SINGAPORE — As curbs on alcohol sales kicked in yesterday, heavyweights among alcohol sellers and suppliers have made another desperate plea to the authorities to shed light on how they can be granted concessions for longer retail hours.

Their case: Franchisees’ businesses could suffer by up to 40 per cent because of the restrictions, the five industry players said in a joint statement yesterday.

Among them, the retailers are NTUC FairPrice, and Dairy Farm Singapore, which owns 7-Eleven, Cold Storage and Giant, among others.

The suppliers in the group include Asia Pacific Breweries (Singapore), Carlsberg Singapore and the Wine and Spirits Committee of the European Chamber of Commerce, which comprises Diageo, Bacardi-Martini, Moet Hennessy Diageo Singapore, Pernod Ricard and Remy Cointreau.

When the new laws were first announced, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said extensions of retail sale hours may be granted on a case-by-case basis, drawing questions from the same industry players on the criteria.

Even as they have gone ahead to roll out a six-point plan they had drawn up aimed at advocating responsible alcohol sales, the alcohol sellers and suppliers again sought clarity on conditions they have to fulfil to be allowed to sell alcohol past 10.30pm.

“Such clarity underpins the business sustainability of retailers, particularly franchisees, who estimate that up to 40 per cent of their business could be impacted because of restricted retail sale hours for beverage-alcohol products,” they said. “Some also voiced the risk of operations closing down due to declined profitability.”

The measures the industry players are voluntarily taking in phases include training for all retail store managers on the responsible sale of alcohol within the first year of the law coming into effect.

They also propose to help the police identify drinking “hot spots” and introduce safeguards at targeted stores. These safeguards include using cameras to identify and deter errant consumers and voluntarily suspending the licences of retailers who flout the laws.

APB head of corporate relations Shannen Fong said that industry players have been in talks with the MHA on the matter for over a year. She claimed the authorities have accepted the adoption of the six-point plan as a criterion.

“But what we are seeking is more clarity on — if the stores embark on this six-point programme — what are some of the key indicators or measurements that we can all agree on, to successfully facilitate an extension?”

Responding to TODAY’s queries, an MHA spokesperson said it welcomes the initiatives the industry players have introduced.

“MHA had recently shared with industry members at an engagement session the considerations for assessing applications for extension of retail sale,” the spokesperson said. “MHA will continue to engage stakeholders and closely monitor the implementation of the new law.”

On Tuesday, the ministry had said factors they will look at include “the propensity for public disorder and disamenities in the locality, as well as additional measures that licencees are prepared to put in place to reduce public disorder and disamenities arising from liquor supply and consumption”.

Stressing that they support the new law, Carlsberg Singapore managing director John Botia said: “We have put together the six points to demonstrate that our (retail) partners in the industry can sell responsibly.”

He added that there is “a very real danger that some (convenience stores) will be pushed out of business” by the restrictions.

“We have to remember that these stores are important to the community, and it will be unhealthy for the industry’s ‘ecosystem’ to put convenience stores in a position where they have to close because the numbers no longer add up,” said Mr Botia.

Mr Wilson Del Socorro, president of the Wine and Spirits Committee of the European Chamber of Commerce, said that as most retailers have adhered to “strict marketing and selling codes”, such as checking the age of customers buying liquor, it would not be fair to penalise those who have obeyed the rules.

“But where there are public disamenities, we want to work to ensure those are tacked appropriately.”

Meanwhile, the police and Marine Parade GRC grassroots volunteers organised a walkabout in Geylang last night to raise public awareness about the new restrictions on public alcohol consumption. Those spotted with drinks were mostly foreign workers who said they were unaware that the restrictions had kicked in. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MATTHIAS TAY