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Global alcohol firms have formed an alliance with online retailers and delivery platforms to promote the responsible sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages online.
The 12 global beer, wine and spirit companies that make up the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) have teamed up with 12 global and regional online retailers and delivery platforms to establish a ‘robust’ global standard for the online sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages.
The ‘world-first’ coalition will look to enhance safeguards and security measures to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors and reduce harmful drinking among adults. Under the agreement, delivery to those who show signs of intoxication will be refused and ID’s will be checked of those suspected of being underage.
Through the initiative, the companies aim to set the highest standards of responsible business practices for the alcohol and online delivery sectors and customers. It intends to promote these global standards as a resource to support the development of national in-country codes and practices.
IARD members include AB InBev, Asahi, Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg, Diageo, Heineken, Kirin, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Pernod Ricard and William Grant & Sons. These beverage giants have joined forces with online retailers, ecommerce and delivery platforms who operate across six continents such as UberEats, HipBar in India, Jumia in Africa, JD.com in China and the Retail of Alcohol Standards Group.
The coalition has been launched following a surge in online drink orders amid the Covid-19 pandemic. It also comes after IARD members announced they would add symbols or written age restrictions to labels on their alcohol drinks to reduce underage drinking globally.
“By building on safeguards that have already proven effective in certain countries and sharing new solutions and best practices, we can raise standards globally, from the point of purchase through to delivery. We encourage others to join this global collaboration, the first of its kind,” said Albert Baladi, president and CEO of Beam Suntory and chair of IARD.
Henry Ashworth, IARD president and CEO, added: “IARD is proud to be uniting the world’s leading drinks producers with leading online retailers, and ecommerce platforms in raising global standards of responsibility. In coming together, we believe the partnership can facilitate greater change across our wider sectors.”