New Zealand to relax alcohol rules at hair salons
Regulations for hairdressers in New Zealand are being trimmed, with the changes to its alcoholic drinks rules being welcomed. The post New Zealand to relax alcohol rules at hair salons appeared first on The Drinks Business.
Regulations for hairdressers in New Zealand are being trimmed, with the changes to its alcoholic drinks rules being welcomed.
The changes, which follow a review by the Ministries for Regulation and Health, recently examined the rules across the barber and hairdressing industry and queried whether any of them were considered to simply create unnecessary problems for businesses.
The rules, which included prohibiting dogs from barber shops - other than guide-dogs - and a ban on refreshments for people getting their hair done, have since been addressed.
Speaking to RNZ about the rules, regulations minister David Seymour said he had plans to eradicate "pointless bureaucracy".
Seymour explained: "We are taking a serious trim to the amount of pointless bureaucracy, really shaving it back to the scalp where it's no longer needed because it's critical that people up and down this country who run small businesses can spend more time doing what they want to do and spend less time complying with pointless rules and regulations.”
Seymour pointed out that “just as you can give someone a sample at a wine cellar door without having to go through the rigmarole of licensing, I think you should be able to do that for a long suffering customer at a barber or hairdresser”.
He added: "You know what, if you don't want to do it you don't have to, that's how a free society works."
The cabinet has since agreed to all of the review's recommendations, with changes anticipated to come into effect from July, although modifications to the sale and supply of alcohol will still need to go through legislation before being signed off completely.
Seymour revealed that in truth he has hoped to convince his coalition partners to progress the changes before the end of the year and replace the regulations with guidelines for those wanting to follow best practise. He suggested that an evaluation could then take place in two years time to see if the changes have been working. Cutting the regulations is expected by officials to save about a million dollars a year.
Seymour assured that there was still legislation in place to uphold health and safety standards and highlighted how "you've still got an obligation to adhere to that, and that's why we're issuing guidance so that people have an idea of how to discharge their health and safety at work obligations”.
Emma Francis Salon owner Emma Axford-Hawkins admitted that she would make changes if it benefited her business and said: "If I can set up a bar in the salon and it will make my business more money, then I'm up for it."
Axford-Hawkins insisted that she was capable of upholding standards and added: "I feel like we go above and beyond in the salon anyway, cause I want to keep running as a business. If I'm not clean, and tidy, and keep things to a certain standard anyway I think my business would suffer immensely."
Residents in the area also admitted that thet were also keen to have a drink in their hair salon.
One regular said: "I feel like it would make a better connection with the barber” while another visitor added: "I'm all for it…we're all adults at this point in life and we deserve to relax and enjoy our things….if you want to have a beer you should be able to have a beer.”
Last year, Auckland Council introduced a curfew ton ban off-trade sales of alcohol in the region on New Zealand’s North Island after 9pm. The change was approved by Auckland Council in August 2024 after a consultation period and came into effect on 9 December, hitting the industry hard.
The changes, which follow a review by the Ministries for Regulation and Health, recently examined the rules across the barber and hairdressing industry and queried whether any of them were considered to simply create unnecessary problems for businesses.
The rules, which included prohibiting dogs from barber shops - other than guide-dogs - and a ban on refreshments for people getting their hair done, have since been addressed.
Speaking to RNZ about the rules, regulations minister David Seymour said he had plans to eradicate "pointless bureaucracy".
Seymour explained: "We are taking a serious trim to the amount of pointless bureaucracy, really shaving it back to the scalp where it's no longer needed because it's critical that people up and down this country who run small businesses can spend more time doing what they want to do and spend less time complying with pointless rules and regulations.”
Seymour pointed out that “just as you can give someone a sample at a wine cellar door without having to go through the rigmarole of licensing, I think you should be able to do that for a long suffering customer at a barber or hairdresser”.
He added: "You know what, if you don't want to do it you don't have to, that's how a free society works."
The cabinet has since agreed to all of the review's recommendations, with changes anticipated to come into effect from July, although modifications to the sale and supply of alcohol will still need to go through legislation before being signed off completely.
Seymour revealed that in truth he has hoped to convince his coalition partners to progress the changes before the end of the year and replace the regulations with guidelines for those wanting to follow best practise. He suggested that an evaluation could then take place in two years time to see if the changes have been working. Cutting the regulations is expected by officials to save about a million dollars a year.
Seymour assured that there was still legislation in place to uphold health and safety standards and highlighted how "you've still got an obligation to adhere to that, and that's why we're issuing guidance so that people have an idea of how to discharge their health and safety at work obligations”.
Emma Francis Salon owner Emma Axford-Hawkins admitted that she would make changes if it benefited her business and said: "If I can set up a bar in the salon and it will make my business more money, then I'm up for it."
Axford-Hawkins insisted that she was capable of upholding standards and added: "I feel like we go above and beyond in the salon anyway, cause I want to keep running as a business. If I'm not clean, and tidy, and keep things to a certain standard anyway I think my business would suffer immensely."
Residents in the area also admitted that thet were also keen to have a drink in their hair salon.
One regular said: "I feel like it would make a better connection with the barber” while another visitor added: "I'm all for it…we're all adults at this point in life and we deserve to relax and enjoy our things….if you want to have a beer you should be able to have a beer.”
Last year, Auckland Council introduced a curfew ton ban off-trade sales of alcohol in the region on New Zealand’s North Island after 9pm. The change was approved by Auckland Council in August 2024 after a consultation period and came into effect on 9 December, hitting the industry hard. 
