This is what you need to know about the new Alcohol Act.

What is the Alcohol Act?
The name of the Alcohol and Catering Act will change to the Alcohol Act from 1 July 2021. The most important changes are: better age verification, a ban on price promotions and strong alcoholic beverages may only be sold online by liquor stores.

When does the Alcohol Act come into effect?
The Alcohol Act will come into effect on 1 July 2021.

What changes in the Alcohol Act?
As of July 1, 2021, the Alcohol and Catering Act will change to the Alcohol Act. The following will change in the new Alcohol Act:

• Age verification: When purchasing, an active action by the buyer is used to verify whether the buyer is 18 years or older. The age must be checked or a date of birth must be entered.
• Seller's obligation to report: The seller is obliged to inform the buyer in advance that an age check will be carried out.
• Secured working method: As a seller, you must have a document with a 'secure working method', which includes how you monitor the age limit and how you ensure that the working method is known and clear to employees.
• Strong alcoholic beverages: Strong alcoholic beverages may only be sold by liquor stores; the liquor store may not carry out any other business activities that are not part of a liquor store.
• Price promotions: A ban on a certain type of price promotions is coming. Points of sale may no longer offer alcoholic beverages that give the impression that a discount of more than 25 percent is being given.

For more information: see https://www.nvwa.nl/