Compliance With Legal Age Restrictions on Adolescent Alcohol Sales for Alcohol Home Delivery Services (AHDS)

Purpose: Alcohol availability is an important predictor of alcohol use in adolescents and its negative consequences. Within this study, we zoomed in on availability through alcohol home delivery services (AHDS) by measuring compliance with the legal age limit in this sector. Methods: Two methods were used: (1) mystery shopping in which 21 underage AHDS beer orders were placed and received and (2) mystery calls in which 30 AHDS were called and questioned. Results: In the mystery shopping study, all 21 deliveries were approved and executed by the AHDS (compliance 0%). Within the mystery calls, 23 AHDS said they would not sell alcohol to 15-year-olds (76.7% self-reported compliance), but 19 of them approved secondary purchasing. In total, self-reported compliance was only found in 4 out of the 30 AHDS (13.3%). Conclusions: In addition to supermarkets, liquor stores, and the catering industry, AHDS should not be overlooked. Low (or no) compliance with age limits in AHDS is a weak link in the system of underage alcohol availability.