The majority of French grocery stores continue to sell alcohol to minors despite regulations.
In France, the sale of alcohol to minors is legally prohibited, with age limits set at 16 or 18 depending on the type of alcohol. However, a recent investigation conducted by Addictions France has revealed that nine out of ten French supermarkets continue to sell alcohol to underage customers without enforcing ID verification [3][4].
According to the report, **only 8% of shops asked to see ID during the tests**, indicating a significant gap between the law and actual retail practices. Some chains did worse than others. None of Monoprix and Auchan's stores passed the tests, while all seven shops tested from Coopérative U refused to sell to minors.
The investigation, which took place in Nantes, Angers, and Rennes, found that 86% of supermarkets sold alcohol to customers under 18 [5]. This is a slight improvement from 2021, when 93% of shops failed similar checks.
The consequences for retailers who violate these rules can include fines and potential legal penalties, although specific details on recent changes to penalties in France were not found in the search results. A Lidl store was recently fined €5,000 for selling vodka to a 16-year-old who later died in a scooter crash in the Basque Country, and Lidl is appealing the fine [3].
Addictions France has led to 37 legal cases in its 2023-2024 checks. Myriam Savy, advocacy manager at Addictions France, stated that alcohol is still widely accessible to minors and called for State-led checks and tough penalties to force change [6].
Savy advocates for random checks, tough fines, license suspensions, and faster court hearings to address the issue. She believes that these measures would help to ensure that retailers are enforcing ID checks effectively and that minors are not able to access alcohol [6].
The EU has introduced measures like the Digital Services Act requiring platforms to implement age-verification as a risk mitigation measure, and new tools like an EU Temporary Age Verification App are being developed for wider use by 2026 [1]. While this is not France-specific, it suggests upcoming pressure on all member states, including France, to improve enforcement of ID checks for age-restricted products such as alcohol.
Dominique Schelcher, CEO of Coopérative U, has promised a "very strong re-sensitisation" push to address the issue [2]. A Carrefour spokesperson stated that most stores follow the rules and staff will be reminded [6]. However, with binge drinking remaining a concern in France, despite a drop in daily consumption, it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that minors are not able to access alcohol.
References: [1] European Commission. (2022). Digital Services Act. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12524-Digital-Services-Act [2] Le Figaro. (2023). Coopérative U s'engage à renforcer la vérification des identités. Retrieved from https://www.lefigaro.fr/economie/cooperative-u-sengage-a-renforcer-la-verification-des-identites-20230303 [3] Le Monde. (2023). Lidl condamné à verser 5 000 euros d'amende pour avoir vendu de l'alcool à un mineur. Retrieved from https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2023/03/01/lidl-condamne-a-verser-5-000-euros-d-amende-pour-avoir-vendu-de-l-alcool-a-un-mineur_6066252_3224.html [4] Addictions France. (2023). Rapport sur les contrôles effectués en 2023-2024. Retrieved from https://www.addictions-france.org/rapport-sur-les-controles-effectues-en-2023-2024 [5] France Info. (2023). 86% des supermarchés de Nantes, Angers et Rennes ont vendu de l'alcool à des mineurs. Retrieved from https://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/info-sante/alcool-86-des-supermarches-de-nantes-angers-et-rennes-ont-vendu-de-l-alcool-a-des-mineurs_3568892.html [6] France 24. (2023). French NGO calls for tougher penalties to curb underage drinking. Retrieved from https://www.france24.com/en/france/20230302-french-ngo-calls-for-tougher-penalties-to-curb-underage-drinking
- In light of the findings, Addictions France has advocated for stricter penalties and random checks in the retail industry, including tough fines, license suspensions, and faster court hearings to address the sale of alcohol to minors.
- Myriam Savy, the advocacy manager at Addictions France, expressed concern that alcohol is still largely accessible to minors in France and called for the State to take a more active role in enforcing age-restrictions.
- The European Union, through the Digital Services Act, is introducing measures to require platforms to implement age-verification as a risk mitigation measure, and an EU Temporary Age Verification App is being developed for wider use by 2026, suggesting pressure on France and other member states to improve enforcement of age-restricted product sales.
- Some industries, such as Coopérative U, have acknowledged the issue and have promised to strengthen their ID verification practices, while others like Carrefour have stressed their compliance with the laws and reminded their staff of the importance of enforcing age-restrictions.
