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Summary of article:
The Lithuanian Parliament passed a new law that bans the sale or transfer of non-alcoholic beer, wine and other counterfeit alcoholic beverages to minors and regulates it with fines, which is expected to reduce the risk of young people being exposed to alcoholic culture.
lithuania Congress recently passed a bill prohibiting the sale, purchase, or transfer of non-alcoholic beer, lager, and beer to persons under the age of 18.Liquor Cider and other counterfeit alcoholic beverage products, offenders could be fined up to 120 euros, and the new rules will take effect in May 2027.
Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) reported that the amendment passed by Congress states that the sale of the above-mentioned drinks to minors will be fined 60 to 120 euros (about 66 to 132 US dollars); Purchase or transfer of such beverages by minors will be subject to a fine of 20 to 50 euros (about US$22 to 55), similar to the fine for selling energy drinks to minors.
The bill’s sponsor, Congressman Darius Razmislevicius, said that non-alcohol beverages modeled after alcoholic beverages are similar in look, taste and even smell to beer, wine, cider and spirits, which could make it easier for youth to develop a drinking habit in the future.
He reportedly told Congress that non-alcohol beverages are a good option for adults who want to reduce or quit drinking, but are not suitable for children. He pointed out that the alcohol content in some non-alcohol beers can still reach 0.5%, and in non-alcohol wines up to 1.2%.
Counselor Birut Vesat believes that products imitating alcoholic beverages are contributing to the creation of “a new generation of alcoholics”.
Councilor Ignas Wegele, on the other hand, believes that banning sales is not the right solution and advocates that relevant restrictions should be carefully evaluated. He also questioned the appropriateness of the ban on energy drinks and pointed out that young people can also consume the same dose of caffeine by drinking coffee in cafes.
Lithuania has continued to strengthen alcohol controls in recent years. In 2018, it raised the legal minimum age for purchasing and drinking alcoholic beverages from 18 to 20, restricted the hours in which stores can sell alcoholic beverages, and banned alcohol advertising altogether. As alcohol control is becoming stricter, Lithuania’s non-alcohol beverage market is also gradually developing, covering diverse product categories.
Since November 2019, Lithuania has banned the sale of products commonly known as “children’s champagne”. At the time, lawmakers believed that products imitating alcoholic beverages could encourage minors to develop drinking habits from an early age. This amendment further expands the scope of control to non-alcoholic beer, wine, cider and other beverages.
Summary FAQ
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The new law bans the sale, purchase or transfer of non-alcohol beer, non-alcohol wine, cider and other counterfeit alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of 18, focusing on products that look similar to alcohol.
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Selling such drinks to minors can result in a fine of 60 to 120 euros; Minors buying or transferring these can be fined 20 to 50 euros. The fine is similar to that of an energy drink.
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Proponents believe that these drinks look, taste and even smell like alcohol and can introduce young people to alcohol early and develop drinking habits, so they hope to reduce the risks through restrictions.
