Increase in Alcohol Sales Through COVID-19 Indicates Importance Of Age Verification
According to Alcohol Change, people in the UK have been drinking alcohol differently as a result of COVID-19. Alcohol sales through COVID-19 have reportedly increased and this has had a big impact on businesses selling these products. With more time to spend at home, a large percentage of the UK population is looking toward alcohol as an activity.
With more people drinking alcohol and buying it online due to social distancing regulations, the importance of age verification tools has been highlighted. Here, AgeChecked looks at the issue at hand and the solution for those selling age-restricted products at this time.
Increased Alcohol Sales
Based on research completed by Alcohol Change, around 8.6 million adults in the UK are drinking more frequently under lockdown. This increase has had a direct effect on alcohol sales through COVID-19 and many businesses in this sector have experienced growth.
With around 15% of people drinking more per session, the demand for these products has increased a lot. Interestingly, off-license sales of alcohol have increased by 31.4% with online jumping to more than 22% of all sales. This indicates growth in the e-commerce sector for those selling alcohol.
Moving Towards E-Commerce
While it is still possible to purchase alcohol in large supermarket chains and independent stores that are open, many are looking for alternatives. The lockdown regulations have contributed to a rise in the number of retailers selling their alcoholic products online – but is this legal?
It is against the law in the UK to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 18. Those who break this law can face heavy fines and possible the loss of their license. As of May 2015, it is also illegal to sell liqueur sweets to anyone under the age of 16.
Of course, it is much easier to check the identity and age of someone in a physical store, rather than online. Some companies switching to online sales are doing so without consideration of how these kinds of sales will take place legally. While it is possible to check the age of the customer upon delivery, the sale has already been made online and this is problematic. This issue is one that many who were looking for a quick fix face right now.
The Solution
With more businesses adapting their structure to now operate online, age verification has never been more important. Those who are selling alcohol online throughout this pandemic need to have adequate processes in place to prevent any laws being broken.
AgeChecked age verification software is the perfect solution to this issue and is already helping many businesses get through COVID-19. With more people buying their alcohol online, there has never been a better time to implement this kind of software.
If you are thinking about taking advantage of the increased alcohol sales at this time and decide to move your business online, get in touch with a member of our team today. We’ll get you set up in no time to help you continue to get alcohol sales through COVID-19.
