A decision by the liquor regulator to ban shopper docket deals for alcohol was quashed after "intimidation" – including complaints to ministers and legal threats – by Woolworths, according to internal documents.

On July 26, the NSW Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing's director of compliance, Paul Newson, decided an investigation showed the docket deals encouraged the abuse of alcohol, and recommended a ban on Coles Liquor shopper dockets, despite the potential for legal action from Coles or Woolworths.

Amid the investigation, which was conducted into both supermarkets and involved an undercover officer being sold six bottles of wine and receiving 18 free ciders using one Woolworths docket, Woolworths had threatened to take Federal Court action against OLGR, and sought the intervention of then hospitality minister George Souris and Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner.

A NSW Trade and Investment internal brief on June 24 describes Woolworths attempted to "intimidate and disrupt OLGR’s regulatory intervention and interfere".

When first told by OLGR to respond, Woolworths' lawyer said his client was thinking about "ignoring" the investigation because it "attacked the fundamental concept of discount liquor", regulator notes show.