Meta ad rejected · Alcohol
Why was my Meta alcohol ad rejected?
Meta allows alcohol ads only when they follow local law and industry codes, never target people under 18, use each country's higher minimum age where Meta sets one, and avoid countries where alcohol ads are banned. Fix the age and country targeting, check the creative and landing page, then resubmit or request a review.
What usually triggers it
- Targeting below the minimum age Meta sets for the country. 18 is only the floor; the US is 21, Canada 19, Japan 20 and Sweden 25.“A US craft beer ad set to ages 18 to 65.”
- Reaching a country where Meta does not allow alcohol ads at all, such as Norway, Lithuania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey or the United Arab Emirates.“A wine club ad targeted to all of Europe and the Middle East.”
- Treating a bar, club or event as a non-alcohol ad. Venues and events whose main business depends on alcohol sales, invitations to them and news that alcohol is on sale all count as alcohol ads.“Happy hour: 2-for-1 cocktails every Friday from 5pm.”
- Cocktail recipes, brand logos or people drinking, which Meta also counts as promoting alcohol.“Our signature margarita recipe, step by step.”
- Alcohol-free drinks or barware ads that still show alcohol or someone drinking it.“Our new cocktail shaker, shown pouring a whisky sour.”
- Ignoring state-level rules in India, where Meta lists different minimum ages by state and bans alcohol ads in some states.“A liquor delivery ad targeted to all of India, ages 18+.”
How to fix the ad
- List every country and region in the ad set and check each one against Meta’s Alcohol policy. Remove any place where alcohol ads are not allowed.
- Set the minimum age to the highest of three numbers: 18, the age Meta lists for that country, and the age local law requires. If one ad set covers several countries with different ages, split it into separate ad sets.
- Check the local laws, industry codes, licenses and approvals that apply to your market. Meta requires alcohol ads to follow them, not just its own targeting rules.
- For alcohol-free drinks or accessories, keep alcohol and drinking out of the image, video and text. If you do want to show alcohol, run it as an alcohol ad with alcohol targeting.
- Check the landing page and any video for the same issues. Meta’s review can include the ad’s destination as well as its text, images and targeting.
- Run the copy through our free checker at /check before upload. It estimates policy risk in the copy and creative; it does not check your targeting and it is not Meta’s decision.
Risky wording, and safer wording
Illustrative examples to show the difference. Always check the full ad, image and landing page too.
| Risky | Safer |
|---|---|
| Audience: United States, ages 18 and over. | Audience: United States, ages 21 and over. |
| Audience: Canada, ages 18 and over. | Audience: Canada, ages 19 and over. |
| One ad set for Sweden and Denmark, ages 18 and over. | Two ad sets: Sweden at 25 and over, Denmark at 18 and over, each checked against local law. |
| Alcohol-free beer ad showing a regular lager being poured. | Alcohol-free beer ad showing only the alcohol-free product. |
| Campaign aimed at the whole Gulf region, ages 21 and over. | Campaign limited to countries where Meta allows alcohol ads, at each country’s minimum age. |
If your ad is already rejected
- Read the reason in Meta Business Support Home (formerly Account Quality) or in the rejection notice. For alcohol, check the targeting first, then the creative and landing page.
- Fix the age and country settings in the ad set, or edit the creative, in Ads Manager. An edited ad goes back into review automatically. Do not delete the rejected ad if you might request a review, or you may lose that option.
- If you believe the ad was rejected by mistake, for example an alcohol-free product with no alcohol shown, request another review in Business Support Home. Meta aims to decide within 48 hours, and if it is rejected again you cannot request another review for that ad.
- Do not move the ad to another ad account or loosen the targeting after approval to get round the rules. Editing or deleting a rejected ad does not remove the violation, and severe or repeated violations can restrict the account.
Check your next ad before you upload it
Paste the copy and add the image or video. The free checker scores the rejection risk, points to the exact words at fault and the Meta policy behind each one, and suggests a safer version. It estimates risk; it isn't a decision from Meta.
