14 Mar 2018

New Caledonia probes illicit beer sales

2:50 pm on 14 March 2018

An investigation has been opened in New Caledonia into claims that one of the top beer distributors is supplying the black market.

beer lineup

Photo: Quinn Dombrowski / CC BY-SA 2.0

This followed an outcry over a video online which accused the company Le Froid of circumventing sale restrictions.

New Caledonia has severely curbed the hours when alcohol can be sold as part of efforts to reduce consumption.

Le Froid has not denied the recordings but says they have been taken out of context.

Its director said the term black market was used when it was meant to be "in bulk".