– Too many businesses still sell alcohol to young people
A report by Addiction Switzerland takes stock of adolescents’ access to alcohol and recommends strict age controls.
Published today at 11:27 a.m.
Teenagers are most likely to buy alcohol at events.
AFP
Subscribe now and enjoy the audio playback feature.
BotTalk
Alcohol continues to be sold illegally to far too many young people in Switzerland. This is the conclusion reached by Addiction Suisse based on test purchases carried out last year on behalf of the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security (FODF).
The organization advocates strict age controls, particularly in online commerce.
A test purchase is a device by which young people who have not yet reached the minimum age set by law attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages under the discreet supervision of an adult.
In 2023, more than 13,000 alcohol test purchases were mandated by the Confederation, cantons, municipalities, institutions, private companies and large retail chains.
Beer, wine or spirits
According to the Addiction Switzerland Foundation, the situation remains unchanged for test purchases in physical points of sale. In 27.3% of cases, beer, wine or spirits were sold illegally to young people, the same rate as in 2022 (27.2%). In 78.2% of cases, sales or service staff explicitly asked for age or ID. Here too, there is no major change compared to the previous year (79.8%).
However, differences appear at the point of sale level. Gas stations have the lowest rate of violations, with 17.6% of illegal sales, followed by chain stores and large retailers (27.4%) and restaurants/cafes (28.5%). The rate of violations is highest during demonstrations, at 44.2%.
Gaps in online test purchases
Significant gaps have been noted in online commerce, where the law is poorly respected. Thus, 89.7% of the 156 alcohol test purchases made online from restaurant ordering and delivery sites resulted in illegal sales to young people. This figure is up from 2022, when it stood at 84.0%.
Age was never checked at the time of ordering and upon delivery, a declaration of age or proof of identity was only requested in 14.3% of cases, says Addiction Suisse.
Online sales platforms in particular must strengthen their controls and implement more effective age verification mechanisms, such as requiring an ID or digital identity to confirm the buyer’s age.
Sanctioning points of sale
Test purchases of alcohol are intended to protect young people. Currently, few cantons have a legal framework to sanction a company in the event of illegal sale to a young person during a test purchase.
A new article in the Federal Act on Foodstuffs and Household Goods, allowing all cantons to sanction points of sale for test purchases made on cantonal mandate, is expected to come into force this autumn. According to Addiction Suisse, this legislative change should strengthen the application of legal provisions.
“Latest news”
Want to stay on top of the news? «Tribune de Genève» offers you two appointments per day, directly in your email box. So you don’t miss anything that’s happening in your canton, in Switzerland or in the world.
Other newsletters
To log in
ATS/EAH
Found an error? Please report it to us.
0 comments
