Alcohol control law has room for clarification despite enactment

Whether or not the serving of liqueur chocolate or wine-infused dishes will be subject to penalties when provided to underage diners is still unclear.

The alcohol control law has recently come into force, meaning that the selling of alcoholic drinks with an alcohol content higher than 0.05% by volume to minors is now legally prohibited.

Alcohol-infused dishes are not unusual in either eastern or western menus. For example, “drunken chicken, crab and shrimp” are infused with Chinese wine and are expected to have higher alcohol levels than permitted by the law, according to the local catering industry as cited by local media Macao Daily News.

To cope with the situation, the industry will consider making relevant menu notes on these dishes to minimize the possibility of misunderstanding. The industry also commended some hotels and bars for making similar notes on cocktails for clarity, and proposes that the rest of the industry should follow suit.

On the other hand, the news outlet cited social advisor Wong Man Pang as saying that most retailers have in general been fully compliant with the new law, posting legal bills regarding the new regulation. Some of them have even displayed separate signs to distinguish alcoholic drinks from non-alcoholic ones.

In addition, the social advisor pointed out that alcoholic sweets, such as liqueur chocolates, are available in retail shops. On whether these products should be considered alcoholic or non-alcoholic, Wong recommended the government promptly clarify the matter so as to maintain market operations.