Likely to be rejected. Fix the flagged lines before you upload.
This supplement ad combines a personal-attribute callout, a specific weight-loss result, guaranteed results, clickbait and a URL shortener, so it is very likely to be rejected.
Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.
GUARANTEED RESULTS
https://bit.ly/slim-offer
6 issues found · tap a highlight to jump to it
“Are you struggling with belly fat?” · primary text
The ad asserts a personal characteristic about the viewer by addressing them directly about a body condition.
Fix: Our gummies are designed to support a healthy metabolism.
“helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!!” · primary text
A specific weight-loss amount within a short timeframe is an exaggerated, unrealistic result, and supplement ads must target 18+.
Fix: Remove the specific result; use a general statement such as 'Part of a balanced routine for healthy weight management.'
“GUARANTEED RESULTS” · headline
Guaranteed results are a prohibited claim for health and weight-loss products.
Fix: Use 'Start your wellness routine today' or remove the claim entirely.
“Doctors hate this one trick.” · primary text
This is classic clickbait, and the triple exclamation marks add to the sensational tone.
Fix: Replace with 'Learn how our gummies fit into a healthy routine.'
“See the before and after pics.” · primary text
Before-and-after comparisons for weight loss are high risk and draw rejection.
Fix: Remove the before-and-after reference and focus on the product's ingredients.
“https://bit.ly/slim-offer” · landing page
URL shorteners hide the true destination and are high risk, and can lead to account-level enforcement.
Fix: Use the full, direct landing page URL on the brand's own domain.
Safer version
Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.
GUARANTEED RESULTS
Meet our gummies, designed to support a healthy metabolism. Easy to add to your day and made to fit into a balanced routine for healthy weight management. Learn how they fit into a healthy routine.
Start your wellness routine today
Also change: Link: replace the bit.ly shortener with the full, direct URL on your own brand domain, and make sure the landing page has no before-and-after photos, guaranteed-result claims or specific weight-loss numbers. Creative: remove any before-and-after images and any overlay text about kilos lost. Show the product or lifestyle shots instead, with overlay text like "Support your healthy routine". Set ad targeting to 18+.
Questions
What age should my alcohol ads target?
Never under 18. Meta sets higher minimums in some countries, including 21 in the US, 19 in Canada and Korea, 20 in Japan and 25 in Sweden, and you must also follow any higher age in local law.
Which countries can’t I run alcohol ads in?
Meta lists Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Egypt, Gambia, Kuwait, Libya, Lithuania, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and the Indian states of Bihar, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Manipur and Nagaland. Check the live policy before each campaign, as the list can change.
Does an ad for my bar or restaurant count as an alcohol ad?
It can. Meta counts venues and events whose main business depends on alcohol sales, invitations to an alcohol venue and ads about alcohol being available as alcohol ads, so they need alcohol targeting.
Can I advertise alcohol-free drinks or bar accessories?
Yes. Meta allows ads for non-alcoholic drinks and alcohol accessories as long as they do not show alcohol or people drinking it.
Are cocktail recipe posts treated as alcohol ads?
Yes. Meta lists recipes for alcoholic drinks as promoting alcohol, so boosted recipes need the same age and country targeting as a product ad.
Can I mention alcohol in a news or awareness ad?
Yes. Meta allows news, documentary, educational and public service ads that reference or show alcohol, as long as they are not promoting it.
Meta's official pages
- Alcohol (Meta Transparency Center)
- Introduction to the Advertising Standards (Meta Transparency Center)
- How to troubleshoot a rejected ad (Meta Business Help Center)
Ad Account Shield is an independent tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Meta.
Related guides
- Tobacco and vaping adsTobacco, vapes, nicotine pouches and smoking accessories can’t be advertised; approved quit aids can.
- Drugs and paraphernaliaRecreational drugs, THC, psychedelics and paraphernalia can’t be advertised; awareness and news can.
- Landing page problemsBroken pages, ad-to-page mismatches, redirects, pop-ups and risky page content: why Meta rejects the ad and how to fix the page.