Alcohol products

When you sell alcohol through Shopify, you need to comply with the laws and regulations that apply to your business. Which laws and regulations apply depends on the region where your store is located and the region where you sell. Use the information on this page to learn about alcohol-related laws and regulations that might apply to your business.

Laws and regulations for selling alcohol in the United States (US)

If your business is located in the United States, or if you sell alcohol products to customers in the United States, then you're required to follow all federal, state, and local laws in any jurisdiction where your alcohol products are advertised or sold.

In the United States, alcohol is heavily regulated at the state level and regulations vary by state. If you sell or ship alcohol products, then you should review the laws of the states where you conduct business and of your customers. Consider these common requirements for selling alcohol:

Acquire and maintain all necessary licenses individually to produce, market, sell, and deliver your products.
Remain in full compliance with all applicable license requirements, including record-keeping requirements.
Have effective age verification practices so that alcohol products can't be purchased or received by people who are under the age of 21.
Ship and deliver alcohol products in full compliance with applicable laws of the jurisdiction of your business and your customers' jurisdiction. If you ship to a different state, then you must comply with that state’s laws.

Resources about selling alcohol in the United States

You can find specific information online about selling alcohol products in the United States, including the following resources:

Laws and regulations for selling alcohol in Canada

If your business is located in Canada, or if you sell alcohol products to customers in Canada, then you're required to follow all applicable federal and provincial laws in any jurisdiction where your alcohol products are advertised, sold, or delivered. Some provinces might also have specific labeling requirements that you need to follow for your alcohol products to be sold in that province.

If you sell alcohol products in Canada, then you should review the following resources:

At the federal level, 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 geography. For example, "Champagne" is only used for sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France.

Each provincial jurisdiction has different requirements for alcohol, including but not limited to the following commonly cited requirements:

legal drinking age requirements
licensing requirements for the right to alcohol distribution
policies for promoting and marketing liquor
registration and marketing policies

If you sell or ship alcohol products in Canada, then consider the following commonly cited 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.
Excise duties are imposed on alcohol products at the time of production or importation, payable by the manufacturer or importer.

Resources about selling alcohol in Canada

You can find additional specific information online about selling alcohol products in Canada, including the following resources:

Laws and regulations for selling alcohol in the European Union (EU)

If your business is located in the European Union, or 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 should review the following laws and regulations:

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011
Council Directive 92/83/EEC
the laws of any member state where you intend to produce, market, or sell your products.

Each EU jurisdiction has different requirements for alcohol, including but not limited to the following commonly cited requirements for merchants:

Ensure that labels on your products include all required disclosures, such as the list of ingredients and nutrition declaration.
Comply with all relevant excise duties imposed on alcohol and alcoholic beverages.
Use 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.
Ensure that how you advertise, market, and sell your alcohol products adheres to all applicable legal requirements in your jurisdiction and your customers' jurisdiction.

Resources about selling alcohol in the European Union

You can find specific information online about selling alcohol products in the European Union, including the following resources:

Laws and regulations for selling alcohol in the United Kingdom (UK)

If your business is located in the United Kingdom, or if you sell alcohol products to customers in the United Kingdom, then you're required to follow all applicable federal, county, and local laws in any jurisdiction where your alcohol products are advertised or sold.

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:

Acquire and maintain all necessary licenses that are required to sell alcohol.
Remain in full compliance with all applicable licensure requirements.
Use effective age verification practices so that alcohol products can't be purchased or received by people who are under the age of 18. You can follow the standards set forth by PAS 1296: 2018 to help your business prove a person's age.
Ship and deliver alcohol products in full compliance with applicable laws of the jurisdiction of your business and your customers' jurisdiction.
Make sure that any alcohol that's imported includes a duty stamp, if required.

Resources about selling alcohol in the United Kingdom

You can find additional information online about selling alcohol products in the United Kingdom, including the following resources:

Laws and regulations for selling alcohol in Australia

If your business is located in Australia, or 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.

You should review the Ad standards guidelines for advertising alcohol products, and the ABAC Responsible Alcohol Marketing Code.

Each state or territory in Australia has different requirements for alcohol. Consider the following commonly cited requirements:

Have effective age verification practices so that alcohol products can't be purchased or received by people who are under the age of 18.
Follow packaging and labeling requirements.
Ship and deliver alcohol products in full compliance with applicable laws of the jurisdiction of your business and your customers’ jurisdiction.
Ensure that how you advertise, market, and sell your alcohol products adheres to all legal requirements in your jurisdiction and your customers’ jurisdiction.

Learn more about alcohol laws in Australia.

Laws and regulations for selling alcohol in New Zealand

If your business is located in New Zealand, or if you sell alcohol products to customers in New Zealand, then you're required to follow all applicable federal and local laws in any jurisdiction where your alcohol products are advertised or sold.

If you sell alcohol products in New Zealand, then you should review the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, 2012, as well as other applicable laws.

If you sell, distribute, or ship alcohol products in New Zealand, then consider these commonly cited requirements:

Have effective age verification practices so that alcohol products can't be purchased or received by people who are under the age of 18.
Make sure that your promotions and marketing materials limit the encouragement of excessive alcohol consumption and underage drinking.
Ship and deliver alcohol products in full compliance with applicable laws of the jurisdiction of your business and your customers' jurisdiction.

Resources about selling alcohol in New Zealand

You can find specific information online about selling alcohol products in New Zealand, including the following resources: