Netherlands


This page contains information on statutory alcohol marketing regulations in the Netherlands (table 1); a description of the restrictions per medium (table 2); labelling information (table 3); information on self-regulations on alcohol marketing (table 4); the complaints procedure; a summary about the Dutch regulations on alcohol marketing and exhaustive, downloadable documents from the ELSA & FASE research projects.

Updated January 2022


Table 1Statutory Alcohol marketing regulations in the NetherlandsCoverage
justicebnwAlcoholwet (The Alcohol Act)Established July 1, 2021. Replaced the Drank-en Horecawet (Alcohol and Catering Act).

Alcohol must be separated from non-alcoholic beverages on store shelves.

Forbids retailers from offering more than 25% off the regular price. Retailers may not give the impression that they are more than 25% cheaper than others.

Only licensed liquor stores may take and deliver orders for strong alcoholic beverages online or by telephone.

When selling alcohol online and by telephone, the age of the buyer must be verified when placing the order and again when the product is delivered or picked up.
Media wet 2008 (Media Act 2008)Applies to TV, radio, RTL (broadcaster).

Since 2009, there is a legal ban on alcohol advertisements on television and radio from 6 am to 9 pm. The advertising ban is directed at Dutch broadcasters only. The "time-lock" does not apply to the broadcaster RTL Netherlands, which is focused at the Netherlands, but established in Luxembourg. The rules are enforced by the Dutch Media Authority. (Note: RTL Nederland has not agreed to adhere to the rules on product placement and sponsoring)
Table 2 Statutory regulations per mediumType of statutory restrictions
TVTelevisionBan on advertising for and teleshopping
messages for alcohol beverages between 06:00 and 21:00 (Chapter 2,
Section 2.5.2,
Article 2.94 c; Chapter 3, Section 3.2.2, Article 3.7,
subsection 2c Media Law)
Sponsoring has to be indicated and has to be neutral between 6 am and 9 pm (Media Act)
Product placement is only allowed for commercial broadcasting and at certain categories of programs. Product placement for alcohol beverages is not allowed between 6 am and 9 pm (Media Act)
The Alcohol Act forbids retailers from offering more than 25% off the regular price. Retailers may not give the impression that they are more than 25% cheaper than others.
RadioMusic-Radio-iconBan on advertising for and teleshopping
messages for alcohol beverages between 06:00 and 21:00 (Chapter 2,
Section 2.5.2,
Article 2.94 c; Chapter 3, Section 3.2.2, Article 3.7,
subsection 2c Media Law)
Sponsoring has to be indicated and has to be neutral between 6 am and 9 pm (Media Act)
The Alcohol Act forbids retailers from offering more than 25% off the regular price. Retailers may not give the impression that they are more than 25% cheaper than others.
Outdoor marketingOutdoor AdvertisingThe Alcohol Act forbids retailers from offering more than 25% off the regular price. Retailers may not give the impression that they are more than 25% cheaper than others.
Printed mediaPrint mediaThe Alcohol Act forbids retailers from offering more than 25% off the regular price. Retailers may not give the impression that they are more than 25% cheaper than others.
CinemaCinemaThe Alcohol Act forbids retailers from offering more than 25% off the regular price. Retailers may not give the impression that they are more than 25% cheaper than others.
Internet/digital mediaOnlineOnly licensed liquor stores may take and deliver orders for strong alcoholic beverages online or by telephone.
When selling alcohol online and by telephone, the age of the buyer must be verified when placing the order. It is also the seller’s responsibility to ensure that age is verified a second time upon delivery.

New regulation regarding influencers
The Media Authority (which supervises compliance with the Media Act) has drawn up new rules for influencers with more than 500,000 followers. For example, influencers must clearly indicate when a certain message is sponsored. The sponsors must also be clearly indicated.

The new regulations are mainly intended to protect young people against unwanted advertising on social media. For example, influencers, whose target audience is children, are no longer allowed to advertise alcohol. For the time being, the Media Authority mainly informs the influencers by providing information and warnings in the event of violations of the new rules. If this does not make sense, influencers can be fined.
The Alcohol Act forbids retailers from offering more than 25% off the regular price. Retailers may not give the impression that they are more than 25% cheaper than others.
Promotional itemssales promotionsNone
(Sports) sponsorshipsponsorshipNone
Table 3 Labelling informationDescriptionLegally binding or self-regulation
Health warnings:Alcohol industry has agreed to use a "alcohol and pregnancy" logo (however, there are no sanctions in place in case of breach of this agreement)Self-regulationpregnancywhite
Ingredients/nutritional informationNo
Table 4 Self-regulations on Alcohol marketing in the NetherlandsCoverage
Reclamecode
voor
Alcoholhoudende
dranken (RVA) STIVA
(Advertising Code for
Alcoholic Beverages)
TV, radio, cinema, sponsoring, internet/digital media (since 1 January 2012 restrictions on alcoholmarketing via social media), outdoor, print, promotional items
Richtlijn
Horecapromoties STIVA (Guidelines Catering
Promotions)
Catering
promotions (e.g.
price, number of
drinks)
The Alcohol Act (2021) forbids retailers from offering more than 25% off the regular price. Retailers may not give the impression that they are more than 25% cheaper than others.

Research by Breuer & Intraval, the Media Loket and Dialogic (2020) commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport shows that Dutch 12-17 year old youngsters are regularly confronted with alcohol marketing practices in supermarkets, catering establishments, cinemas, on television and social media. For a more detailed summary of this research click here (https://eucam.info/2020/11/14/unique-research-shows-that-dutch-young-people-are-often-confronted-with-alcohol-advertising/)

The following document contains an in depth (but older) overview of alcohol marketing regulations in the Netherlands: alcohol-marketing-regulations-Netherlands.pdf

For more (but older) information on alcohol marketing regulations in the Netherlands, please take a look at Netherlands’s appendix to the 2007 ELSA (Enforcement of national Laws and Self-regulation on advertising and marketing of Alcohol) report.

For more information on statutory regulations around alcohol marketing regulations in the Netherlands contact info@stap.nl.