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Evaluation

Alcohol beverage retailers, both on- and off-premise, can be evaluated to determine their compliance with ID-verification requirements. Controlled Purchase Operations (CPOs), or “Secret Shoppers,” are used as a method of evaluation.

Most compliance checks typically follow the same pattern: An individual who is or appears to be underage attempts to purchase alcohol. Retailers pass the check if they ask for an ID; they fail if they do not. Compliance checks can vary based on who initiates the programmes and who plays the role of the "secret shopper." Consequences can vary.

Initiator

  • External (Police/Community): Local law enforcement conducts the compliance check. Failure to comply may result in fines or criminal charges, while repeated noncompliance may lead to the loss of the retailer’s liquor license. Outside organisations may also conduct CPOs with the goal of raising awareness.
  • Internal (Retailer): Internal CPOs are designed to assess the frequency of ID verification. Such checks remind cashiers of the necessity of checking IDs. These exercises allow the retailers to make informed changes to the programmes.

Purchaser

  • Underage Purchaser (Externally-initiated only): An underage individual attempts to purchase alcohol as a plainclothes police officer looks on.
  • Legal Age Purchaser (Internally- or externally-initiated): An adult of legal purchasing age who appears to be underage attempts to purchase alcohol.

Consequences

  • Successful Check (Clerk asks to see ID): The employee is informed that he or she passed a compliance check and is congratulated. Some programmes offer financial compensation, where legal, to reward the employee.
  • Failed Check (Clerk does not ask to see ID)
    • Criminal Penalties: The retailer may face fines, criminal charges, and possibly, upon repeated offenses,a loss of its liquor license.
    • Awareness: In some circumstances the employee and retailer face no concrete punishments but are informed of their failure.

Special Considerations

  • Legality: CPOs may not be legal in your region and/or certain components of the programme may not be practicable under local legislation.
  • Entrapment: Instances where the purchaser present a fake ID, tries to dissuade the clerk from checking, or lie about his or her age may lead to accusations of entrapment.These situations can undermine the ability to prosecute offending retailers/employees. However, in certain countries and regions, legislation or legal precedents may allow for such situations (e.g., a court ruling in New Zealand apparently permits underage purchasers to lie about their age).

Featured Initiative

Being an Alcohol Responsible Server (BARS)

Sponsor: MillerCoors, United States

    • Anheuser-Busch placed advertisements in high-profile national publications and on nearly 900 outdoor boards.
    • A "Secret Shopper" programme sponsored by MillerCoors in which participating establishments are visited by secret shoppers to ensure that employees are checking IDs.

For more information, see their website.

Further Resources

Useful Approaches for this topic.