On the 9th of January, Saeima deputies passed in the final reading amendments intended to lower alcohol consumption in society. These amendments, among other things, limit the time in which alcohol is allowed to be sold.
Legislative amendment also provide for limiting availability, advertisement and marketing of alcoholic beverages.
The approved amendments provide for limiting the sale time of alcoholic beverages in retail stores, websites and mobile apps. From Monday to Saturday, alcohol will be allowed to be purchased between 10:00 am and 20:00 pm. On Sunday, alcohol will be allowed to be bought between 10:00 am and 18:00 pm.
It is planned for amendments to come into force on the 1st of August 2025. Merchants who will have received a licence by this date to sell alcohol at a place where the working hours exceed the specified limit will have to submit an application to the State Revenue Service for re-registration of the licence by the 31st of December of the following year.
In order to limit the impulsive purchase of alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages purchased on the website or mobile application will be allowed to be delivered to the buyer no earlier than six hours from the moment of order. In order to reduce the impulsive purchase of alcohol, the amendments provide for the prohibition of sales promotion measures that offer to buy several units of alcoholic beverages at once at a lower price, as well as discounts on alcoholic beverages within the framework of the consumer loyalty program.
The changes stipulate that advertising will be prohibited in press publications, printed advertising publications and publications, in cinemas, on websites and online, using postal (including electronic mail) services, as well as in retail outlets where the sale of alcoholic beverages takes place. In retail outlets it will be necessary to place a well-visible warning that the use of alcoholic beverages has a negative impact on health, they should not be sold to minors, and they should not buy, use and store them.
It is also prohibited to offer alcoholic beverages free of charge as a gift or compensation at stores, whether or not a special permit has been issued.
The adopted changes stipulate that retail sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on-site in front of slot machines, card, dice and roulette gaming tables or other gambling equipment will be prohibited. The purpose of that provision is to distinguish between two addictive processes, as mentioned in the annotation to amendments.