grocers, butchers, bakeries, and fishmongers cannot open to customers.
Uncooked food products and bakery products can be sold online. All orders must be contactless, including payment and delivery.
This is the full list of Essential Businesses:
Accommodation
Accommodation services for essential workers and people who need to be isolated/quarantined
Border
Customs New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries
Building and construction
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
Courts of New Zealand and tribunals
Critical Crown entities (eg Electoral Commission)
Fast-moving consumer goods
Businesses involved in the supply, delivery, distribution and sale of food, beverage and other key consumer goods (but not takeaway shops)
Financial services
Banks, insurers and other financial institutions
Health
Hospitals, primary care clinics, pharmacies, medical laboratories, care facilities
Ambulance services
Mortuary services
Local and national government
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
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
Emergency services
Security and intelligence services
Justice system
Public safety and national security roles
Science
Any entity (including research organisations) involved in COVID-19 response, hazard monitoring, resilience, diagnostics for essential services
Social services
Welfare and social services, including NGOs, which meet immediate needs (further guidance will be provided)
Transport and logistics
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
Electricity, gas, water, waste, fuel, telecommunication services, internet providers and media
