Bendigo bottle shops urged to check ID for anyone who appears 25 or younger
- Thursday 3 June 2021
Bendigo Community Health Services has called on bottle shops to stay vigilant in asking for identification before selling alcohol.
The call comes after the BCHS Health Promotion team conducted a Supply Monitoring Project that saw three volunteers aged over 18 but appearing 'underage' visit 30 Bendigo bottle shops to buy alcohol without identification.
BCHS volunteers found 16 bottle shops sold alcohol without requesting identification.
Two outlets asked for identification but sold alcohol despite the buyer saying they had no ID on them.
The remaining 12 bottle shops requested identification and refused to sell alcohol when ID could not be produced.
The Victorian Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 states it's illegal to supply alcohol or permit liquors to be supplied to a person under the age of 18 years.
It's considered 'best practice' for alcohol sale outlets to request ID for anyone appearing 25 years or younger.
BCHS Health Promotion team member Kahla Else said bottle shops had a responsibility to ensure Liquor Licensing Laws were followed to protect young people.
"If we are serious about reducing the impact alcohol has on communities then it's essential that the practices and laws put in place to protect young people and stop habits being formed are strictly followed," Ms Else said.
"It was encouraging that 12 bottle shops followed the law to the letter but really disappointing 18 did not.
