The Retail of Alcohol Standards Group (RASG) has published guidance to help prevent children from obtaining alcohol and other age restricted products via rapid delivery. 

The guidance, Best Practice for Rapid Delivery Services Delivering Age Restricted Products, was devised to provide businesses with information to enable them to make changes that could minimise the risks of age restricted products being delivered to minors.

The publication focuses on the delivery aspect of these businesses rather than the sale element, the priority being that while minors may be able to place orders for age restricted products, they cannot get these items handed over on delivery.  

RASG, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association and other industry partners tackled concerns by collaborating with members of the UK government’s expert panel for age restrictions to produce the guide.

Recommendations are made in relation to a business’s policies and procedures, training, identification – physical and digital, refusals – logging and management of refusals, and auditing.

Hardish Purewal, chair, RASG, said: “Ensuring that children do not get hold of alcohol to consume is at the heart of what we do. Balancing the need of convenience in our busy lives and the welcoming of rapid deliveries to help us should not be at the expense of ease at which children can get hold of alcohol.

“It is always good to see that many businesses already have strong policies and processes in place to ensure that deliveries are not made to children. This guidance is to help and support you to consider any changes you may need to make to your organisation to help prevent minors from obtaining alcohol, and other age restricted products.”

To access the guidance, click here.