Responsible marketing & alcohol policy
Alcohol is not an ordinary consumer product. Distributing it carries responsibilities that go beyond commercial and legal compliance, and we take them seriously, as does every reputable brand owner we represent.
Drinks21 Ltd supplies trade customers only. We do not sell alcohol to members of the public, and the product catalogue on our website is a trade catalogue for business buyers.
Our commitments
We market to trade, not to consumers
Our website, catalogue and communications are directed at business buyers: duty-free operators, travel retailers, exporters, wholesalers and on-trade customers. Our materials carry trade product information such as case configurations, product codes, customs status and export data. They are not consumer advertising and are not designed to appeal to consumers.
We align with the Portman Group Code
Where we produce or distribute marketing materials for the UK market, we work within the principles of the Portman Group Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks. We do not promote products in ways that:
- Appeal particularly to people under 18
- Encourage immoderate, rapid or irresponsible consumption
- Associate alcohol with bravado, aggression, violence or antisocial behaviour
- Suggest alcohol enhances sexual, social or sporting success
- Suggest therapeutic benefit or an ability to change mood or behaviour
- Associate alcohol with driving or operating machinery
We respect brand owners' codes
The international drinks groups we represent maintain their own responsible marketing codes. Where we handle materials for their brands, we work within those codes.
We do not encourage excess
We do not run promotions designed to drive volume consumption, and we do not associate our products with drinking games or consumption challenges.
What we expect of our customers
Our terms and conditions of sale require every trade customer to hold the licences, permits and excise approvals required to purchase, hold and resell alcohol in its jurisdiction, and to maintain them throughout the relationship. Beyond that contractual requirement, we expect our customers to:
- Verify age at the point of sale. In the UK, operate an effective age verification policy, Challenge 25 or equivalent. It is an offence to sell alcohol to anyone under 18.
- Comply with local law in the destination market. Legal drinking ages, labelling requirements, advertising restrictions and sales channel rules vary widely. Some markets we serve restrict or prohibit alcohol entirely. Responsibility for compliance in the destination market sits with the importer.
- Market responsibly. Apply the same standards set out above to your own promotion of our products.
- Not sell into markets the goods are not intended for. Diversion is a breach of our terms and may be a criminal offence.
Product information and labelling
We supply product information, including ABV, volume, ingredients, allergens and country of origin, as provided to us by brand owners, and we maintain it in our product database. Labelling requirements differ between markets, and it is the customer's responsibility to ensure products are correctly labelled for the destination market before sale.
Responsible drinking
We support the principle that alcohol should be enjoyed responsibly by adults who choose to drink it.
In the UK, the Chief Medical Officers' guideline is to drink no more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, spread over three days or more, with several drink-free days. Guidance differs by country. For advice or support in the UK, Drinkaware provides free and confidential information at drinkaware.co.uk.
Raising a concern
If you have a concern about how our products are being marketed or sold, email sales@drinks21.com or call +44 (0) 1344 294 170.
Review
This policy is reviewed annually. Responsibility sits with the directors of Drinks21 Ltd.