The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, a coalition of 12 ber, wine and spirits companies, announced the first global guidelines for the online sale of bev/al and its delivery. The standards include:
- Improving safeguards and security measures that aim to prevent minors from being able to buy alcohol
- Putting in place mechanisms to prevent beer, wine, and spirits being delivered to minors, to individuals showing visible signs of intoxication, or where prohibited by law
- Providing tools, information, and education, or other support to drivers to empower them to deny delivery
- Enhancing consumer information and control
- Promoting global standards as a resource to support the development of national level codes and practices for the online sale and delivery of alcohol that build on local and national regulation
Although the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of hospitality venues in most countries throughout 2020 resulted in global alcohol sales volumes declining by more than 6% year on year in 2020, there has been an acceleration in the shift to e-commerce with the sale and delivery of alcohol online increasing by 33% globally*. In the U.S., e-commerce grew by more than 100% with Brazil and Canada seeing growth rates of more than 300%.
Albert Baladi, president/CEO Beam Suntory and Chair of IARD CEO Group, said:
“This partnership reflects the shared determination of leading alcohol producers, online retailers and e-commerce platforms to combat the harmful use of alcohol in all its forms.
“These global safeguards for alcohol e-commerce cover the entire online purchase journey – starting from the moment a consumer begins the purchase process and travelling all the way through to the moment of delivery, helping ensure these orders don’t reach underage individuals or visibly intoxicated people.”