CEO Australian Liquor Stores Association (ALSA), Terry Mott, believes the convenience store’s bid is naïve at best and told TheShout that packaged liquor stores already cater for convenience.
“The bid by convenience store operators to sell alcohol – is naïve at best. It may not be in their best interests, and I suspect that the sale of alcohol at petrol stations would not be supported by government(s) or the community.
The convenience retail liquor market is already well catered for with around 80 percent of all take-away packaged liquor sales being sold through specialist convenience retail liquor outlets.
These range from small family operated country and suburban stores along with the thousands of privately owned and operated but bannered marketing group stores, in addition to those operated by the chain store groups.
The packaged liquor store sector is also dwarfed by the over 7000 hotel licences across Australia with most pubs having their own take-away packaged liquor outlets often with large drive-through facilities.
Retail liquor market competition is clearly evident with consumers the clear winners and for someone to suggest the entry of petrol stations to this market would ‘level the playing field’ is ridiculous.
It is the most highly taxed, highly regulated and highly competitive retail market sector, with over 15,000 licenses already in NSW and 60,000 nationally (incl. hotels, restaurants, clubs, packaged outlets, wineries etc).
Packaged liquor stores already cater for convenience – why would a service station proprietor want to enter this market and how would any government enforce compliance with their regulatory requirements?
Liquor store retailers and most other industry members recognise the harms inflicted by a minority of irresponsible consumers who apparently simply don’t care about the harm they inflict on themselves or others.
The Industry continues to work along with governments to develop strategies and campaigns to educate staff and the community to minimise the harms caused by those people and to ensure our members comply with the extensive regulatory requirements.”