Bruges (Brussels Morning Newspaper): In June, a CAW Noord-West-Vlaanderen experiment in Bruges revealed that a 15-year-old bought alcohol in 14 out of 16 shops without ID checks. Joran Verbandt expressed concerns over minors accessing alcohol, highlighting addiction risks. Bruges plans a campaign to educate shop owners.
In June, an employee from CAW Noord-West-Vlaanderen experimented with Bruges with a 15-year-old to see how easy it is for minors to buy alcohol. The underage participant visited 16 different shops trying to purchase beer or wine. The test followed specific rules to ensure it was real, meaning the teenager couldn’t lie and had to show his ID if asked by the store.
How easily can minors buy alcohol in Bruges shops?
Most shops did not follow the legal requirements for checking the age of alcohol buyers, raising serious concerns about the enforcement of alcohol sales regulations in the city. Only 2 of the shops asked for identification as required by law. Joran Verbandt from CAW Noord-West-Vlaanderen shared his concerns about a recent alcohol test involving a 15-year-old. He often hears stories about minors getting alcohol and wasn’t surprised that many shops sold it to teenagers without checking for ID. However, he found the high number of these sales alarming.
According to Verbandt, studies show early alcohol use can lead to serious problems later, like addiction and health issues. He emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of age restrictions to prevent minors from easily accessing alcohol. CAW and the city of Bruges are launching a campaign to inform shop owners about their responsibilities. Alderman Mathis Goderis emphasized the importance of knowing the laws and suggested that shopkeepers should always ask young people for their IDs. He believes this practice should extend beyond Bruges to the entire country. To prevent stricter laws, current regulations need to be enforced more rigorously. Bruges also plans to conduct more random checks in shops and cafés.
