Actions to reduce harmful use of alcohol

Advocating informed choice among adults who choose to drink, promoting moderation and shifting social norms through integrating responsible drinking messages into labelling, advertising, digital channels, and consumer interactions in retail and hospitality settings.

Including age-restriction reminders on billions of product labels, including alcohol-free extensions of alcohol brands. As part of ongoing marketing cycles, consumers will find warnings against drinking during pregnancy and driving while intoxicated, alongside energy, alcohol content and information about drinking and health. These are applied in accordance with local laws and regulations and where no requirements previously existed.

Implementing responsible marketing codes, including through contacts with partners, that forbid positive health claims, promotion of illegal or excessive consumption, and any association between alcohol and social or sexual success.

Working with digital platforms, adults have greater control over whether they see alcohol-related marketing online, respecting personal and cultural preferences.

Creating the first ever global standards for alcohol variants of non-alcohol beverages to prevent primary appeal to those under legal purchase age or confusion with traditional non-alcohol brands.

Opposing any consumption of alcohol by those underage and supporting strict enforcement of the legal purchase age (LPA), and regulation that requires age‑assurance mechanisms for both in-person and online sales.

Including age-restriction reminders on alcohol brands, including 0.0 versions of these brands, in accordance with local laws and regulations and where no requirements previously existed.

Implementing responsibility standards for retail, e-commerce, delivery agents, and hospitality sectors to prevent the sale, service, and delivery of alcohol to those below legal purchase age. These standards are embedded into contractual agreements and practices, and IARD has developed free resources and online tools that organizations can use to support implementation.

Establishing safeguards to help ensure that alcohol advertising and digital and influencer marketing only reaches those above the legal purchase age. Responsible marketing codes are embedded in contracts with advertising agencies. IARD members also implement five key safeguards on their own digital marketing channels, to similarly help ensure that their marketing only reaches those adults who can lawfully buy their products. In 2024, there was a 98.2% full compliance rate.

Joining forces with leading digital partners – Google, Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok, and X – to strengthen standards of responsibility for online alcohol marketing. Enhanced age-screening, complemented by platform-specific technologies, to help ensure marketing reaches only those of legal purchasing age.

Launching free resources for workplace alcohol policies that companies can use to support employee health and wellbeing. This includes a guide for senior managers on the importance of Workplace Alcohol Policies and an online module that supports line managers to recognize signs of alcohol misuse and manage situations sensitively and effectively.

IARD’s standards for responsible retail, service, and delivery of alcohol reinforce the importance of denying delivery where necessary, and accordingly empower retail, hospitality staff, and frontline delivery agents to refuse sale, service, and delivery of alcohol beverages as appropriate.

Working with local partners to deliver campaigns and educational programs that help reduce the harmful use of alcohol. These cover a wide range of areas, including helping prevent drink driving, reducing anti-social behavior, and tackling heavy episodic drinking.

Empowering adults to make informed choices about their alcohol consumption, such as the use of digital self-assessment tools, to reduce harmful drinking pattens and shift behaviors.

Building partnerships between governments, businesses, and communities to further tackle illicit alcohol production and retail and bring it into the regulated sphere.