Editorial Standards

Our Standards

Booze.co.uk is published by Alcohol Ltd and regulated by IPSO. We apply the Editors' Code of Practice to our editorial material and expect editorial staff, editors, freelancers, and other contributors to observe it rigorously.

The Code balances the rights of individuals with the public's right to know and freedom of expression. We interpret it in both letter and spirit, with care for accuracy, fairness, privacy, and accountable journalism.

The Editors' Code of Practice

The 2025 Editors' Code of Practice contains 16 clauses. Our editorial checks cover:

• Accuracy
• Privacy
• Harassment
• Intrusion into grief or shock
• Reporting suicide
• Children
• Children in sex cases
• Hospitals
• Reporting of crime
• Clandestine devices and subterfuge
• Victims of sexual assault
• Discrimination
• Financial journalism
• Confidential sources
• Witness payments in criminal trials
• Payments to criminals

Accuracy

We take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading, or distorted information or images, including headlines that are not supported by the article text.

• Facts are verified before publication using primary sources where possible.
• Statistics and data are attributed to original sources and methodology where available.
• Quotes are checked for accuracy and presented in proper context.
• Images, captions, graphics, and headlines must not mislead.
• Significant inaccuracies are corrected promptly and with due prominence.

Fairness, Reply, and Context

We distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact. When significant inaccuracies are alleged, a fair opportunity to reply should be given when reasonably called for.

When making allegations or reporting disputed matters, we make reasonable efforts to contact relevant parties before publication and explain where comment was sought but not provided.

Public Interest

Some Code clauses allow exceptions where a public interest can be demonstrated. We record our reasoning at the time where we rely on public interest, including why publication or journalistic activity would serve that interest and why the approach is proportionate.

Public interest may include exposing crime or serious impropriety, protecting public health or safety, preventing the public from being misled, exposing failure to comply with obligations, or contributing to serious public debate. An exceptional public interest is required to override the normally paramount interests of children under 16.

Sources and Newsgathering

We protect confidential sources where there is a legitimate editorial reason and recognise the moral obligation to protect them. Anonymous sources are used sparingly and only when an editor is satisfied as to credibility and necessity.

We do not use clandestine devices, subterfuge, intercepted communications, unauthorised documents, or digitally accessed information unless there is a clear and proportionate public interest and the material cannot be obtained by other means.

Sensitive Reporting

Coverage involving privacy, grief or shock, suicide, children, hospitals, crime, sexual offences, discrimination, and vulnerable people is subject to additional editorial scrutiny. We handle approaches with sympathy and discretion and avoid gratuitous detail, unjustified identification, or irrelevant personal characteristics.

Financial and Commercial Reporting

Journalists must not use unpublished financial information for personal profit, pass such information to others, or write about securities in which they or close family have a significant interest without disclosure to an editor.

Paid press releases are advertiser-supplied commercial submissions. They sit outside editorial policy, use visible press release labels, and should not be read as independent reporting, IPSO-style editorial journalism, or Booze.co.uk endorsement.

Complaints and IPSO Cooperation

We maintain in-house procedures to resolve complaints swiftly and cooperate with IPSO when required. If IPSO requires publication of an adverse adjudication, we will publish it in full and with due prominence as directed by the regulator.

Contact

If you have questions about our editorial standards, email editor@booze.co.uk. To raise a possible inaccuracy or Code complaint, use our report inaccuracy page.