No booze at the grocer's

Countdown's central Dunedin store will be banned from selling alcohol for three days next month, after offering illegally discounted alcohol as part of a nationwide promotion. The ruling by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority was released today. It said General Distributors Ltd, which holds off-licences for 175 supermarkets including Countdown's central Dunedin store, accepted the findings and the punishment to be imposed from 7am on September 7 to 7am on September 10. It serves them right, as the company had twice offered discounts on wine in a way that was likely to lead people to believe a discount of 25% or more was available - an offence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The authority had been told the discounts were offered on two occasions earlier this year.