Nearly Every Second Inspection Raises Concerns: Violations in the Sale of Alcohol and Tobacco in the Czech Republic Are Increasing

The Czech Trade Inspection Authority carried out thousands of inspections in the area of alcohol and tobacco sales last year – with alarming results. Violations were identified in almost every second case. Particularly concerning is the significant increase in the sale of alcohol to minors.

Inspections of alcohol and tobacco sales in the Czech Republic uncovered numerous violations over the past year. According to current figures, the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI) identified shortcomings in nearly every second inspection.

In 2025, the authority conducted a total of 7,439 inspections. In 3,391 cases – equivalent to 45.6 per cent – violations of applicable regulations were identified. The focus was primarily on the sale of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and related products.

A particular focus was placed on the protection of minors. In more than 1,500 cases, minors were deliberately involved in the inspections to verify compliance with age limits. The results are alarming: in 686 cases, alcohol was sold or served to persons under the age of 18. Compared to the previous year, this represents a significant increase of 257 cases.

The inspections were often carried out in cooperation with other authorities. These included, among others, the police, customs authorities, public health authorities and trade licensing offices. In some cases, several institutions were involved simultaneously to ensure more comprehensive checks.

In addition to breaches of youth protection regulations, numerous other shortcomings were also identified. Particularly common were missing or incorrect price indications; in many cases, basic rules of fair trading were disregarded or purchase receipts were not properly issued.

Overall, the Trade Inspection Authority imposed 2,677 final fines last year, with a total value of more than 44 million crowns. In some cases, multiple violations by a single company were penalised collectively.

According to the authorities, the results confirm the need for intensive inspections. In view of the high rate of violations and, in particular, the increasing number of breaches involving sales to minors, the Czech Trade Inspection Authority announced that it will further intensify its activities in this area.