Information for licensees about the promotion of liquor.
Liquor retailers can utilise the internet to sell packaged liquor provided:
As from August 2007, the requirement for information to be included on a website applies to:
The information to be included on a website includes:
Under the Liquor Control Act 1988, it is an offence:
To further support the harm-minimisation objectives of the Liquor Control Act 1988, the Director or Liquor Licensing has developed an industry guideline for the responsible promotion of liquor for consumption on premises.
This guideline is designed to provide the industry with a framework of practices which are considered acceptable and reasonable, and discourage those that are not in the public interest.
Gimmick promotions of cheap or discounted liquor that are likely to encourage the irresponsible consumption of alcohol are not acceptable as is any activity that creates an incentive for patrons to consume liquor more rapidly or in greater amounts than they otherwise would.
The Governor of Western Australia, on recommendation of the Minister, may make regulations that ban any alcoholic product if it is considered to be undesirable, or if its availability is not in the best interests of the public.
This may occur with products that appeal to children in the way they are marketed and packaged, or where the product is likely to be confused with soft drink or confectionary.
The types of products that may be considered undesirable include:
Alcoholic vapour
Alcoholic aerosol products
Alcoholic iceblocks
Alcoholic milk
A 'tasting' is a small amount of liquor supplied by a licensee for sampling purposes. It is intended to assist customers choose a product. It is not a standard drink measure.
There are only three licence classifications that require additional authorisation in order to provide tastings to customers. They are:
Tasting amounts are:
A liquor store licensee is allowed to supply a tasting provided:
A liquor store licensee cannot offer customers free samples of liquor directly from a producer's or wholesaler's stock.
The liquor store licensee must supervise and manage the tasting, and supply all samples offered to potential buyers.
A liquor store licensee can utilise the services of a producer or wholesaler when presenting a tasting session to customers, provided the samples come from the liquor store's stock.
A producer or wholesaler will be in breach of the Liquor Control Act if they conduct a tasting with the general public at a liquor store using stock they own.
A wholesaler is permitted to provide a tasting provided:
A wholesaler can assist in conducting a tasting session at a liquor store provided the liquor store licensee supervises and manages the tasting, and supplies all samples offered to potential buyers.
A wholesaler can conduct a tasting away from their own licensed premises provided:
In this instance, the purpose of the tasting must be for obtaining an order of product.
A producer is allowed to supply a tasting provided:
Producers are not bound by supplying free samples to customers and can charge for any tasting offered.
Under the terms of a producer's licence, producers are not permitted to provide samples or tastings of their product away from their own premises.
For example, a producer cannot conduct a tasting session at a liquor store with product they own.
A producer can assist in conducting a tasting session at a liquor store provided the liquor store licensee supervises and manages the tasting, and supplies all samples offered to potential buyers.
A producer can conduct a tasting away from their licensed premises provided: