Leading alcoholic beverage producers, distributors, and retailers committed to promote responsible selling and trading of the products to keep in check and fend off attempts by minors to buy alcoholic drinks online.
Members of the Alcoholic Beverages Alliance of the Philippines signed a pledge to abide by this guidance. The pledge emphasized responsible sale of wines and spirits online in partnership with leading e-commerce platforms.
“This pledge marks a significant milestone in achieving a responsible e-retailing environment for alcohol. Our member- companies actively advocate for responsible drinking and take our obligation to sell and market our products responsibly very seriously,” said ABAPI chairperson and Diageo Philippines general manager Kavita Hans.
“We commit to develop all possible safeguards to ensure that our products do not end up in the hands of minors. The pledge is the right step to ensuring a safe e-commerce environment and will give us the opportunity to learn from each other and share best practices,” he said.
The voluntary industry pledge aims to put safeguards in place across e-commerce platforms to uphold the responsible sale of alcohol online under the principle of self-governance with a strong focus on preventing minors from purchasing liquor online.
Signatories include members of ABAPI—an organization comprised of the leading international alcohol beverage producers and importers and distributors such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Moët Hennessy and Brown-Forman—owners of alcohol brands such as Johnnie Walker, Absolut Vodka, Hennessy and Jack Daniels.
Platforms that joined the pledge included Lazada Philippines, Liquor.ph, The Booze Shop, Manila Wine, Winery.ph, Singlemalt.ph and Alcoline/Clink.ph.
Alcohol sales on e-commerce platforms saw a growth spike over the past several months amid the quarantine restrictions and reduced operations of bars and restaurants caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Leading alcohol and online retailers worldwide have committed to work together to develop and enhance safeguards to protect minors from online alcohol sales and deliveries. This pledge is our way of making the global commitment more relevant in the Philippines. We are delighted to partner with leading online retailers and e-commerce platforms in the country in this ground-breaking coalition to enhance standards for the online sale and delivery of alcohol,” said ABAPI president and Pernod Ricard Philippines managing director John O’Sullivan.
