[Greens-Media] Unchecked supermarket docket liquor promotions driving young people to drink

[John Kaye]

Unchecked supermarket docket liquor promotions driving young people to
drink

Media release: 12 May 2013

The O'Farrell government has been embarrassed over bottle shop giveaways
after the state's two largest supermarket chains have been caught using
grocery sales receipts to promote free six-packs and two-for-one offers,
according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

('Dockets fuel drink abuse: regulator', Sun Herald 12 May, p. 5,
http://j.mp/sh130512)

Dr Kaye said: "The NSW Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing first refused to
act. Their response to my complaint defended the use of grocery receipts to
promote bottle shop sales.

"After an embarrassing silence, the regulator is now considering action
against alcohol promotional offers at packaged liquor outlets based on
receipts issued for purchases at supermarket stores.

"The O'Farrell government must have known that the research shows that
two-for-one deals and alcohol giveaways encourage young people to purchase
and consume more than they would have otherwise.

"Using grocery store dockets to push these deals means that even more
potential problem drinkers will be lured into the over-consumption of
alcohol.

"Hospitality Minister George Souris and the regulator have been sitting on
their hands while the supermarket chains have been pushing ahead with
irresponsible alcohol promotions.

"Both of the major retail chains have been caught out using receipts for
grocery sales to capture unsuspecting customers to visit bottle shops and
leave with yet more alcohol.

"The Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing was embarrassed into retracting its
original do-nothing stand. Now it is giving Woolworths a chance to get off
the hook with whatever dodgy explanation they can come up with.

"Instead of running a public process to develop new guidelines that get
tough on the liquor chains, Woolworths has been given the exclusive right
to comment on its own appalling practices.

"The O'Farrell government has been too slow to respond to the mounting
evidence that aggressive marketing of alcohol leads to more consumption
with all the health and behaviour problems it brings.

"Alcohol promotion is a central issue in controlling abuse but the NSW
government has never used the power it has to regulate it.

"The Office of Liquor Gaming and racing only acted after a serious
complaint was raised with them," Dr Kaye said.

Editor's note: Copies of Woolworths and Coles dockets and Dr Kaye's
correspondence with the Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing available on
request.

For more information:  John Kaye 0407 195 455

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John Kaye
Greens NSW MP
phone: 0407 195 455
web: www.john.nsw.greens.org.au
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