When fast food chains resuming service since Tuesday, some growing pains were evident - from hovering crowds and hand deliveries flouting contactless rules.
Wendy’s NZ chief executive Danielle Lendich said the instances of rule-breaking she’d seen was shocking.
“The Government’s been quite clear that it’s supposed to be contactless,” she said.
“Some of the big players just seem to think operating a drive-thru as it was, was acceptable.”
Authorities are now warning it can take action if necessary.
WorkSafe’s head of general inspectorate Jo-Ann Pugh said it has the ability to shut a business down in the most serious of cases.
“We have an agreement with the police where we'll go with the police and actually shut a business down,” she said.
Ms Pugh said other actions, like a conversation, issuing improvement notices, verbal warnings and directive letters came first.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today emphasised enforcement was serious.
“We are expecting standards to be upheld by those who now have the responsibility to keep everyone safe when they're trading,” she said.
“We do have not only the police out there, but of course our labour inspectorate.”
SHARE ME