Foodstuffs South Island stores have been banned from alcohol sales for 48 hours next month after promoting discounts that exceeded legal limits.

A Foodstuffs spokesperson said the co-operative and its stores take their responsibility for the safe advertising, sale, and supply of alcohol very seriously.

“In January due to an inadvertent process failure, one New World Clubcard promotion was advertised online with a discount exceeding the permitted advertising limit set out in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, by 1.1 per cent.  

“Since then, we’ve implemented stricter processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We fully respect the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority’s process, and all affected New World stores will comply with the ruling.”

New World supermarkets in Alexandra, Cromwell, Queenstown and Wānaka are among the nine Otago supermarkets to be banned from selling alcohol after advertising a discount for DB Export Gold and Ultra Low Carb beer products.

The online advertisement said the beer would be discounted by 26.1 per cent for customers with a loyalty card, breaching the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, which says it is an offence to promote or advertise discounts on alcohol of 25 per cent or more.

The restriction, imposed by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA), will be in place for New World stores from 7am on Tuesday October 8 for 48 hours.

A two-day hearing was held in front of ARLA in the Christchurch District Court last month. 

Foodstuffs South Island has more than 200 stores across the South Island.