If you supply Alcohol Products for sale on Shoplazza, you need to comply with the laws and regulations that apply to your business. These laws and regulations depend on the region where your store is located and the region where you sell.
You're responsible for reviewing and using this information appropriately. This content is not intended to provide legal advice, is not comprehensive, may be outdated, and is for reference purposes only. You should consult your own legal counsel to determine how the laws in your region and the region in which you sell Alcohol products might affect your business.
If you violate a law in any jurisdiction where you conduct business, Shoplazza may remove products or terminate your online store.
Due to different regions having age restrictions on the purchase of Alcohol products, Shoplazza strongly recommended that merchants set age verification requirements for online stores. At the same time, Shoplazza also recommends that you indicate the shipping time and delivery time of alcohol products.
The following items are prohibited:
- Liquor licenses
- High-strength alcohol (70% ABV+)
- Absinthe alcohol
*Alcohol commodities, as commodities circulation of beverage wine, other alcoholic beverages and edible alcohol. It refers to alcoholic beverages with an alcoholic content (ethanol content) greater than 0.5% vol, including a variety of fermented spirits (beer, wine, fruit wine, yellow wine, etc.), distilled spirits (white wine, brandy, whiskey, Oedek, etc.), prepared wine (dew), edible alcohol and other beverages containing alcoholic ingredients.
China (CN) Laws and regulations for selling Alcohol products:
In China, according to the "Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China " and "export food production enterprises record management regulations ", the export of alcohol products should comply with China's relevant laws and regulations, as well as the relevant laws and regulations of the importing country (region) requirements.
According to the People's Republic of China Customs declaration unit registration management regulations:
- Alcohol producers should obtain a food production license under the law.
- The consignee or consignor of import and export goods needs to apply for registration.
- The export of alcoholic commodities shall go through export customs declaration and application for inspection and quarantine process. You can apply on single window and online customs .
Additional information about selling Alcohol products in China:
United States (US) Laws and regulations for selling Alcohol products:
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) jointly oversee the regulation of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is strictly regulated at both the federal and state levels, with regulations varying across states.
If you are selling alcohol products to customers in the US, you must comply with all federal, state, and local laws in any jurisdiction where you plan to conduct business. You can refer to the contact information and website links of alcohol beverage control departments in various states in the US: TTB Gov - Alcohol Beverage Control Boards .
Federal restrictions
Basic Permit
According to the Federal Alcohol Administration Act , importers must apply for a Federal Basic Importer’s Permit (“Importer’s Permit”). Please see how to obtain an Importer’s Permit .
Alcohol labeling requirements
Your products need to comply with TTBGov - Labeling: Laws and Regulations .
- Health warnings, volume and alcohol content, ingredient content, and origin retail information
- All mandatory label information shall be in the English language
If applicable, labels must also conform to the requirements of the FD&C and FPLA, including:
- Statement of identity
- Net quantity
- Name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor
- Properly formatted nutrition facts label
- Ingredients list for beer in descending order of predominance by weight
- List of all major food allergens present in beer
Refer to TTB Gov - Labeling Resources for more information.
Age verification
Sale of alcohol products to individuals under 21 years of age is prohibited. It is strongly recommended to implement effective age verification prompts on your website.
Other Considerations:
Importers must also comply with any applicable requirements from other federal agencies. For example,
- The Bioterrorism Act of 2002 requires anyone manufacturing, processing, packing, or storing food (including alcoholic beverages) for consumption in the US to register with the FDA.
- Importers of alcoholic beverages must also provide prior notice of food (including alcoholic beverages) to be imported or offered for importation into the US. For more information, visit the FDA Prior Notice of Imported Foods webpage.
*Please note that U.S. Federal Code has a limit of less than 25 mg/kg of the food additive disodium EDTA for distilled spirits beverage products.
Additional information about selling Alcohol products in the US:
Canada Laws and regulations for selling Alcohol products:
If you sell alcohol products in Canada, then you must also follow the Food and Drugs Act , the Food and Drug Regulations , the Safe Food for Canadians Act , and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations . Additionally, alcoholic beverages in Canada are governed by the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act , and you must adhere to all applicable federal and provincial laws in any jurisdiction where you plan to conduct business. Some provinces may also have specific labeling requirements that you need to follow for your alcohol products to be sold in that province.
Federal restrictions
- You must comply with packaging and labeling requirements . These requirements include compositional standards for a product to be labeled as a specific type of liquor and IP protections related to geographical indications.
