A woman is pushing for a prohibition on the sale of alcohol through delivery applications following her sister’s monthly expenditure of up to £1,500 on alcohol, which was delivered to her residence before her unfortunate demise. Alexandria Hughes, aged 31, has initiated a petition demanding protective measures on platforms like Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats to prevent vulnerable individuals from obtaining excessive amounts of alcohol.
Zoe Hughes, 35, hailing from Lincoln, had been grappling with alcohol dependency for a number of years as a coping mechanism for personal challenges, as per Alexandria. Upon her discovery of Zoe’s passing on July 24, 2023, Alexandria was taken aback by the revelations she unearthed while organizing her sister’s affairs.
She disclosed finding out that Zoe had been splurging over £1,000 monthly on alcohol through doorstep delivery services, unbeknownst to her family. Alexandria, an NHS cancer navigator, emphasized that Zoe’s struggle with alcoholism was intensified by the easy and unmonitored availability of alcohol.
Moreover, she found evidence on Zoe’s phone suggesting that delivery drivers had allegedly misused her contact details extracted from delivery orders to send her unsolicited messages, gifts, and even love notes, as stated in her petition. Devastated by these revelations, Alexandria, also from Lincoln, Lincolnshire, is urging the government to enforce a ban on alcohol distribution through delivery services or impose stringent monitoring mechanisms and regulations.
Describing Zoe’s progression from occasional drinker to full-blown alcoholic between therapies and rehab sessions over three to four years, Alexandria highlighted the lack of oversight in the system. She questioned the disparity in being served alcohol when intoxicated in a pub versus the unregulated access through delivery apps.
Revealing that Zoe had spent approximately £1,000 to £1,500 monthly on alcohol and cigarettes online in the months leading up to her tragic demise on July 24, 2023, Alexandria underscored the concerning behavior of delivery drivers exploiting Zoe’s vulnerabilities through unsolicited contacts.
Alexandria emphasized the convenience of platforms like these but warned about their potential dangers for individuals battling addiction. She criticized the absence of support for addicts and advocated for measures like declaring alcoholism on apps to avoid targeted ads or offers.
Touching upon Zoe’s additional health struggles including bulimia and anorexia, Alexandria stressed the complex nature of addiction and its correlation with mental health. Despite Zoe’s challenges, Alexandria praised her sister as a devoted mother and a kind-hearted individual.
Alexandria’s petition aims to raise awareness and drive tangible change by urging the government to either ban door-to-door alcohol sales by delivery drivers or introduce strict regulations encompassing age verification, purchase limits, and robust monitoring systems to safeguard the most vulnerable individuals.
Expressing gratitude for the initial support received for her petition, Alexandria called for action to prevent excessive alcohol delivery akin to restrictions that would apply in a pub setting for intoxicated patrons. The hope is for meaningful progress to assist those in need of help.
Uber Eats and Deliveroo assured their commitment to customer welfare, highlighting measures in place to ensure responsible alcohol delivery and platform safety. Just Eat reiterated their strict policies to legally and responsibly deliver alcohol while investigating any reported misconduct to maintain platform integrity.