The Queenstown publican who exposed the alleged sale of cut-price supermarket alcoholic drinks says he has had a positive response from fellow publicans and the community.
However, he has not received any calls from supermarket chains, which he said should be honest and transparent about how they priced their alcohol promotions.
Frenzi Group Ltd director Roy Thompson, who operates 13 pubs around New Zealand including Pog Mahone's Irish Bar in Queenstown, calculated that a bottle of beer could be bought from Queenstown's Fresh Choice supermarket for $1.22 - 18.6% cheaper than if his privately-owned company bought almost 39,000 bottles of Speight's in bulk from Lion Breweries.
Mr Thompson told the Otago Daily Times last week he believed revellers were often "pre-loading" on heavily discounted alcoholic drinks from supermarkets, despite supermarket chains' assurances they would not sell alcohol below cost.
Consumers were arriving at bars already intoxicated, he said.
As a consequence of pre-loading, Mr Thompson believed responsible licensed liquor industry operators were having to pay for security guards to keep intoxicated patrons out.
Operators were having to clean-up after drunken behaviour and took the blame when the community assumed bars were behind the high levels of public intoxication.
"I've said my piece now. My point was really making sure people were aware of the reality. If society is happy with it, I'm happy with that."
Mr Thompson said he would not pursue the matter.
He was a member of the Queenstown alcohol working party, and although the party had not met since the article was published, the topic of cheap alcohol available from supermarkets was often discussed.
Progressive Enterprises Ltd is the franchise co-ordinator for the Fresh Choice banner group.
Lakes Environmental chief executive Hamish Dobbie yesterday said Progressive had provided "evidence" it was not loss-leading sales of alcohol products.
Lakes Environmental would not be taking the matter any further, he said.
