On September 23, 2025, the French Court of Cassation issued a definitive sentence against Lidl, inflicting a fine of 5,000 euros to the German giant of large retailers. The sentence concerns a 16 -year -old teenager, Kilian, who died in an accident with the Urrugne scooter, in the Atlantic Pyrenees, after consuming alcohol purchased in the supermarket.
Case
On May 8, 2021, Kilian and a friend bought Vodka in the Lidl store in Socoa before led by a scooter. Shortly thereafter, Kilian lost his life in an accident, while his friend, also under the influence of alcohol, fortunately saved himself. In accordance with the victim’s family, Addictions France, an organization against addictions, has started a civil case against Lidl.
The first degree process highlighted the absence of effective measures to verify the age of buyers, configuring a gross negligence of the Management. The Court of Appeal had defined the behavior of the “negligence” chain. The Cassation has now rejected Lidl’s appeal, confirming the responsibility of the supermarket since two minors were able to buy alcohol without any age verification. The Cassa employee had not received systematic instructions, configuring a “conscious violation” of the law that prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors.
This sentence was called “founding jurisprudence” by Addictions France, underlining the importance of the previous one for the prevention of the consumption of alcohol by minors. The decision, underlines the organization, represents a victory for public health and establishes an important reference for future legal disputes.
A widespread problem (and not only in France)
The sentence echoes to a report published by Addictions France on July 3, 2025, which highlighted how all types of premises – supermarkets, bars, fast food – sell alcohol to minors despite the legal ban. Between 2023 and May 2025, 86% of the controlled businesses sold alcohol to minors, showing how widespread the problem is.
And if you think that this question concerns only France, you are wrong: according to the latest data of the Italian Higher Institute of Italian Health, about 650,000 minors between 11 and 17 years of age are alcohol consumers at risk, and in many cases alcohol is sold to the boys despite the legal ban. In particular, in an investigation of 2023 but which refers to 2021 data, in 41% of cases the minors have obtained alcohol without an identity document being requested, highlighting how even in our country the legislation is not always correctly applied.
Amine Benyamina, president of Addictions France, said:
Our thoughts are first of all in Kilian and his family: it is a relief to see the confirmed sentence. It is also an important victory for public health. This sentence must act as a reference, and all traders must implement simple but systematic verification measures, based on the examination of identity documents.
To change the situation, Addictions France proposes concrete measures: systematization of random controls, graduated penalties proportionate to turnover, national standardization of sanctions and assignment of additional resources to the judicial system.
Sources: addition France / ISS
