RETAILERS

As an alcohol retailer, you recognize that preventing the selling and serving of alcoholic beverages to underage buyers is a legal requirement for all alcohol outlets. It is also good business; establishments that comply with the law are contributing to the health and well-being of their communities. Other incentives for compliance include the empowerment of employees to maintain control over customers despite customer demands, and reduced insurance premiums for responsible alcohol business practices.

In this section you will find prevention strategies for alcohol retailers as well as other useful resources.

Prevention Strategies

For those establishments that sell or serve alcoholic beverages, two specific prevention strategies have shown favorable results:

• Comply with all laws restricting alcohol sales to underage buyers. Establishments that regularly check IDs of all individuals who appear to be younger than 30, and closely supervise sales by employees, have lower rates of underage sales.

• Promote responsible beverage service. Employers who offer training on the importance of checking IDs, how to identify false IDs, how to refuse politely to sell to underaged persons, and about liability issues when sales are made to minors are more likely to be successful in preventing sales to underage drinkers.

The above strategies appear in the Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free prevention booklet. For more information on science-based prevention strategies, click on Keep Kids Alcohol Free: Strategies for Action.