A new policy is proposing to change the time alcohol can be purchased from stores in Tauranga.

The move is welcomed by an alcohol harm reduction advocate, but they warn it doesn't go far enough.

Tauranga City Council is revising its Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) and is proposing to change the times retail outlets (off-licence premises) can start to sell alcohol from 7am to 10am.

Alcohol Action New Zealand chairperson Dr Tony Farrell said there was evidence of reduced harm from alcohol with outlets not opening until 10am, but not changing the closing time from 10pm was 'really problematic”.

The alcohol law reform advocacy group wants to see the closing time changed to 9pm.

'Most of the harm from the liberal accessibility of alcohol comes after 9 pm,” said Farrell.

He pointed to the evidence provided in Alcohol Healthwatch's submission to the council on the LAP.

The submission said 10am was 'not an unreasonable” opening time and referenced Scotland's alcohol sale hours that start at 10am as a good example.

'Although our average consumption is less than the Scots, we see no reason why a similar approach could not be adopted here,” the submission said.

'A later opening hour will restrict the accessibility of alcohol to those with an alcohol dependence.

'Social service providers in New Zealand have previously described to us the negative impact of early opening hours on persons with alcohol dependence.”

Research in Russia showed that the introduction of later opening hours was associated with reduced alcohol use, but that the magnitude of the effects of restricting the closing hour was 3.5-4 times stronger than the effects of later opening hours, said the submission.

Dr Tony Farrell said council should change the closing time for bottle stores to 9pm. Photo: David Tauranga/SunLive.

Farrell, also a GP in Mount Maunganui, said the later start was a 'good thing”.

'But, as we have often witnessed around harm minimisation measures for alcohol in New Zealand, it is just tinkering around the edges,” he said.

'They should be restricting the hours at the end of the day to 9pm.”

According to the Law Commission report, 'Alcohol In Our Lives: Curbing The Harm', off-license premises sell around 75 per cent of all alcohol in New Zealand. With 43 per cent of that from liquor stores and 32 per cent from supermarkets.

Supermarkets would be most affected by the change, with the majority opening at 7am or 8am. Most liquor stores in Tauranga open between 9am and 10am.

Foodstuffs North Island supported the alcohol sale hours set by central government in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, which was currently 7am –11pm, said Foodstuffs NZ head of public relations Emma Wooster.

The cooperative owns New World, Pak'nSave and Four Square supermarkets

'Our stores operate within Tauranga City Council's maximum off-license trading hours which are 7am –10pm,” said Wooster.

'All our stores open before 10am, so if the proposal goes ahead, this will impact customers who come in before then and want to buy beer and wine when they do their shop with us.”

The draft policy was adopted at the council Strategy, Finance and Risk Committee meeting on Monday.

Tauranga City Council commissioner Bill Wasley. John Borren/SunLive.

During the meeting, city council commissioner Bill Wasley pointed out the discrepancy between clubs and on-license premises being able to open at 9am but off-licenses being restricted to 10am.

'I really wonder … whether that's appropriate, given there are earlier opening hours for other types of premises,” said Wasley.

Commissioner Stephen Selwood said he did not support the draft policy 'as it stands” and referenced his previous comments about the limited effectiveness of LAPs.

He showed a photo of his local dairy in Mount Maunganui that had a sign out front that said, beer, wine, groceries, ice-blocks.

'We're not seeing a lot of drunks hanging out the front of that shop for want of that sign or promotion or anything like that,” said Selwood.

'That's just a little anecdote but it symbolises for me, the issues that we're trying to deal with here and the practicality of putting in these rules and regulations.”

He said under the new policy the sign probably wouldn't comply and the store would also be required to install cameras.

Commission chair Anne Tolley said: 'For me, that's the problem is that alcohol is signposted alongside ice-blocks”.

'For most of us, that probably isn't a problem, but for those who are vulnerable, living in that community, that is not great.

'I don't want to stop them purchasing ... but [we're] just trying to put some controls on it.

'And if that sign doesn't comply, I for one would be delighted.”

Other conditions placed on off-licensed premises through the policy include restrictions on the display of product or price specials, the installation and operation of CCTV cameras on the exterior and within premises, and restrictions on the display of RTDs at principal entrance to the store or within 3 meters of the front window.

The LAP is also proposing that no new on-licensed premises be established in areas zoned industrial in the City Plan and no new licences be issued for bottle stores located within suburbs with a social deprivation index of 7 or more.

The draft LAP was adopted by majority vote with Selwood and Wasley voting against it.

Public consultation on the LAP will run from August 16 – September 16.

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