”The customers that shop at that time, they tend to be the more organised ones that are just picking up a bottle of wine to go with their groceries to take home for dinner.
”The whole idea of it is responsible drinking, we’re selling food and wine that go together.”
Gore said it “makes no sense” that restaurants and bars with an on-licence could serve alcohol from 9am but stores couldn’t sell it.
There is a petition in store on the new alcohol sale hours, which Gore planned to present to the council next year.
So far, Gore said everybody disagreed with the new rules.
Restaurants will still be able to serve alcohol from 9am. Photo / Andrew Warner
Supermarkets will lose the most available alcohol sale hours with many open at 7am.
Foodstuffs spokesperson Emma Wooster said the cooperative supported the maximum alcohol sale hours set by central government, which was from 7am-11pm.
”We’re disappointed in this decision because this change adds operational complexity to the running of the store, ultimately adding to cost and therefore the overall value we can offer our customers.
”It also inconveniences customers who drink responsibly and need flexibility around their shopping times as they’re juggling family and work commitments.”
”I do feel for those businesses who will be impacted by the restrictions that have been brought in as a lot of harmful drinking is done with daily dosing at home.”
The costs to the community with extended on-licence drinking times is high, he said.
Tauranga City Council district licensing committee secretary Nigel McGlone said the committee decided the shorter trading hours would help reduce alcohol-related harm.
”The committee considered feedback from submitters, the Medical Officer of Health in making this decision and research findings from studies in New Zealand and overseas.
”The council accepts that there will need to be changes in the way premises manage the sale of alcohol. This may require access to alcohol areas to be restricted using obvious physical barriers and signage before 10am.”
The council believed there was sufficient time before the changes took effect for premises to signal the changes to their customers, McGlone said.
Asked why the council allowed bars to serve alcohol from 9am but stores couldn’t sell it, McGlone replied: “Bars and restaurants [on-licences] allow the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol on the premise, where patrons can be monitored and supervised.”
On-licences also had more conditions imposed on them including host responsibility to provide food, having water available, and information on alternative transport, he said.
”Off-licences have their main responsibilities at the point of sale only.”
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air
