The latest Amazon Dash button to launch is from Heineken. So when the headline says beer, the CAMRA crowd and craft beer hipsters may challenge that definition. (Indeed, they may suggest, as the joke in an Australian accent goes, that it’s “rather like making love in a canoe.” You know the punchline.)
But the newest launch has raised concerns that underage shoppers may use the technology to get their hands on booze on the sly. It seems unlikely: should an adult get a Heineken Dash to replenish the supplies, then they will be notified with a text alerting them to the order. And Amazon has sought to reassure worried parents that their little ones won’t be ordering up a stack of tinnies to illicitly celebrate the end of their exams any time soon.
An Amazon spokesperson says: “We want to offer customers the ability to order lots of different products through Dash Button, and employ robust procedures to ensure we follow all regulations regarding the sale of alcohol. We operate a strict Challenge 25 policy for all alcohol deliveries and, if a customer appears to be under 25, they must provide proof of age. All alcohol deliveries require a signature upon delivery.”
Doubtless that’s true. And it’s unlikely underage drinkers will be able to circumvent the system with an Amazon Dash. They’re more likely to follow the well trodden path of nicking it from their parents like we all did at their age and face the consequences later. And really, will a delivery or courier really check ID? Really? It may be worth a try kids.
