IRRESPONSIBLE PROMOTION - DISCOUNTING

1. Keep an active watch on pricing and price promotions in your area. You might also see promotions:

• on the internet
• on television or radio
• on bill-boards
• in newspapers
• inside or outside licensed premises, etc. 

2. You can use the Checklists below to check whether the promotion breaches the law.

3. If you see anything that you are concerned about gather and record as much evidence as you can. In particular note when and where you saw the promotion, exactly what is says (wording), and who was and how it was offered.

TOOL – Template report of irresponsible promotion (to be completed)

If your concern relates to a promotion on, or by, a licensed premise it can be used to object to their next licence renewal. It might be possible to add discretionary conditions to their licence such as a restriction of single sales. An example of a single sales condition placed [[2018] ADLC 8220013176]] on an off-licence bottle store in the Auckland region is:
No single sales of:

• Beer or ready to drink spirits (RTDs) in bottles, cans or containers of less than 440 mls in volume may occur except for craft
  beer; and
• shots or pre mixed shots.

If they have breached the law three or more times it could be a case for a cancellation of their licence. Visit the Licensing Section for more information on how to object to a licence application.

1. If you see anything that you are concerned about gather and record as much evidence as you can. In particular note when and where you saw the promotion, exactly what is says (wording), and who was and how it was offered.
2. Take a picture or screenshot on the promotion.
3. Enter any information into an incident log.
   • If you believe it breaches the law or warrants further investigation send the details of the promotion to the licensing team at the Local Council in the first instance.
4. Remain in contact to see what the outcome of your complaint is; you may want to raise media attention to any positive results.
5. Encourage and support others to be active in this area. For more information and help see the Mobilising Others section.
6. Initiate or support efforts to reduce the number of outlets in your community – for more information click here.

There is a range of approaches to reduce heavy consumption associated with discounting, including: 

• Prohibiting multi-buy promotions;
• Restricting the maximum discount permitted or banning all discounting of alcohol; and
• Restricting or prohibiting time-limited discounts (e.g., ‘happy hours’)

These approaches will require legislative change. It would be preferable to ban all discounting, rather than setting any maximum limit on the premittted level of price discounting (e.g. 50%), as this would be difficult to monitor, especially when advertising of discounts predominantly occurs via personally-targeted digital media. An alternative approach would be prohibiting the advertising of prices of alcohol products.

Make submissions on draft legislation or policy

Be an advocate for more effective control on pricing policies and price promotion.

Make a submission – Look out for any opportunities to have a say on the development or review of any policies that might help to reduce heavy consumption associated with discounting. Policies and laws to address discounting may be at the national level, such as the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

Advocate for change

For more information and tips on making submissions and other advocacy action, see Mobilising Others.