Alcohol is now available on Faire if you are a retailer based in one of the following countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark (excluding Greenland and Faroe Islands)
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy (excluding San Marin, Vatican City and Livigno)
- Luxembourg
- Portugal (excluding The Azores and Madeira)
- Netherlands (excluding the Caribbean municipalities/islands such as: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba, Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten)
- Norway
- Spain (excluding territories such as: Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla)
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- The UK (excluding Crown dependencies: Guernsey, Jersey, The Isle of Man, and the British Virgin Islands, as well as British Overseas Territories such as Gibraltar)
- Additional requirements apply for UK retailers
We look forward to launching in additional countries soon.
Where do I find alcohol products?
You will find alcohol products under the category navigation for Food & Drink, with a new sub-category called Wine, Beer and Spirits.
What do I need to do before ordering?
You are responsible for following the entry requirements for alcohol in your country.
Generally, importing alcohol from another country requires notifying customs ahead of time. For specific requirements for bringing alcohol into your country, please consult your tax advisor or customs broker.
Why can’t I see alcohol products?
We are currently understanding what is most valuable in this category for our retailers in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
If you are located in a different country, at this time alcohol will not be available. We will continue to make improvements and look forward to expanding the sale of alcohol to other countries in the future.
Additional UK specific requirements
If you are a UK based retailer ordering from a UK brand (wholesaler), it is your responsibility to make sure that the brand has been approved by HMRC and has an AWRS Unique Reference Number (AWRS URN).
Checking each UK brand (wholesaler) URN is your responsibility as the buyer.
To check the brand’s URN on Faire, follow the steps below:
- You will be able to see a brand’s URN on your order invoice in Orders
- Check your invoice for the order, the brand’s URN will be featured at the top left.
- To check if the brand is approved to sell alcohol, input their URN information in the HMRC website.
If a brand’s URN is invalid :
- Reach out to the brand via Faire Messenger
- Contact us so we can ensure your invoice is adjusted, once the brand has corrected their URN
Are there additional fees when buying alcohol products on Faire?
Alcohol products are subject to excise duties and may be sold “duty paid” or “duty suspended”. Faire currently only supports the sale of “duty paid” alcohol products on the platform. This means that all alcohol products sold on the Faire platform are in free circulation and include excise duties from the brand’s country. Depending on where the alcohol products are shipped from, additional excise taxes may be applied when you purchase these products from a brand on Faire.
Buying alcohol products within your country
When you purchase alcohol products from a brand based in your country, the product price will include excise duties, and VAT will be added to your invoice as a separate line item. Generally, domestic transactions are not subject to specific or additional documentation requirements. Please consult your tax advisor or customs broker for more information.
Buying alcohol products within the EU (Intra-community order)
When you receive alcohol products you purchased from a brand in another EU country, you are required to:
- Report acquisitions of excisable products to your local customs and excise authorities
- Pay the applicable excise taxes
To learn more about excise duty rates, please reference the European Commission website or their excise duty PDF.
As a result, you may have to pay excise duties twice when purchasing alcohol products from another EU country.
Buying alcohol across trade zones
When you place an international order, the brand will include a Single Administrative Document (”SAD”), which corresponds to a customs declaration and provides proof that alcohol products are being exported.
It is the Brand’s responsibility to prepare the SAD and to include it with the shipment of alcohol products.
You are required to report to your local customs and excise authorities that you are importing alcohol, and therefore will have to pay the applicable excise taxes upon entry.
How is VAT applied to alcohol orders?
VAT (Value added tax) will be applied differently depending on the location the order is shipping from and to. Learn more in:
- How do I pay VAT on orders in the EU? ,
- How will I pay VAT on my orders in Non-EU European countries?
- How will I pay VAT on my orders in the UK?
What is the returns policy for alcohol products?
Our return policy remains the same for any alcohol products. For more information, see: How do returns work? Please note, excise duty charged at import is not eligible for refund through our returns process. For more information on getting refunded for excise duties, please consult your tax advisor.