Glimpse of box no lure to buy

A Palmerston North supermarket has the all-clear to put wine cartons where they can be seen by shoppers passing its new alcohol area.

Medical officer of health Rob Weir had wanted the boxes to be moved or covered up in case Melody’s New World shoppers who did not intend to buy booze were tempted into impulse buying.

But the District Licensing Committee has turned him down, and in a decision released to the public this week, refused to impose a condition for the boxes to be removed from the end of aisles that could be seen from the general part of the store.

Weir told a hearing in April that wine box labels could be considered promotion or advertising of alcohol within arm’s reach of shoppers heading from the store’s chilled food area to the checkouts.

‘‘You might not be able to see the bottles of wine, but you will see the printing on the boxes that indicates what is in the box.’’

Foodstuffs’ lawyer Iain Thain said there was no evidence that having the sides of boxes visible would lead to excessive or inappropriate alcohol consumption leading to harm.

The committee agreed and said the supermarket’s alcohol area would be reduced in size by 15 per cent already and would make up only 5 per cent of the store’s floor area.

‘‘We consider that what is proposed by the applicant is both reasonable and practical.’’

The committee did include a condition reinforcing what Melody’s had proposed, which was that alcohol would be displayed facing into the alcohol area, not out toward the store.

Weir said his focus was to limit shoppers’ exposure to displays and promotions of alcohol as required by the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act. He was pleased the condition had been picked up.

There were no appeals.