The UK government has provided an update on potential changes that could affect anyone purchasing alcohol online from major supermarkets. Concerns have been raised about chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Aldi, Asda, Lidl, and Waitrose selling alcohol online, potentially causing harm. In a new statement, the Home Office confirmed it will hold a meeting to discuss possible solutions that could lead to changes for online alcohol purchases.
Parliamentary Question Triggers Response
Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire submitted a written parliamentary question to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, asking: "What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing alcohol blocks on delivery service apps and supermarket accounts." In response, Minister of State for Policing and Crime Sarah Jones explained that changes to how people buy alcohol are being considered.
Jones stated: "The Licensing Act 2003 regulates the sale and supply of alcohol. The Government recognises that consumer purchasing habits have evolved in recent years, particularly with a notable growth in alcohol sales made via online platforms and rapid delivery services. The Department for Health and Social Care, which has responsibility for policy on health harms, and the Home Office are looking at how current licensing rules apply to these services and monitoring emerging evidence on the impact they may be having on people's health. I am clear that we will act where necessary to protect public safety."
She added: "To this end, I will shortly hold a roundtable jointly with the Minister for Public Health and Prevention to consider solutions with healthcare professionals and experts in the field."
Underage Drinking Concerns
A report previously warned that significant numbers of children and young people are turning to online supermarket grocery services to buy alcohol. Alcohol Concern Cymru found that 15% of 14 to 17-year-olds surveyed had purchased alcoholic drinks online. The majority said it was "easy" to do and an effective way to bypass age verification checks.
These findings follow an exercise by South Wales Police in which 15-year-olds were able to buy alcohol from major supermarket grocery websites. The teenagers could purchase alcohol if they agreed to the website terms and conditions and possessed a debit card and email address. In 44% of test cases, alcohol was handed to underage purchasers without any request for proof of age, despite published supermarket policies stating they will not deliver to under-18s.
Calls for Tougher Procedures
A spokesperson for Alcohol Concern said: "The process of purchasing alcohol online, for example via supermarket websites, is unique in that the sale is made in private and with relative anonymity, away from traditional retail premises. Young people have told us that these sites offer less robust age verification practices and provide a quick and easy way to get hold of alcohol, especially for younger teenagers who would likely have greater difficulty in buying alcohol in person from in-store at a supermarket or off-licence."
The spokesperson added: "Alcohol is not an ordinary commodity like other household goods we buy. It's a potentially addictive and harmful substance, especially for the young, and should be sold and distributed as such. Retailers offering home delivery services need to toughen up their processes to ensure that children and young people are prevented from accessing alcohol through this channel."
Alcohol Concern is calling for supermarkets and other off-trade retailers that provide alcohol home delivery services to review their existing age-checking procedures to determine whether they are fit for purpose. They specifically recommend that delivery staff receive robust training in procedures relating to requesting and identifying proof of age. The charity also advocates for more widespread test purchasing by police and trading standards to assess the true extent of the problem.
Expert and Government Responses
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, a former president of the Royal Society of Medicine, said: "It's clearly worrying that children and young people in Wales may be able to access alcohol in this way. Alcohol retailers need to improve their procedures to ensure that alcohol is sold and delivered to adults only."
A Home Office spokesman previously stated: "We all need to help tackle underage drinking – the police, the public, parents, and the shops and off-licences who sell alcohol. The Government will not tolerate under-age selling. It is the responsibility of retailers to ensure those being sold alcohol online are old enough. The law has been toughened so those who persistently sell alcohol to children now face a £20,000 fine."
