Selling wine online is an activity that requires careful analysis of the legislation governing the sector and constant regulatory updates. Wine is, at the same time, a food product, an alcoholic beverage and a regulated good, subject to specific controls, responsibilities and clearly defined legal limits.
Selling wine online without first verifying compliance with the applicable legal framework exposes operators not only to administrative and financial penalties, but also to the risk of undermining their business project and facing the suspension or interruption of their activity.
Legal requirements to start a wine retail business
Before addressing websites, platforms or commercial strategies, it is essential to focus on the requirements that allow an operator to lawfully engage in the sale of food and beverages in Italy.
Wine fully falls within this category and therefore requires compliance with moral and professional requirements established by current legislation.
The law provides that anyone carrying out commercial or food and beverage service activities must not be subject to disqualifying conditions linked to specific criminal convictions. This aspect is often underestimated but is central to the regulatory system: the legislator aims to protect consumers and the market by excluding from commercial activity those convicted of offences affecting reliability, safety and public health.
Alongside moral requirements, the legislation also requires specific professional qualifications for those operating in the food sector. These may derive from recognised training courses, documented professional experience, or the possession of educational qualifications relevant to the trade and administration of food and beverages.
Where such elements are lacking, attendance at a qualifying course represents the most appropriate route to compliance.
Specifically, individuals without demonstrable prior experience or suitable qualifications must complete the SAB course (Somministrazione di Alimenti e Bevande) in order to sell food products, including wine.
Starting the business: administrative requirements
Once personal requirements have been verified and, where applicable, the SAB qualification has been obtained, starting the activity requires compliance with a number of administrative obligations, which also apply to online sales.
In particular, it is necessary to:
- Open a VAT number
- Register with the Companies Register
- Open INPS and INAIL positions
- Submit a SCIA (Certified Notice of Commencement of Activity) to the competent municipality
With regard to the sale and supply of alcoholic beverages such as wine, it should be noted that, according to Circular no. 13 of 13 June 2025, the fiscal licence previously issued by the Customs Office is no longer required.
This requirement is now incorporated into the SCIA procedure submitted through the SUAP (Single Desk for Productive Activities), which handles the transmission of the relevant information to the Customs Agency, thereby simplifying the authorisation process.
However, this simplification does not eliminate obligations relating to excise duties for those carrying out intra-EU sales of wine or alcoholic beverages under excise-paid regimes. In such cases, specific requirements, qualifications and authorisations remain necessary for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages and for their movement beyond national borders.
Online sales and e-commerce regulations
Adding an online sales channel to traditional retail brings the business within the scope of e-commerce legislation. In addition to the administrative requirements outlined above, it must be considered that the relationship with the customer does not end with payment and shipment: it constitutes a distance contract, governed by precise consumer protection rules.
Every e-commerce website must make a set of essential information easily accessible, including the seller’s identity, contact details, terms of sale, payment methods, delivery times and withdrawal policies.
The Terms and Conditions of Sale regulate the contractual relationship and clarify the rights and obligations of both parties.
In parallel, the processing of users’ personal data requires compliance with data protection legislation. Registrations, orders, payments and age-verification procedures involve personal data processing that must be managed with transparency, appropriate security measures and full compliance with the GDPR.
Product pages: information and liability
In the food sector, the product page is a mandatory information tool that must enable consumers to understand precisely what they are purchasing.
In the case of wine, this includes clear indication of the designation, origin, alcoholic strength, quantity, any allergens and all information required under EU labelling regulations.
Online, this information must be available before purchase, in a clear and comprehensible manner. Referring solely to the physical label is not sufficient: consumers must be able to make an informed decision during the browsing phase.
Errors, omissions or misleading descriptions may expose the seller to disputes and sanctions, in addition to damaging customer trust.
The protection of minors
Online wine sales raise a particularly sensitive issue: preventing purchases by minors. Italian legislation does not allow shortcuts in this area and does not consider a simple self-declaration at checkout to be sufficient.
The seller must be able to demonstrate that adequate measures have been adopted to verify the purchaser’s age.
In the digital environment, this control is inevitably more complex than in physical retail, but operational difficulty does not reduce legal responsibility.
It is necessary to implement systems that make age verification credible and verifiable, such as registration procedures requiring full personal details, including date of birth and tax code, before allowing a purchase.
Additionally, sellers may provide for age verification at delivery, requiring the presentation of an identity document, to ensure that the recipient of the product is of legal age.
Online communication and promotion of wine
Wine promotion is also subject to specific legal limitations. Advertising of alcoholic beverages must not target minors and must not be conveyed in certain contexts or time slots.
These restrictions are supplemented by the policies of major advertising platforms, which impose additional limitations and strict controls.
Anyone investing in digital advertising campaigns must therefore be familiar not only with the law, but also with the internal rules of the advertising platforms used. Failure to comply with these policies may result in account suspension, with significant operational consequences.
Wine promotion requires a measured, consistent and informed approach, capable of enhancing the product while respecting regulatory boundaries.
Selling wine online: obligations and opportunities
When online wine sales become stable and organised, the activity fully enters the realm of business enterprise. This entails increased obligations, but also opens up concrete growth opportunities.
Tax management becomes more structured, with VAT applied at the applicable rates and, where conditions are met, the possible adoption of favourable tax regimes.
Product traceability becomes central, particularly in relation to shipping. Documents such as the MVV accompany wine throughout the supply chain, ensuring transparency and compliance with sector regulations.
Invoicing must also be managed correctly, using digital tools that ensure legally compliant document retention.
Selling wine online abroad
Selling wine online abroad requires compliance not only with Italian regulations, but also with additional obligations.
For sales within the European Union, VAT registration with the VIES system is required, as this is essential for intra-Community transactions.
Wine is also subject to excise duties and, as noted above, cross-border sales maintain the obligation to register with the Customs Agency as an authorised operator.
In terms of information and labelling, product labels must comply with the regulations of the destination country, and e-commerce descriptions must be understandable to the purchaser and therefore translated into the relevant languages.
For sales outside the EU, it is also necessary to manage customs procedures accurately, ensuring that all documentation required for entry into the destination country is in place and that local regulations governing the trade in alcoholic beverages are respected.
Given the increased complexity of international wine sales, reliance on specialised professionals is strongly advisable to ensure full compliance with all applicable obligations.
Occasional sales and limits for private individuals
In very limited circumstances, it is possible to sell wine online without a VAT number, but these situations are exceptional.
The sale must be sporadic, lacking any form of business organisation and not aimed at generating continuous income. Any systematic promotion or repetition over time removes the occasional nature of the activity and makes formal regularisation necessary.
Relying on flexible interpretations of this concept entails concrete risks, as tax authorities assess the substance of transactions, not stated intentions.
For those with a structured project, the most prudent choice remains to start the activity in a transparent and compliant manner.
Building an e-commerce platform for wine sales
An online wine shop must convey reliability before it stimulates purchase. Website structure, clarity of information, and the quality of images and text all contribute to creating an experience consistent with the value of the product.
Product pages should describe the wine effectively, provide useful decision-making elements and comply with all informational requirements.
The choice between a proprietary e-commerce platform and established marketplaces depends on strategy and available resources. Both solutions have advantages and limitations, but in all cases legal responsibility for the sale remains with the seller.
Even when operating through third-party platforms, compliance with legal requirements cannot be delegated.
As with any business activity, selling wine online requires method, care and strict adherence to regulatory rules.
