The online alcohol retail market in Europe has experienced notable growth in recent years. In 2024, the European alcoholic beverages market was valued at approximately €248.52 billion, with projections suggesting an increase to €258.51 billion in 2025. For this reason, Amazon created strict requirements to ensure compliance with both local regulations and Amazon’s policies. Whether you’re selling beer, wine, spirits, or any alcoholic beverages, it’s crucial to understand Amazon guidelines to successfully list and sell your products on Amazon. Below we are sharing some insights on how you can easily navigate the process when selling across the European Union.
1. Meet the Seller Requirements on Amazon
To sell alcohol on Amazon, you must fulfill several important requirements:
- Return Delivery Address: You need to have a return delivery address in the local country or provide free delivery for your products.
- Customer Service: You must provide local language support for customer service in the country where the products will be sold.
- Legal Compliance: It’s crucial to ensure you do not sell alcohol to buyers under the minimum drinking age in the applicable country.
2. Understand product requirements for alcohol
When listing alcoholic beverages, Amazon has specific attributes you must set in your data, for example:
- Alcoholic beverage categories: Your products must fall into the correct categories: Wine, Beer, or Spirits.
- Expiration Date Information for different categories:
- Beers, Ciders, and Drinks with ABV less than 10%: If these products have an expiration or durability date on the label, set the attribute to Expiration date required.
- Wines, Spirits, and Drinks with ABV greater than 10%: These products may not require an expiration date unless explicitly stated on the label.
- Ciders (Produced by Fermentation without a Durability Date): For these, the attribute should be set to Shelf life, with a shelf life of 365 days.
Kindly note, this list is not complete, for more information refer to Amazon’s detailed guide.
3. Fulfillment Amazon centers handling Alcohol
To ship alcohol to fulfillment centers, ensure that you are sending your inventory to the designated Amazon fulfillment centers. Each Amazon store has specific centers for alcohol, with their unique codes, for example:
- Amazon.fr : XVA1, XFRZ, XOR2, XFRE
- Amazon.es : XMA3, XESF
- Amazon.it : XLI1, XITG
If your products are being sent to an incorrect fulfillment center, you must submit a case to Amazon’s Selling Partner Support.
4. Document requirements for different countries
When selling alcohol on Amazon, you will need to provide specific documentation based on your location and the country of sale, examples here below:
- France: You must provide an excise number and a French excise duty number for your bonded warehouse or fiscal representative in France.
- Italy: Documentation includes the Chamber of Commerce extract, UTIF license, and proof of excise duty payment.
Be sure to check the specific requirements for each country to ensure you meet all legal obligations. When working with Eurotax, we will provide you with the necessary excise number and other required documents, which you can easily share with Amazon, avoiding any delay in the start of your sales.
5. Excise duty requirements for Amazon sellers
Alcohol is subject to excise duty, and this varies depending on the country where alcohol is consumed. As a seller, it is your responsibility to ensure your exercise duties are paid. Excise duty is applicable in the country of consumption, and you will need to register with local tax authorities or work with a duty agent like Eurotax who can help you comply with alcohol excise duties in many countries. You will find in our page all the details about Eurotax’s excise alcohol service for B2C. From Eurotax experience, Amazon will never be the party responsible for excise duties, therefore, this matter is full responsibility of your company, wishing to sell. Here, Eurotax steps in with all-in-one solution for full excise duty compliance on alcoholic beverages, whether for distance sales to private individuals or sales to small businesses when shipping out of suspension.
Ensure you comply with the excise duties in the specific country where you are selling your alcohol products.
6. General Listing Guidelines for Alcohol
When listing alcoholic beverages, be sure to follow these additional best practices:
- Always include the ABV percentage in the product title and description.
- Ensure that the product complies with Amazon’s Product Detail Page guidelines, including accurate labeling and product information.
- If applicable, include proof of excise duty payment as required by local laws, which can be provided by Eurotax.
Selling alcohol on Amazon is a regulated and detailed process that requires compliance with local laws, Amazon’s policies, and specific documentation. Be sure to follow Amazon’s guidelines carefully to ensure that your listings are approved, and your products reach the right customers without issues.
How can Eurotax help resolve Alcohol Excise Duty Compliance for selling on Amazon?
Eurotax, as an expert in alcohol excise compliance across Europe, can assist you in Amazon’s alcohol selling requirements. Specifically, Eurotax can:
Guide you to acquiring an Excise Number: Eurotax can help you obtain the correct excise number, ensuring that you meet Amazon’s requirement for alcohol sales documentation.
Help with proof of Excise Duty Payment: If you don’t have an excise number yet, Eurotax can guide you in obtaining the proper proof of excise duty payment through recognized documentation. This will allow you to fulfill Amazon’s certification requirements.
Ensure ongoing compliance with wholesalers: Eurotax can advise you on how to request excise number proof from wholesalers each time you purchase alcoholic products. This ensures you can provide Amazon with the necessary documentation, avoiding potential issues down the line.
By partnering with Eurotax, you’ll ensure smooth, compliant operations when selling alcohol on Amazon, avoiding delays and ensuring that all legal requirements are met. Do not hesitate to contact us for any more information.
