There have been no issues with off-licence bottle shops in Auckland adhering to new strict 9pm closures, Auckland Council says.
On 9 December last year, all off-licence alcohol outlets were expected to stop trading from 9pm, every day.
It was part of council's stricter rules under the Local Alcohol Policy (LAP), adopted in August.
Council's alcohol licensing principal specialist Rob Abbott said the licensing compliance team carried out 91 inspections of off-licence outlets across Auckland, since December 9.
"We were pleased to find that all off-licences checked were sticking to the new times," Abbott said.
He said 19 of those inspections were in South Auckland, 27 in the northwest area, and 45 in the central suburbs, to check alcohol sales were ending at 9pm.
"We are grateful to the businesses across Auckland that have shown cooperation, understanding, and have made changes for this important policy."
The new closing time applied to off-licence alcohol outlets, which are bottle shops, supermarkets and outlets that sell alcohol for consumption elsewhere.
The majority of the bottle shops Local Democracy Reporting spoke to were supportive towards the new law, when it was implemented.
Supermarket giants Foodstuffs and Woolworths said they remained focused on safe and responsible sale and supply of alcohol at all their licensed stores.
"[We] will continue to serve our local communities responsibly," a Foodstuffs spokesperson said.
A Woolworths spokesperson said they had barriers and checkout amendments that were activated at the 9pm cut-off.
Trusts chief executive Allan Pollard said the 9pm closure created a fair and level playing field for all retailers.
The Trusts control the sale of alcohol in West Auckland. Pollard said the financial impact on their stores would be minor, as most of their stores already closed at or before 9pm.
The first phase of the LAP was implemented on 16 September, with a two-year freeze for new off-licence applications in the CBD and 23 town centres in priority overlay areas with the highest alcohol-related harm.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.