ILT bypassed with remote liquor sales
A workaround of Invercargill licensing laws has meant shoppers can get alcohol delivered from their local Countdown.
Invercargill operates within a licensing trust, meaning only the Invercargill Licensing Trust (ILT) can own hotels, taverns or bottle stores within the city boundary.
However, for more than two years Countdown Invercargill has been supplying alcohol for delivery for those that order online.
Alcohol cannot be bought instore.
A Countdown spokesperson said this worked as Countdown Invercargill operated as a dispatch hub for alcohol ordered online from its other licensed supermarkets [outside the ILT area].
Alcohol delivered for Countdown Invercargill orders are supplied from Countdown stores in Dunedin.
‘‘We take our responsibilities as an alcohol retailer very seriously and have actively engaged with the Invercargill Licensing Trust and the Invercargill City Council Licensing Inspectorate on our approach to make sure it meets their expectations too,’’ the spokesperson said.
The service had been running for just more than two years, they said, and was initiated because customer feedback and demand.
ILT chief executive Chris Ramsay said the trust was fully aware the practise had been going on for several years, and had been keeping track of whether the service had an impact on sales.
Countdown was operating under a remote sales licence, similar to wine subscription services which had been operating for years, he said.
Although there were ‘‘obvious concerns’’ when the service first started, it had not impacted sales thus far, he said.
Ramsay re-iterated that Countdown was an overseas owned business, whereas sales made at ILT-owned venues went directly back to the Invercargill community.
‘‘There was obviously concerns when we first heard about it . . . every dollar we make stays in Invercargill for the people . . . luckily it [concerns about profits being impacted] hasn’t eventuated,’’ he said.