The Comeos trade federation sees the Interfederal Alcohol Plan as a step in the right direction but says it would have liked a clearer position on the sale of alcohol to young people.
“We ourselves had argued for an increase in the minimum age to 18 for all types of alcohol,” Comeos said on Wednesday.
The plan’s 75 measures, unveiled on Wednesday, include some restrictions on advertising, sales and better care for addicts and over-consumers. Other discussions are still ongoing.
Comeos is unhappy with the measure allowing 16 to 18-year-olds to buy only beer and wine. All other alcoholic beverages can only be sold to people above the age of 18.
The trade federation feels that it would have been better to set a general minimum age – 18, for example. “This would have been clearer for consumers and traders alike. We note that this measure is often applied abroad and has proved its worth,” Comeos explained.
With regard to the ban on the sale of alcohol in shops along motorways between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. – another of the plan's measures – Comeos argues that it is not feasible.
“We cannot restock the shelves by 7 a.m. when it’s peak time in these shops," the federation said. "It would be better to bring it forward to 5 or 6 a.m..” it suggested.
