To: Afterpay, Zip Pay, and all buy now, pay later (BNPL) providers

• We, the undersigned, are calling on Buy Now, Pay Later providers to take urgent action and prohibit the purchase of alcohol through their platforms.

BNPL services such as Afterpay and Zip Pay have rapidly grown in popularity by offering consumers easy access to goods and services without traditional credit checks or a credit card. While convenient for some, this model carries serious risks—particularly for vulnerable individuals in our communities.

Why This Matters:

Allowing alcohol purchases via BNPL services poses a clear and significant danger to:

• Young people just entering adulthood. 
• Individuals living with substance dependence.
• People experiencing financial hardship.
• Those with existing mental health conditions.

These platforms make it easy to access credit, yet make it difficult for users to reduce spending limits—even when they acknowledge their own vulnerability. In one case, an 18-year-old with addiction issues and no income was forced to go through a drawn-out, multi-step process just to request a lower spending limit, with the final decision taking days or weeks.

This system prioritizes profit over wellbeing.

Alcohol-Related Harm in Australia:

• 1 in 5 Australians (21%) experience alcohol-related violence. 
• Alcohol accounts for 6% of Australia’s total burden of disease and is linked to 8% of breast cancer cases, 6% of cardiovascular disease, 4% of liver disease, and 34% of injury-related hospitalizations.
• Contributes to 33% of global mental illness and 22% of suicide deaths.
• Responsible for 1,742 alcohol-induced deaths and in Australia in 2022, estimated to cost the Australian economy $66.8 billion each year.

BNPL platforms must not ignore the human consequences. These are not just customers—they are our loved ones. The ability to buy alcohol on credit is a dangerous loophole that must be closed.

We demand that BNPL providers:

Immediately ban the use of their services for the purchase of alcohol—both online and in physical stores, including pubs, clubs, and bottle shops.
Implement stronger safeguards to protect vulnerable users from financial and substance-related harm.
Provide transparent, accessible processes for users to manage or lower their spending limits without delay.

It’s time to put people before profit.

Sign this petition to show your support and urge BNPL companies to act responsibly. Vulnerable Australians deserve better.