The impacts of liquor outlets in Manukau City: The spatial and other characteristics of liquor outlets in Manukau City

Abstract

This report describes the spatial and other characteristics of liquor outlets in the Manukau City area in January 2009. These characteristics are important in terms of their effects on the availability of alcohol. Several key results were found relating to the characteristics of alcohol sales. First, onlicence outlets are most dense in areas with good transport links, such as town centres, and in areas with high amenity value. Second, off-licence outlet density is positively related to population density and to relative deprivation. Further, off-licence outlets are typically not gathered together in clusters. Rather they are distributed throughout the area in order to reduce local competition. Finally, areas with a higher density of off-licence outlets experience lower prices, longer operating hours and later weekend closing times. Further research into the relationship between liquor outlet density and alcohol-related harms should take account of these relationships.