Milk Vending Closed at alert Level 3

Dear Customers,

Unfortunately for us and you, the Ministry of Primary Industries has requested that we stay shut until Level 2 despite us providing an essential service. The official line of argumentation is that vending machines are not contactless and that our opening would therefore breach Covid-19 Level 3 restrictions.

Some of you may share our confusion on why another (pasteurised) milk vending supplier (in Nelson) continues to be open while we have been asked to shut up shop. Some of you may also wonder why many businesses can open for click and collect and other (non raw milk) vending machines around the country still operate while we are deemed a health and safety risk.

We welcome the government's initiative to protect our population from unnecessary exposure to Covid-19 but we are also confused about official definitions of 'essential services', 'contact-less', 'click-and-collect', 'level 3 restrictions' and more.

Overall, however, we hope that you can understand that we are in no position - as already heavily regulated (and at time prosecuted) raw milk providers - to contest official definitions, no matter how injust or imblanaced we perceive them to be. Therfore, we will listen and stay shut until we reach Level 2.

We appreciate your continued support and hope for better times ahead.

The Riverside Milk Team