Delivery services must check age upon delivery of alcohol
There is a plan but the government has yet to decide
The government has proposed a change in rules. You may have your say via an online consultation (in Dutch). The proposal will also be debated in the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament. The proposal may therefore still change, but it can be helpful to be aware of this in advance.
For whom?
- delivery services that deliver alcohol to people’s homes
- couriers delivering alcohol
- online shops selling alcohol
Do you work in delivery services and do you deliver alcohol to people’s homes? From 2027 your business will be fined if you deliver alcohol to minors.
What changes?
The government is tightening the rules for enforcing the age limit for alcohol sales. From then on you must always verify the recipient’s age when you deliver beer, wine, or spirits.
At the moment only the online shop that sells the alcohol can be fined. But the online seller and the delivery service are often not the same company. That is why there will be new rules for delivery services.
The following rules will apply to delivery services:
- You must verify the age of the recipient when you deliver alcohol to their home.
- Do you deliver alcohol to a minor? Your company will be fined.
- The same rules will apply to delivery staff as to staff in the catering industry, supermarkets, and sports canteens.
Extra measure: packaging must be marked
A physical marker on the outer packaging of parcels containing alcohol will be mandatory. This way you can immediately see that a parcel contains a product for which a minimum age applies.
When?
This change in the Alcohol Act (Alcoholwet) is expected to enter into force in 2027.