News item | 09-01-2026 | 2:05 PM
State Secretary Tielen (Youth, Prevention and Sport) tightens the rules for enforcing the age limit for alcohol sales. Delivery services will now be fined if they deliver beer, wine or spirits to minors at home. This tightening is necessary because research shows that minors are still too often able to buy alcohol online. Now only the online seller can be fined, while in practice the online seller and the delivery service are often not the same company.
The Council of Ministers today approved the last step before the amendment to the law can be dealt with by the House of Representatives. The aim is for the new rules to come into effect from 2027.
Same rules for parcel deliverers as supermarket employees
State Secretary Tielen: “Compliance with the legal age limit when ordering and home delivery is really substandard. This is evident not only from studies into compliance with the age limit and the purchasing behavior of young people, but also from the inspection results of the NVWA. We are combating this with this new ban. Anyone who deals with alcohol and young people must always carefully check their age. We now arrange that the same consequences and fines apply to everyone if the law is not complied with. For parcel deliverers The same rules apply as for people who work in the catering industry, supermarkets and sports canteens.”
Alcohol is harmful to young people’s health
The government wants to reduce the number of young people under the age of 18 who drink alcohol. Alcohol use is extra harmful to young people. Alcohol makes it easier for minors to become unconscious, it can disrupt brain development and it can lead to alcohol problems later in life.
Clear on packaging
This amendment to the Alcohol Act is part of the first phase of the amendment process, which also makes a physical feature on the outer packaging mandatory. This clearly indicates that a package contains an age-related product.