- Manufacturers or importers must pay excise taxes for alcoholic products during production or importation, please see more information on Excise duties .
Each provincial jurisdiction has different requirements regarding alcohol, including but not limited to the following common requirements:
Legal Drinking Age Requirements
- In Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec, the legal drinking age is 18.
- In British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon, the legal drinking age is 19.
Additional information about selling Alcohol products in Canada:
- Importations of Intoxicating Liquors Act
- Labeling requirements for alcoholic beverages
- Depending on the type of alcoholic beverage, other federal statutes or regulations not enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), such as the Spirit Drinks Trade Act , may also apply.
European Union (EU) Laws and regulations for selling Alcohol products:
If you sell alcohol products to customers in the European Union, then you're required to follow all applicable laws in any jurisdiction where your alcohol products are advertised or sold. Before you sell an alcohol product in the European Union, you may review the following laws and regulations:
Each EU jurisdiction has different requirements for alcohol, including but not limited to the following common requirements for merchants:
- You must ensure that your products comply with labeling requirements , such as the list of ingredients and nutrition declaration.
- You must comply with all relevant excise duties imposed on alcohol and alcoholic beverages.
- You must have effective age verification practices so that alcohol products can't be purchased or received by people who are under the legal age in the relevant jurisdiction.
- You must comply with all applicable legal requirements of your business jurisdiction and your customer's jurisdiction when promoting, marketing, and selling alcohol products.
Additional information about selling Alcohol products in the EU:
UK (After Brexit) Laws and regulations for selling Alcohol products:
When conducting business in the UK or selling alcohol products to customers in the UK, you must comply with all applicable laws in any jurisdiction where you promote or sell alcohol products. For businesses, organizations, and individuals who sell or supply alcohol in England and Wales, both in-store and online, you need to follow the rules and regulations set by the Licensing Act 2003 .
If you sell, distribute, or ship alcohol products in the United Kingdom, then consider these commonly cited requirements including but not limited to the following:
Alcohol licenses
You must acquire and maintain all necessary licenses that are required to sell alcohol. See more information on Alcohol licensing - GOV.UK .
If you intend to sell alcoholic beverages online, in addition to alcohol licenses and personal licenses, you must also comply with Online and distance selling .
Age Verification
You must implement effective age verification prompts to ensure individuals under the age of 18 cannot purchase or receive alcohol products. You can follow the standards set forth by PAS 1296: 2018 for verifying consumer age.
Labeling Requirements
Wine that you import into Great Britain must be labeled with the address of the importer or bottler, or both. For more information, refer to: Labelling spirit drinks and wine labeling .
Import Alcohol Duty (if applicable)
If you import alcohol into the UK, you should be aware of the legal requirements for customs duties and value-added tax required for importing alcohol into the UK. For more information, refer to: Import alcohol into the UK - GOV.UK
Northern Ireland
Please note that different rules apply in NI from 1 January 2021 as a result of the Northern Ireland Protocol. In particular:
- Registration: You need a license to sell alcohol in Northern Ireland.
- Labeling: If you’re marketing wine in Northern Ireland, you must use the name and address of the importer or bottler (if it’s a bulk import) that is based in the EU or Northern Ireland on the label.
For further requirements in Northern Ireland, please see: Guidance on online and distance selling in Northern Ireland.
Additional information about selling Alcohol products in the UK:
Australia Laws and regulations for selling Alcohol products:
If you sell alcohol products to customers in Australia, then you're required to follow all applicable state or territory laws in any jurisdiction where your alcohol products are advertised or sold. Each state and territory has its own laws, please refer to: Laws that are different in each state and territory .
In Australia, you must comply with policies for promoting and marketing alcohol set forth by the Ad standards guidelines for advertising alcohol products , and the ABAC Responsible Alcohol Marketing Code.
Each state or territory has different requirements for alcohol, including but not limited to the following commonly cited requirements:
- You must have effective age verification practices so that alcohol products can't be purchased or received by people who are under the age of 18.
- You must follow packaging and labeling requirements .
- You must ship and deliver alcohol products in full compliance with applicable laws of the jurisdiction of your business and your customers’ jurisdiction.
- You must ensure that how you advertise, market, and sell your alcohol products adhere to all legal requirements in your jurisdiction and your customers’ jurisdiction.
Additional information about selling Alcohol products in Australia:
Learn more about alcohol laws in Australia .
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