Terms and conditions for a craft beer business selling online

A brewery selling online is a licensed retailer shipping a fragile, dated product to customers who must prove their age at the door. The terms have to say the sale is licensed and age-verified, describe freshness and best-before dates accurately, deal with damaged and gushing cans, run returns on unopened stock, and handle gifts and promotions. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Breweries, taprooms, bottle shops and craft beer subscription businesses in England and Wales selling beer, cider and spirits to consumers through their own website by courier, and to trade customers under separate terms.

What matters in craft beer online terms

Licensed sale and age verification

The terms should say that sales are made under the business's premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003, that the customer confirms they are 18 or over at checkout, since sale to an under-18 is an offence under section 146, that the courier will require proof of age from the person receiving the parcel and may refuse delivery, and that a refused parcel is returned and redelivered or refunded at the customer's cost. Orders placed at any hour are accepted at the licensed premises in accordance with the licence, which section 190 of the Act treats as the place of sale for distance orders, and the terms should say when acceptance occurs.

Freshness, best-before dates and storage

Beer changes over time, and the terms should say that products are despatched with a stated minimum period to best-before unless the listing says otherwise, that some styles are sold for immediate drinking and some for cellaring, that best-before dates are indicative of quality rather than safety, and that storage after delivery, cold and dark for hop-forward beers, is the customer's responsibility.

Cans, bottles, breakages and gushing

The terms should say that goods are at the business's risk until received, that damaged, leaking or missing items reported promptly with photographs are replaced or refunded, and that a can or bottle which gushes or is over-carbonated is a quality matter to be reported with details for the business to assess and replace where the product was at fault. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the goods must be of satisfactory quality on arrival, and the business cannot exclude that.

Mixed packs, returns and gifts

Mixed and curated packs are described by number, style and price band with specific beers as examples, and substitutions of similar style and value where a beer sells out should be stated. A consumer may cancel within fourteen days of receipt under regulation 30 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and return unopened cans and bottles, with the terms saying who pays carriage; opened products cannot be returned unless faulty. Gift orders should say who the contract is with and that the recipient must be of legal age and show ID.

Prices, promotions and data

Prices shown include all mandatory charges under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 with delivery before checkout, card payments carry no surcharge under the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012, and promotions and discount codes should have stated conditions and end dates. Alcohol promotions must comply with the conditions of the licence and the advertising rules, and the terms should say so. The privacy notice governs customer accounts and marketing consent.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

A customer says half the cans gushed. What do we owe?

If the terms say gushing products are reported with details and replaced where the product was at fault, replace or refund the affected cans once you have assessed the report. A batch problem is yours; a can shaken in transit is the courier's.

Can a customer return beer they bought for a party that was cancelled?

Unopened products returned within fourteen days of receipt under the cancellation right are refunded, less return carriage if the terms said so. Opened products are not returnable unless faulty.

Our courier does not check age. Is that a problem?

It is. The licence holder is responsible for the sale, and the terms and the courier arrangement must require age verification at the door. Use a service that does it and record the instruction.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a wine club
• Terms and conditions for a brewery, distillery or vineyard offering tours and events

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.