An increase in the age of purchase of alcohol could be encouraged not to apply to beer, cider and wine

Individual MPs could propose not to change the currently established age of 18 for the purchase of beer, cider and wine, thus applying the planned 20-year limit only to stronger alcoholic beverages.

Last week, the Saeima postponed the consideration of the proposals submitted in the second reading for amendments to the Law on the Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages, in which it is currently proposed to determine that all alcoholic beverages should be prohibited from being sold to persons under 20 years of age.

As Andris Bērziņš (ZZS), chairman of the Social and Labor Affairs Commission of the Saeima, explained to LETA agency, certain coalitions and possibly also opposition MPs could move for the third reading, but not to increase the age from 18 to 20, from which to allow the purchase of beer, cider and wine.

Bērziņš himself will not advance such a proposal and points out that such an exception for drinks with a lower alcohol content is not in line with the regulation of cigarette circulation recently adopted by the Saeima, which states that from 2025 all tobacco products will be allowed to be purchased only from the age of 20.

It is also expected that the industry of stronger alcoholic beverages will consider such a division as a distortion of competition, and such a regulation would be challenged in the Constitutional Court if adopted, the head of the commission concluded.

As reported, with the amendments to the Law on the Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages, other changes are also expected to be made, including the introduction of new time limits for the sale of alcohol – that from Monday to Saturday it can be sold from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Photo: Freepik; illustrative