Upper Austria Sees Decline in Underage Alcohol and Nicotine Sales, but Age Calculation Errors Persist Linz, Austria — April 8, 2026 Underage test purchases in Upper Austria revealed that 17.4% of establishments still sold alcohol or nicotine products to minors in 2025, though the rate improved slightly from the previous year, with nearly half of violations due to retailers miscalculating ages despite checking IDs. Annual test purchases conducted by the state of Upper Austria showed a marginal decline in underage sales of hard alcohol and nicotine products, with 82.6% of establishments refusing to sell to minors in 2025. However, in cases where sales occurred, almost half involved retailers incorrectly calculating the age of the buyer after reviewing identification. The findings highlight persistent gaps in enforcement despite overall compliance.
The tests, carried out by youths aged 14 to 15.5, targeted gin, cigarettes, and nicotine pouches across 1,055 attempts in food retailers, gastronomy venues, gas station shops, and tobacco stores. While the success rate of underage purchases dropped from 19.5% in 2024 to 17.4% in 2025, authorities emphasized that age-calculation errors remain a critical flaw.
## Age Verification Challenges Dietmar Krenmayr from pro mente Oberösterreich pointed to simple solutions for reducing errors, noting that apps could eliminate manual miscalculations. "Diese Apps existieren, man muss sie nur einsetzen," he said, urging retailers to adopt digital tools that automatically compute age from birthdates. The recommendation follows repeated instances where staff checked IDs but failed to correctly determine whether the buyer met the legal age requirement.
The state’s youth protection efforts also extended to smokable CBD products, which were included in the tests as part of a pilot project. While underage buyers succeeded in half of their attempts to purchase CBD in 2024, the rate fell sharply to 20% in 2025. Authorities attributed the improvement to increased awareness and stricter enforcement.
## Regulatory Changes Ahead Martin Winkler, Upper Austria’s youth protection officer, confirmed that CBD products will be placed under the tobacco monopoly starting in 2029, restricting sales to licensed tobacco shops. The move aims to standardize oversight and reduce underage access, mirroring existing controls on traditional tobacco products.
The test purchases spanned diverse retail environments, with gas station shops and tobacco stores among the most frequently checked. While no specific sector was singled out for higher violation rates, the results underscored the need for consistent training across all types of vendors.
The decline in underage sales aligns with broader trends in Austria, where youth protection laws have tightened in recent years. However, the persistence of age-calculation errors suggests that technological tools and staff training could further reduce violations. Authorities plan to continue annual tests, with a focus on educating retailers about digital verification methods.
The findings were released by the Institut Suchtprävention, which collaborates with the state government on prevention initiatives. The SPÖ, a key political party in the region, has endorsed the results as evidence of progress but called for additional measures to eliminate underage sales entirely.
As Upper Austria refines its approach, the 2025 data serves as a benchmark for future efforts to protect minors from accessing harmful substances. With CBD products soon to face stricter controls, officials hope to replicate the success seen in reducing underage nicotine and alcohol sales.