Age Verification Policy

 

You must be 18 years old or over to purchase alcohol or products which contain alcohol from this website.  Be aware that all purchases of alcohol are subject to an online age verification procedure.  It is a criminal offence for anyone under the age of 18 to buy or attempt to buy alcohol, and for anyone buying or attempting to buy alcohol for persons under the age of 18.  This system keeps a record of all purchases made and attempted purchases.

1. Purpose
We are legally required under UK law to prevent the sale of alcohol to anyone under the age of 18.  This policy sets out how we confirm a customer’s age before sale and delivery.

2. Verification Method

  • We use a licensed and secure third-party age-verification service that checks the customer’s age against national data sources or digital identity verification.
  • The age check is performed during the checkout process before the purchase is completed.
  • Only customers confirmed as aged 18 or over will be permitted to purchase alcohol.

3. No Reliance on Delivery-Only Checks
Verifying age only at delivery is not sufficient — we require proof of age at the point of sale.  Courier-based age checks can be used in addition, but not in place of the online verification.

4. Data Protection & Privacy

  • We collect only the minimum personal data needed to confirm age (e.g. name, date of birth, address, or digital ID) in compliance with GDPR and relevant data protection laws.
  • Verification results will be stored securely and retained only as long as necessary for compliance and auditing.
  • We will not store sensitive ID documents longer than necessary; where possible, we rely on “age verified” status rather than storing full copies of identity documents.

5. Order Processing & Delivery

  • Only age-verified customers may complete checkout for alcohol purchases.
  • Once verification is successful, orders proceed to dispatch via courier.
  • On delivery, if the courier requests ID (e.g. under-25 looks or local courier policy), the purchaser must still prove they are 18+.

6. Challenge 25 (or Equivalent)
If the customer appears under 25 (or younger than a typical adult), the courier could request valid photographic ID before handing over the alcohol.

7. Refusal and Cancellation

  • If age verification fails, we will cancel the order immediately and refund any payment taken.
  • If the customer fails to provide valid ID at delivery when requested, the courier will not hand over the package - and the order will be cancelled or returned.

8. Record-Keeping & Compliance
We maintain records of all age verifications and sales for a minimum of 3 years to ensure compliance with license requirements and for audit purposes.
We review our age-verification procedures regularly to ensure they remain compliant with UK laws and best practices.

9. Customer Transparency
We inform customers at the start of the checkout process that age verification will be required, what data will be used, and how their data will be processed and stored.