Ireland to ban loyalty-card discounts on alcohol under new health regulations

Ireland is set to outlaw discounts on alcoholic beverages that are offered through loyalty cards or club schemes, according to the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 (Sale and Supply of Alcohol Products) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill led the amendment, which will come into force in March 2028, extending the 2023 prohibition on bonus-point promotions for alcohol. Supermarkets, including Tesco with its Clubcard, have historically provided a few euros off wine bottles, a practice the new rules will end.

Alcohol Action Ireland praised the measure, with chief executive Sheila Gilheany describing it as a “welcome boost” for public health and warning that some stores had found ways around the earlier ban. She added that the amendment will have an impact but that additional steps could further reduce alcohol-related harm.