ZWOLLE, Wednesday - Home Affairs Minister Guusje ter Horst wants to ban the sale of all alcoholic drinks in supermarkets. She also wants to raise the age threshold allowing youngsters to buy alcohol from 16 to 18, but the latter is meeting Lower House objections.

Ter Horst wants supermarkets to stop selling alcoholic drinks because it is difficult to check the age of buyers in the stores. Supermarkets will be allowed to open a separate shop next door for selling alcoholic drink. Many supermarkets already have such shops for the sale of spirits, which is already forbidden in the supermarket itself.

Supermarket umbrella organisation CBL is opposing the proposal to ban beer, wine and soft mixed drinks like Bacardi Breezer from stores. Grownups will also be affected by this, said a spokeswoman. The sale of alcoholic drinks contributes some 6.5 percent to supermarket sales, according to CBL.

The Labour (PvdA) minister also wants to raise the age at which youngsters can buy alcohol from 16 to 18. Additionally, she wants the buyers to be punished if they break these rules. Currently, the responsibility lies entirely with the seller.

Ter Horst will consult today with Christian democratic (CDA) Health Minister Ab Klink. He has already urged a tightening-up of drinks legislation earlier. The Lower House however is critical.

Remarkably, only the small ChristenUnie coalition party is enthusiastic about the PvdA and CDA ministers' plans to raise the age to 18. CDA and PvdA MPs want the present age of 16 years to be better complied with first. "The real problem is with the youngsters aged below 16," according to PvdA MP Lea Bouwmeester.

Klink will send proposed measures to the House later this year. The proposed bill will also specify that municipal monitoring officials can check on violation of the drink regulations. Currently, only inspectors from the Food and Non-food Authority can do so.