Retailers highlight risks in proposed alcohol law changes

Risks in proposed alcohol law changes highlighted by nationwide retailers

Off-licence alcohol retailers from as far afield as Kaitaia to Christchurch, are highlighting the risk that law changes proposed in the Alcohol Reform Bill could push customers towards consumption of higher strength alcohol products.

In a submission made this week to the Justice & Electoral Select Committee an independent nationwide cross-section of retailers has presented the results of in-store surveys that show almost half of their regular customers are not aware of the prospect that products such as 8% Bourbon & Cola RTDs could be taken off the market.

When asked what impact that might have, 80 percent of RTD customers (8 out of 10) indicated they would switch to mixing full-strength spirits if their favourite RTDs are no longer available at the same strength.

Concerns are expressed at two levels. Firstly a concern that moves to suppress RTDs – particularly those that currently sit above beer but well below wine and spirits – could backfire by driving heavier consumption. Secondly that there is a widespread ignorance about RTD drinking patterns, and no apparent awareness of how both drinking patterns and alcohol products have evolved over the years.

The fact that RTDs come in pre-measured and clearly labeled containers is seen as a way that customers currently manage risk, and the submission notes that the customers most likely to be affected by changes would primarily be older, working age males not younger drinkers such as young women.

On other aspects of the draft bill the group made the following recommendations (in brief) – that:

for a country of New Zealand’s size consistency around issues such as limiting the density and trading hours of licensed premises a widely agreed National Alcohol Policy should be of greater priority than Local Alcohol Policies.
the vote on the age of purchase should be along political party lines and not be subject to a conscience vote.
a new regime should be considered under which both physical price promotion signage outside any off-licence, including supermarkets, and price promotion advertising in the media should not be permitted.

The submission concluded: “The fact remains that those of us who are working day-in and day-out in the frontline sale and supply of alcohol are far more likely to have reality-based insights and knowledge about alcohol in our society than we are given credit for. Our voices should count”.

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