The Liquor Licensing Authority has stopped two Manukau City dairies from selling alcohol, and six more await a decision.
Manukau City Council's district licensing inspector, Paul Radich, says some dairies have been masquerading as grocery stores, which can apply for liquor off-licences.
He says those stores will have to take the alcohol off their shelves unless they can prove that they deal mainly in household foodstuffs - the definition of which has been narrowed to groceries that make up part of a meal, instead of impulse buys.
Mr Radich expects that about 20 corner stores will eventually stop selling alcohol instead of trying to meet the tougher criteria.
