25th May sees the launch of the first-ever global standards for the online sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages. This international initiative focuses on supporting consumers’ increasing demands for greater convenience with enhanced standards of responsibility to prevent sale to those underaged and reduce harmful drinking.

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 response to this trend, a global partnership of the 12 leading beer, wine, and spirits companies that form the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) and 14 prominent global and regional online retailers, and eCommerce and delivery platforms have identified five key safeguards to help ensure that robust standards are in place throughout the entire supply chain and customer journey to combat harmful drinking.

The standards outlined in the document launched today 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 from being delivered to minors, to individuals showing visible signs of intoxication, or were 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

The full details of the standards can be found here.