Online alcohol delivery: who are they really targeting?

Access to alcohol has never been easier with the emergence of online alcohol delivery.

The popularity of online delivery services skyrocketed during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and alcohol retailers are now delivering alcohol to people’s doorsteps within a few hours of ordering, or sometimes even as little as 30 minutes.

This has led to public health advocates expressing concerns around:

• underage drinkers receiving online alcohol deliveries without proper ID checks
• online delivery services being used to extend heavy drinking occasions that otherwise would have ended
• risky drinkers, including those experiencing an alcohol dependence, using online delivery to access alcohol quickly and easily.^1-3

You can read more about this in our recently published mini bulletin: The rise of online alcohol delivery.

Alcohol industry strategies

The ADF recently commissioned an analysis of social media discussions, trends and advertising around online alcohol delivery from November 2021-April 2022.

We had some interesting findings:

• Alcohol company marketing focused on speed of delivery, and discounts on delivery prices if you’re located within 5kms of a service.
• Retailers were offering discounted prices on ‘bulk deals’ – the more you buy, the less you pay.
• Afterpay and Zip pay were actively promoted by alcohol retailers.
• The highest concentration of advertisements appeared on Monday-Thursdays between 5-9pm – this made up 30% of all sales and promotions.⁴
• 33% of conversations we found on social media regarding online delivery were related to encouraging drinking during the week.

These findings suggest online alcohol retailers want people to:

• drink in that 5-9pm period after work on weekdays
• purchase alcohol even if they have trouble affording it
• purchase large quantities of alcohol and have it delivered quickly.

So, let’s unpack each of these strategies.

‘Unwinding’ after work

We know most people tend to drink more on the weekends.⁵

And, online alcohol delivery services also seem to be aware of this and are making efforts to create other drinking opportunities.

Not only were alcohol industry social media ads concentrated to Monday-Thursday timeframes, our analysis also found Instagram and Facebook pages run by alcohol brands were making posts or ‘memes’ about using alcohol as a de-stress tool to help get through the working week.

These marketing strategies suggest alcohol brands are trying to increase the amount of people drinking earlier in the week and are promoting alcohol as a coping strategy. For some, this might not support a healthy work-life balance – particularly for those trying to cut back on their drinking. And, for others, drinking alcohol can worsen feelings of stress or anxiety, and increase overall alcohol use.6

The problem with ‘buy now, pay later’

In 2018 Afterpay and ZipPay were heavily criticised when they expanded into the alcohol market. These services allow customers to make a purchase but delay the full payment, spreading the cost out over weeks or months.

This significantly reduces the upfront cost of alcohol and, combined with online delivery, makes alcohol easier to access. This can be a serious financial risk for people who might be struggling with money and use Afterpay or ZipPay to purchase alcohol they can’t afford.⁷

Customers are also charged late fees or account-keeping fees if they don’t make their repayments on time – and these services are not subject to the same regulations as other loans or credit cards.

Afterpay or ZipPay could be risky for people experiencing an alcohol dependence or someone who is very intoxicated while placing an order and their judgement is affected.⁷

Risky drinking at home

During COVID-19, drinking at home became the norm. Our analysis found that in the post-COVID climate, there were still people on social media talking about this.⁴

While many people who choose to drink at home will do so in moderation, there are others who may be more vulnerable – and online delivery has the capacity to increase harm to individuals and families.

We know that drinking alone is often used as a way to cope with negative thoughts or feelings – and has been linked to an increased likelihood of experiencing issues with alcohol.^8,9

We also know that:

• suicides and sudden or unnatural deaths involving alcohol are more likely to happen at night and in the home
• 37% of alcohol-related assaults that occur between 6pm-3am happen in the home
• alcohol use in the home can worsen situations of family violence or child abuse and neglect.^10-12

And, people who use online delivery services are more likely to report very risky drinking.¹³

This raises questions about online delivery services enticing customers with speedy delivery and promises of cheaper drinks if they buy more.

What can we do?

In response to the potential harms of online alcohol delivery, key health organisations have suggested:

• a minimum 2-hour delay between purchase and delivery
• drivers receiving proper ‘Responsible Serving of Alcohol’ (RSA) training
• no delivery between 10pm and 10am
• proper ID checking when the purchase is made online, and when the alcohol is delivered to the doorstep.

For more info on these recommendations see here.

Getting help for yours or someone else’s drinking

If you’re worried about yourself or somebody’s use of alcohol, there is support available:

National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015
24-hour phoneline that offers telephone counselling, information, support and referral to treatment services for anyone seeking help for their own, or another person's, alcohol or drug use.

Family Drug Help (VIC, SA, TAS): 1300 660 068
Family Drug Support (NSW, ACT, QLD): 1300 368 186
Parent and Family Drug Support Line (WA): 1800 653 203