Retailers selling alcoholic products may already have seen some deliveries coming into their stores with various additional messages adhered to them, in line with the Public Health (Alcohol) Act Section 12 requirements.
While the Commencement Order specified May 2026, such are the difficulties that some suppliers and distributors have experienced in meeting the unique requirements of Irish legislation that they have already begun to re-tool their offering.
It is very likely, judging from comments from Tánaiste Simon Harris and Minister Paschal Donohue that there will be a delay of at least 18 months in implementing the commencement, due to concerns expressed by many in the drinks industry that we would lose competitiveness in a market experiencing real uncertainty due to the Trump Tariff regime.
These sentiments have not met with approval from advocates allied to anti-alcohol bodies.
Reports that the Government were delaying moves towards banning energy drinks for minors until after a scientific assessment of the issue were also greeted with dismay from advocates such as the Irish Heart Foundation who were forthright in their condemnation of the move.
Retailers sell a wide variety of legitimate products and services that many bodies are most loud in their condemnation of. There are many people willing to wag their fingers in disapproval yet are also very quick to seek charitable donations from our sector.
Perhaps we should reflect on who deserves our support.
