Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012

Sale and supply of alcohol generally - Licensing generally, requirements on licensees, and conditions - Exemptions

9: Exemption for certain alcohol not intended for drinking

You could also call this:

“Some alcohol is exempt from the law if it's not meant to be drunk, like perfume or medicine.”

This law does not apply to you if you sell or supply alcohol as a perfume. It also does not apply if you are a pharmacist and you sell or supply alcohol for medicinal purposes. You can sell or supply alcohol to a pharmacist if it is for medicinal purposes.

If you sell food that contains alcohol, this law does not apply if the amount of alcohol is so small that it will not make you drunk. You can also sell alcohol that has been made undrinkable. This includes products that contain alcohol but are not meant to be eaten or drunk.

When this law talks about a pharmacist, it means a health practitioner who is registered with the Pharmacy Council, which was established by section 114(5) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. This person must be allowed to work as a pharmacist. They can sell or supply alcohol for medicinal purposes.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3339469.

Topics:
Health and wellbeing > Healthcare services Money and consumer rights > Consumer protection
Previous

8: Certain sales by makers, importers, distributors, and wholesalers exempted, or

"Some alcohol sales by makers and sellers are exempt from the law"

Next

10: Certain messes and canteens exempted, but codes of practice required instead, or

"Some special places like navy ships and police canteens don't follow all the alcohol rules, but have their own rules instead."

Part 2 Sale and supply of alcohol generally
Licensing generally, requirements on licensees, and conditions: Exemptions

9Exemption for certain alcohol not intended for drinking

  1. Nothing in this Act applies to—

  2. the sale or supply as a perfume of spirituous or distilled alcohol; or
    1. the sale or supply of alcohol by a pharmacist for medicinal purposes; or
      1. the sale or supply of alcohol to a pharmacist for the purpose of sale or supply for medicinal purposes by the pharmacist; or
        1. the sale or supply of a product intended to be eaten, and containing alcohol in such a quantity that the product is unlikely to cause intoxication, even if consumed in large quantities; or
          1. the sale or supply of alcohol that has been made unsuitable to drink, or a product containing alcohol that has been made unsuitable to drink; or
            1. the sale or supply of a product that—
              1. contains alcohol; but
                1. is unsuitable to drink or eat.

                2. In subsection (1), pharmacist means a health practitioner who is, or is deemed to be, registered as a practitioner of the profession of pharmacy with the Pharmacy Council established by section 114(5) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.

                Compare