Barbara Stewart MP
Spokesperson for Families

18 March 2014

Alcohol Deliveries to Teenage Online Shoppers Raises Concern

Liquor retailers must have processes in place to prevent online deliveries of alcohol to underage buyers, says New Zealand First.

Spokesperson for Family Affairs Barbara Stewart was commenting on a television programme that showed large quantities of alcohol being delivered to 16 year olds. In three out of the five deliveries the courier failed to ask for identification to check the buyers were over the minimum legal purchasing age of 18.

“The retailers must take responsibility, they must improve their procedures and abide by the law,” says Mrs Stewart.

“One simple measure might be for retailers to insist that the courier companies who make the deliveries either abide by the law or lose the contract. If this requires closer monitoring so be it.

“I hope that after this exposure liquor retailers are now reviewing their codes of practice and examining policies they can put in place for the good of all New Zealanders and their communities,” says Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

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