1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Right now. Now, let's have a chat about alcohol. Supermarkets 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: and bottle shops are under fire for selling high strength beers. 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Now these days you can find beers on the shelf 4 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: that actually go up to past sixteen percent alcohol by volume. 5 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,159 Speaker 1: A group called Communities Against Alcohol Harm have called on 6 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: the government to ban those high strength beers from sale sale. 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: Dylan Firth is the executive director of the Brewers Association 8 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: and with us. 9 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 2: Hi, Dylan, you know high here for how you going? 10 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: I'm well, thank you? Is there a problem here or 11 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: nothing to see? 12 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: No, I don't think banning something is kind of a 13 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 2: bit of a jump in this incidences. You know, we 14 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 2: look at the kind of stronger beer sector and we 15 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 2: see the volumes that are actually be sold compared to 16 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 2: you know, most beer in New Zealand, and it is 17 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 2: a really small proportion, you know, acting strong beers. It's 18 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 2: over five percent, so you know, some of the lower 19 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 2: stuff and there quite a lot of craft as well 20 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 2: can be up to you know, ten eleven percent. So 21 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 2: you know, banning something really removes a whole lot of 22 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 2: different variety in what consumers have as choice. There's a 23 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 2: number of other products as strong such as spirits, and 24 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: wine as well that you get that are readily available. 25 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 2: I think it's a bit of a jump, but you know, 26 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: we also have to acknowledge that these individual licenses go 27 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: through the licensing process. You know, there's conditions that can 28 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:10,759 Speaker 2: be put on them. There are other means to kind 29 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 2: of address some of the issues if there are concerns 30 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: about specific areas. 31 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: Tell me how much does one of these strong beers cost? 32 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: Oh, look, it really depends on the products. There's loads 33 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: of different stuff. You know, if you're looking at a 34 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 2: like a nine percent stout from a craft brewer, it 35 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 2: could be anywhere from ten to fifteen dollars. There's a 36 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: cheaper beers that are available, you know, seven, eight, nine dollars, 37 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 2: but not for those really strong ones. I wouldn't be 38 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: that lower than me. 39 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: I mean because still in part of their argument is 40 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: that what they're worried about is young people going and 41 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: buying a couple of these beers and getting absolutely smashed. 42 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: But that doesn't make any sense to me, because a 43 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: bottle of wine is quite a bit stronger than these beers, 44 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: and you can buy a bottle of wine for about 45 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: fifteen bucks, so you know, you might if you outlaw 46 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: these beers kids just going to do the wine instead, 47 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: aren't they? 48 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 2: Well, I think, you know, you've got to look at 49 00:01:58,040 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 2: it reality. You know, how many people are actually just 50 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 2: looking specifically for this bang for buck type thing. And 51 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 2: I don't think it's a huge amount. You know, there 52 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 2: might be some people out there has the drinking behaviors. 53 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 2: And you know, overall we are seeing that decline. In 54 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 2: New Zealand, the hazard of drinking volumes that are measured 55 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 2: by a Ministry of Health are at their lowest ever level, 56 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 2: you know. And so and also overall alcohol consumption has 57 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 2: been declining, you know, by thirty thirty percent in the 58 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 2: last thirty years. So, like you know, trends that are changing. 59 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 2: You know, if you're pointing out one individual thing, well 60 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 2: you can, as I said, you know, looking at the 61 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: licensing opportunities, you can really address it specifically in there. 62 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: Why is it that someboers end up so strong? 63 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: Oh? Look, I mean as people look for different things. 64 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 2: Some people enjoy two and a half percent ber, some 65 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 2: people look for a sixss in beer. There's quite a 66 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 2: big flavor profile and alcohol itself. Yeah, so that actually 67 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 2: changes things. You know, there's different styles that go better 68 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: with a stronger flavor. West Coast i pas are particularly 69 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 2: strong style some of there's some Halvier double i pas 70 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 2: things like that, So you know, it depends on it. 71 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: You know, that's the whole thing about having choice and options, 72 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 2: and if we're trying to reduce hard I think there's 73 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 2: definitely other ways to take with. 74 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 1: Good on youre Dylan, Thanks very much, Dylan Firth, Brewers Association, 75 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: Executive directed. 76 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 2: For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 77 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 2: news talks. 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