Remote alcohol sellers in south Auckland are failing to properly verify the ages of buyers and are not displaying their liquor licences properly on their sites, research has found.
Social equality charity The Equal Justice Project (EJP) conducted research on remote sellers in the region, focusing on five local boards.
The research focused on remote businesses that sell alcohol over the internet, phone or by mail and deliver the products elsewhere. It excludes online orders from physical bottle stores and supermarkets.
Ariana Aminian and Rosa Kweon found that in Manurewa, some remote alcohol sellers did not have proper age declarations on their sites.
“One site didn’t have a checkbox for the age restrictions going onto the site, and during purchase,” Aminian said.
The duo researched all the remote sellers in Manurewa.
“You could go onto the site and order alcohol products without being checked if you were 18 and throughout the purchasing process.
“At no point did they ask for age verification, even a tick box for a person to tick they were over 18.
“It’s especially concerning when that little thing isn’t present at all on the site, there’s no safeguarding at all.”
The research did not include general off-licensees who also sold alcohol on a premises like supermarkets, bottle stores or wineries.
The Equal Justice Project (EJP) utilises law students for its research and works in collaboration with Communities Against Alcohol Harm Inc (CAAH).
The two law students presented their findings at a Manurewa Local Board meeting in September.
Kweon said another issue they found was that remote sellers weren’t properly displaying their liquor licences on their sites.
“A lot of them had it displayed on their site which was good to see, but a lot of these sites have very pixelated, not very good quality, versions of their licences displayed.
“It should be readable for people visiting the sites.”
According to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, all remote sellers must ensure that the licence holder’s name, licence number and licence expiry date are displayed in a prominent place on any internet site or catalogue and on any receipt issued for a remote sale.
They also found one seller was convicted on seven charges under the Food Act and fined, but was still operating.
“Despite this breach, the company appears to have been permitted to renew its liquor license.”
Kweon and Aminian asked the local board to check up on the remote sellers in their area.
“We believe the regulation of remote sellers of alcohol should be tightened to better meet the object of the Act,” Aminian said.
Manurewa Local Board chair Matt Winiata said it was worrying to hear of the research findings.
“First time I came across businesses operating out of residential addresses, I did have some concerns.”
He said the findings were a worry and there was more work to be done to police remote sellers.
“We will be keeping this in mind and will be pushing for more positive changes.”
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air