Pubs must have warning signs for customers.
Bars and pubs must display warnings to customers stating things like "drinking alcohol can cause traffic accidents," "drinking alcohol can affect the health of the fetus," or "people under 18 are not allowed to drink alcohol."
That is the notable content of the Decree detailing some provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer, which has just been issued by the Government.
According to this decree, establishments selling alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content below 15 degrees and beer must display one of the following warnings to customers: "Drinking alcohol can cause traffic accidents," "Drinking alcohol can affect the health of the fetus," or "Persons under 18 years of age are not allowed to drink alcohol."
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| Bars and pubs must warn customers about the harmful effects of alcohol. |
This regulation also specifies that advertisements for alcoholic beverages on radio must clearly state this information. For television advertisements, the text must fill the entire width of the screen. Newspapers, online news sites, social media, and other electronic media outlets need to implement software to prevent individuals under 18 from searching for information about alcoholic beverages.
For outdoor advertising, billboards and banners advertising alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content below 5.5% must be placed at least 200 meters away from primary and secondary schools and entertainment venues for people under 18 years of age, and at least 100 meters away from universities.
For billboards placed within this area before the effective date of the above decree, they will remain in place, but must be removed upon expiration of the advertising contract.
This decree also stipulates that those purchasing alcohol online must provide specific personal information, including their name, address, and payment details, to the seller. Sellers are responsible for verifying the age of the recipient if they suspect the recipient is under 18 years old.
According to this decree, the use of images of actors drinking alcohol in film, stage, and television productions must meet several requirements, such as: not depicting behaviors that are strictly prohibited by law, except in cases where those behaviors are criticized or condemned, or praising organizations or individuals who have achieved success from the production or sale of alcohol.
This decree also clearly stipulates public places where drinking alcohol is prohibited, such as parks, bus stops, cinemas, theaters, cultural and sports facilities, etc., except in certain permitted cases.
The above decree takes effect from February 24, 2020.