Netherlands: Starting July 1, discount price on beer or wine is prohibited

From 1 July, supermarkets and liquor stores are no longer allowed to give more than 25 percent discount on the sale of alcohol. This is stated in the new Alcohol Act, which will replace the Liquor and Catering Act (DHW) as of that date. Happy hour in the hospitality industry is left untouched in the new law. The Alcohol Act will replace the DHW in two weeks. In addition to the ban on large discounts on drinks, it also criminalizes passing on alcohol to minors and stricter compliance with the rules for the sale of beer, wine and spirits 'at a distance' (online). "Get two, pay one is no longer possible from 1 July," says director Peter de Wolf of STIVA, in which the producers and importers of alcoholic beverages are represented. At the moment it is still the case that a 50 percent discount can be given on the case of beer or the bottle of wine. "This is less important with spirits." The new law is intended to combat alcohol use and abuse, especially among young people. "We do ...