Sister's Death Spurs Campaign for Stricter Alcohol Delivery App Regulations

A grieving sister is spearheading a campaign to introduce tighter controls on the sale of alcohol through rapid delivery apps, a practice she believes contributed to her sister's tragic death. Alex Hughes is working with the charity Alcohol Change UK to call for government action after her sister, Zoe, died in 2023, reportedly from injuries sustained in a fall at home while under the influence of alcohol.

“

It came as a bit of a shock to the family when we found out she had a drinking problem.

According to Hughes, Zoe, 35, was consuming an alarming amount of alcohol daily, estimated at five to seven bottles of wine, gin, or vodka. Her spending on alcohol ordered through apps like Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats ranged between £1,000 and £1,500 per month. Hughes argues that the ease of access provided by these apps exacerbated her sister's dependency, allowing her to order alcohol as quickly as 20 minutes after a request.

While delivery companies maintain they operate within the law and implement age checks, Alcohol Change UK argues that current licensing regulations, established by the Licensing Act 2003, are outdated and insufficient for the rapidly evolving market of on-demand alcohol delivery. The charity is calling for the government to introduce more robust checks and potentially caps on the amount of alcohol that can be ordered within a 24-hour period, as well as time restrictions on orders.

“

All she had to do was go on her phone, click a few buttons and it would be delivered in as quick as 20 minutes.

The inquest into Zoe's death concluded it was accidental, with the coroner stating she died as a consequence of injuries from an unwitnessed fall while under the influence of alcohol. Alex Hughes hopes to prevent similar tragedies by advocating for measures such as a register for individuals who wish to block themselves from ordering alcohol, similar to systems used by gambling companies.

“

There needs to be a cap so you can only order so much in a 24-hour period and also a time stop. Zoe could order sometimes at six in the morning.