The Danish Safety Technology Authority monitors compliance with the requirements for age verification in connection with the sale of alcohol, tobacco products, etc. and electronic cigarettes, etc. in distance sales (online sales). The rules are under the Ministry of the Interior and Health, which can provide guidance on the rules.
Effective Age Control System – What Does It Mean?
Case managers from the Danish Safety Technology Authority will inspect websites with distance sales of alcohol, tobacco products, etc., and electronic cigarettes, etc., to see if there is an effective age control system. The age control system must be an IT system that confirms that the customer has the relevant minimum age for the product the customer wants to buy. If the customer's age is not above the required age limit, the sale may not be completed. Verification of the buyer's age must therefore take place before the sale is completed.
If you are a retailer, it is your responsibility to ensure that the age control system is effective. If your website is selected for inspection, you will be asked to submit documentation of how the method effectively verifies the buyer's age.
In addition, it will be checked whether the signs with age limits for alcoholic beverages are correctly displayed, whether the signs are correctly placed on the website and whether it is the latest version of the Danish Health Authority's sign.
These are the rules
1. An effective age verification system is an IT system that unambiguously electronically confirms that the consumer has the applicable minimum age. The age verification must be done before the purchase is completed. A pop-up box where the customer actively considers his or her age is therefore no longer a valid method.
2. There is freedom of method as to what such a system can look like. It is the responsibility of the trader to document and account for the effectiveness of the age control system.
3. If a retailer has an IT age control system that doesn't effectively verify the consumer's age, the retailer could face a fine.
The owner will be contacted
After the inspection, the owner of the website will receive a letter from the Danish Safety Technology Authority in his e-Boks. In the letter, the Danish Safety Technology Authority may request more information to assess whether the website's IT system complies with the rules on an effective age verification system. If the Danish Safety Technology Authority assesses that the case has been fully informed, the owner will receive a letter stating that the Danish Safety Technology Authority has carried out an online inspection. The letter will contain information about whether the website complies with the applicable rules.
LINK TO THE DANISH HEALTH AUTHORITY
LINK TO THE DANISH HEALTH AUTHORITY
Learn more about signage and age verification at the Danish Health Authority in Danish.