Test Purchasing of Same-Day and Rapid Online Alcohol Home Delivery in Two Australian Jurisdictions

Kerri Coomber ¹, Ryan Baldwin ¹, Chanelle Wilson ²

⁰School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs +

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May 22, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Online alcohol sales are rapidly increasing, with deliveries often occurring within an hour. However, a significant percentage of these rapid alcohol deliveries lack required identification checks, indicating a need for improved regulatory compliance.

Area Of Science

Public Health
Regulatory Compliance
Substance Use Research

Background

Same-day online alcohol sales are a growing market.
Existing regulations for alcohol home delivery require identification checks and prohibit unattended deliveries.
Two Australian jurisdictions with differing regulations were studied to assess compliance.

Purpose Of The Study

To evaluate compliance with identification checks and unattended delivery regulations for online alcohol sales.
To assess the speed of same-day and rapid alcohol home delivery services.
To inform policy development for regulating online alcohol sales.

Main Methods

A test purchasing study was conducted using research assistants aged 18-24 years.
Alcohol orders were placed for rapid (<2 hours) delivery on weekend evenings in Perth and Geelong.
An observation checklist monitored identification verification and whether deliveries were left unattended.

Main Results

Rapid alcohol deliveries were completed in under an hour in both study locations.
Over 20% of alcohol deliveries in both Perth (24%) and Geelong (21%) were completed without a required identification check.
A notable proportion of deliveries did not adhere to identification verification protocols.

Conclusions

Online alcohol can be delivered rapidly to homes, often within one hour.
Current regulations regarding identification checks during alcohol home delivery are not consistently followed.
The findings support the implementation of "mystery shopper" programs to enhance regulatory oversight and compliance in online alcohol sales.