Tipple, the on-demand alcohol delivery service, has called for an end to the “lax approach” of some industry players.
The company, in which 7-Eleven has a majority interest, says it shares the concerns outlined in a recent Daily Telegraph article.
The article, ‘Concerns alcohol delivery services are selling booze to teens prompts crackdown’, appeared on February 14. It sounded the alarm at some industry players’ apparently lax approach to responsible service of alcohol (RSA).
Tipple also says it welcomes the NSW Department’s focus in this area.
Responsible service of alcohol
The company claims it places a heavy emphasis on RSA. It adds that all its couriers receive mandatory RSA training specifically for the delivery of alcohol.
This training, Tipple says, covers the following requirements:
- Not to deliver to underage or intoxicated persons
- How to assess intoxication and refuse service
- To capture the customer’s ID, birthdate and signature
- Always to deliver to the door of a verified address
- Ensure alcohol is never handed over until all checks have been completed.
If a courier doesn’t complete an order because of RSA concerns, Tipple pays the courier for the delivery anyway. This ensures couriers have no disincentive to refuse delivery on RSA grounds, the company says.
According to Tipple, its technology further encourages the responsible service of alcohol through customer and address verification. It also matches the delivery ID to the payment method the customer used for the order.
Make it mandatory
Tipple Director Matt Walsh says RSA training and certification should be mandatory for all on-demand or express alcohol couriers. He also called for stricter delivery criteria.
“Deliveries must only be received by a person over the age of 18 years,” he said, adding that the customer’s age and identity should be “sighted and recorded by the driver”.
Mr Walsh says he wants Tipple to be a market leader in RSA.
“Tipple’s self-regulatory framework and experience can help set the standard for alcohol delivery services in NSW,” he said. “We would welcome, and contribute to, (any) review of the current regulatory framework.”
