12 EU countries have banned or restricted the sale of alcohol at petrol stations.
IN Germany The sale of alcohol at petrol stations is possible, but in limited quantities. In 2011, the Federal Administrative Court set permissible limits for the sale of alcohol at petrol stations of up to 2 liters per person for beverages with an alcohol content of up to 8 percent, up to 1 liter per person for beverages with an alcohol content of 8 to 14 percent, and up to 0.1 liter for beverages above 14 percent. In addition, alcoholic beverages may not be served or sold at petrol stations on motorways between midnight and 7 a.m.
In France There is a ban on the sale of beverages containing alcohol at petrol stations from 6pm to 8am.
IN Spain the issue of selling alcoholic beverages at petrol stations is a recurring political and social debate both at the national level and at the level of the country’s 17 autonomous communities. According to the strategy developed for 2017-2024, the sale of alcohol with an alcohol content higher than 20% is prohibited in shops and catering establishments at petrol stations. In most Spanish regions, a driver or passenger in a vehicle will not buy alcohol between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Valid from 2013 Portugal the regulations allow the sale of all alcoholic beverages at petrol stations, but only between 8:00 and 24:00.
On Czech At petrol stations, alcohol is a permanent element of the commercial offer, alongside cigarettes and snacks, and is sold on the basis of a license issued by the state, just like in regular grocery stores. In 2018, the then Minister of Health, Adam Vojtiech, proposed limiting the sale of alcohol at petrol stations, but ultimately did not receive the necessary support.
On Slovakia the situation is similar to that in the Czech Republic or Poland – alcohol is available at any point that has the appropriate license. In 2023, one of the conservative deputies of the National Council proposed introducing a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages at gas stations, but this idea did not even make it to a vote in parliament.
IN Slovenia alcohol can be bought at almost every station in the country, but access to alcohol is limited. Since 2003, there has been a ban on selling alcohol in shops and petrol stations between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
On Lithuania a ban on the sale of alcohol at petrol stations was introduced in 2016, and a year later a ban on drinking alcohol in cars by passengers, in public transport, on the streets, in stadiums and in parks also came into effect. Alcoholic beverages in Lithuania can only be purchased between 10:00 and 20:00 from Monday to Saturday, and between 10:00 and 15:00 on Sundays.
On Latvia and in Estonia alcohol cannot be purchased in stores, including petrol stations, between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. in Estonia and between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. in Latvia. The Latvian Seimas is currently working on shortening the hours of alcohol sales, but the proposal to ban alcohol sales at petrol stations did not gain sufficient support. MPs argued, among other things, that a shop operating at a petrol station is often the only point of sale in the area. In Estonia, a proposal to introduce possible restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages at petrol stations was only considered a few years ago.
IN Sweden The sale of alcohol at petrol stations is prohibited, as is the case in other retail outlets, including grocery stores. The country has the strictest regulations in the EU, and the purchase of alcohol with more than 3.5 percent alcohol is only possible in the state-owned Systembolaget chain of liquor stores. These outlets are generally open on weekdays from 10:00 to 19:00, and on Saturdays until 15:00.
IN Finlandwhere taxation of alcoholic beverages is at the highest level in the EU, the exclusive right to sell vodka, liqueurs and most wines belongs to the state monopoly company Alko, whose outlets are open from 9:00 to 21:00 (on Saturdays until 18:00). In grocery stores, including those run on the premises of petrol stations, it is only possible to sell alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of up to 8 percent, while beverages with an alcohol content of over 2.8 percent can be purchased until 21:00. In restaurants located on the premises of petrol stations, with appropriate concessions, it is also possible to consume stronger alcoholic beverages on the premises.
IN Norway Petrol stations do not sell alcohol, but political debates regularly arise to allow this. In some cases, where a petrol station is also a grocery store, local authorities may allow alcohol to be sold, but in practice these are rare cases.
Denmark has the most liberal alcohol laws in Scandinavia. In this country, alcohol is sold at gas stations as well as in other stores.
Italy are famous for their elegant supermarkets at petrol stations on motorways and major roads throughout the country. In the network of these points, which are a combination of a bar, restaurant and supermarket, alcohol is sold, primarily wine, often of high quality and from local cellars in a given region. There are no restrictions on their sale.
It is similar in Austriawhere alcohol is one of the most important products available at local petrol stations and is sold under the appropriate permit. The availability of alcohol at fuel sales points is not in doubt, primarily due to liberal regulations that set the permissible amount of alcohol in the driver’s blood at 0.5 per mille.
IN Great Britain Petrol stations have been allowed to sell alcohol since 2013, provided they obtain a licence. The general rule is that local authorities decide whether to grant a licence to sell alcohol, the terms of which, and whether alcohol can be sold at certain times or 24 hours a day. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, alcohol sales are only permitted until 10 or 11pm.
IN Belgium The new regulations introduce from 1 April 2025, among other things, a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages at petrol stations located along motorways between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with the exception of roadside restaurants, where you will still be able to buy alcoholic beverages. The ban on the sale of alcohol is fully applicable at Dutch petrol stations. The situation is different in Luxembourg, where most petrol stations cooperate with supermarkets that sell all types of alcohol.
Sale of alcohol at petrol stations in Serbia is legal as long as the purchaser is over 18. In 2011, Belgrade city authorities passed a resolution that banned the sale of alcohol at petrol stations and other retail outlets from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., but the Serbian Constitutional Court declared it incompatible with the country’s Constitution.
IN Israel Between 11pm and 6am, alcohol may only be sold in bars and restaurants. During the day, alcoholic beverages can also be purchased at gas station stores. At the end of June, the Israeli parliament allowed wine to be sold on Thursdays and the days preceding Jewish holidays between 11pm and 2am. The exception applies only to large supermarkets and customers who buy other products in addition to wine. It is intended to facilitate preparations for the traditional celebration of Shabbat and other Jewish holidays.
In the US and Canada, alcohol sales laws are regulated by states and provinces.
IN USA The law regarding the sale of alcohol at gas stations and other grocery stores varies widely, depending on state and, in some cases, local regulations. In almost all states, you can buy low-proof alcohol, such as beer or wine, at gas stations, but the situation is more complicated when it comes to hard liquor: it can be bought in regular stores only in 19 of the 50 states, and in the rest of the country usually only in locally designated liquor stores.
IN Canada alcohol sales depend on regulations in the thirteen provinces and territories. In the most populous province, Ontario, alcohol sales were until recently limited to three liquor store chains, but the local government has liberalized the law and now 450 food stores can sell beer and cider, and 226 of them also sell wine. From September 5 this year, beer, cider, and wine will be available in small local stores. From October 31 this year, all grocery stores, including those located at gas stations with a license, will be able to sell these drinks. (PAP)
