Hong Kong shops get ready for enforcement of new law banning sale of alcohol to minors
- Law is set to come into force at midnight on Thursday. Infractions risk fines of up to HK$50,000
- Previous voluntary initiatives by retailers have proven ineffective at preventing youngsters from buying alcohol
Retailers in Hong Kong have been putting up notices and training staff ahead of a new sales ban to kick in at midnight on Friday which will prohibit youngsters from buying alcohol.
The new regulation to regulate alcoholic drinks the same way as tobacco means that all shopkeepers will now have to ask customers for ID to verify they are aged 18 or above, or else they risk being prosecuted by the Department of Health’s Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office.
On Thursday, convenience stores and supermarkets were putting up notices alerting customers to the new law.
A spokesman for 7-Eleven said: “We welcome the government’s move to officially ban the sale of alcohol to minors by retailers, and will update our prominently displayed notices in all 7-Eleven outlets to ensure the new ordinance is clearly stated.”
In two 7-Eleven shops in Causeway Bay, the brand also put up its own signs, conveying the same message, and notices about minors not being allowed to buy alcohol were seen extensively on fridges and shelves displaying alcoholic drinks.
