New regulations on the sale of alcohol. This will not be on the shelves anymore

From January 30, 2025, in Poland, it is prohibited from selling alcohol in Pouch sachets, known as alkotubki. This is the result of the new regulation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which determines that spirit drinks with a capacity of up to 200 ml can be sold only in bottles or cans.

The purpose of the regulation is to limit the sales of alcohol in packaging reminiscent of products intended for children. The new regulations have been published in the Journal of Laws (Journal of Laws of 2025, item 118) and completely eliminate the possibility of selling alcoholic beverages in packaging other than bottles and cans, if their capacity does not exceed 200 ml. This means that popular alkotubs must disappear from the market.

The government wants to limit the availability of alcohol in unusual packaging

The Ministry of Agriculture emphasizes that the new regulations are aimed at protecting consumers and eliminating situations in which alcohol was sold in packaging that can mislead, especially if they resembled food products for children.

To enable manufacturers to adapt to the new regulations, a 30-day transition period is provided. The final date of sale of products covered by the ban is on February 28, 2025. After this day, all spirit drinks in sachets must be withdrawn from the market. Thus, the ministry took into account the postulates of entrepreneurs regarding the costs of production and distribution of goods that went to the market before entering the life of new regulations.

New regulations and EU standards

European Union law allows the use of various protective packaging for spirit drinks, without specifying their type. In Poland, however, additional restrictions have been introduced to unify the principles of alcohol selling and eliminate doubts related to the appearance of the packaging.

The Ministry of Agriculture has announced that all the provisions of the new regulation were accepted by the European Commission. After a three -month waiting period for notification, the regulations entered into force on January 30, 2025 without the possibility of appeal.

Alkotubki disappear from stores – what does this mean for the market?

From that day, the sale of alcohol in Pouch packaging is prohibited throughout the country. Alcohol manufacturers in small capacities must adapt to new guidelines, and consumers can expect changes in available products on the market.

The decision to withdraw alcohubs aims not only to protect consumers, but also to adapt Polish regulations to EU standards that seek to increase control over the sale of alcohol in unusual packaging.