Meta restricts recommendation of alcohol pages on Facebook

Meta has begun restricting algorithm-driven recommendations for Facebook pages belonging to alcohol related businesses, a move that has caused confusion and concern across the global wine, beer and spirits industries.

According to multiple reports, wineries, breweries, distilleries, liquor stores and other alcohol sector pages received notifications from Facebook last week informing them that their pages “will no longer be recommended by the platform’s algorithms” because their content “may not follow our rules.” However, the messages did not specify which standards were violated, leaving many business owners puzzled.

In numerous cases, affected pages show no violations listed under their Page Status, and links provided in the alerts to request a review or remedy the issue have either not worked or led to dead ends, according to industry feedback.

Reports indicate that the restrictions may extend beyond the alcoholic drinks sector. Businesses ranging from collectors’ and hobbyist pages to restaurants and event organisations have also seen sudden drops in recommendation eligibility following similar notices.

Meta has not issued a clear public statement explaining the action or confirming whether it is a deliberate policy adjustment or a technical error. The company’s publicly available advertising and commerce policies continue to allow alcohol-related advertising subject to certain restrictions, but do not explicitly mention algorithmic recommendation removals in this context.

Industry sources have speculated that the move might be tied to age-related content sensitivities or stricter community enforcement although no official connection has been confirmed.

For many smaller producers and niche brands, Facebook’s algorithmic recommendations have been a key source of organic reach and customer discovery. The loss of this visibility could translate into significant drops in engagement and the need to rely more heavily on paid promotion.

One affected business owner reported that pages “lost recommendations despite having no violations,” while others noted that even Meta Verified status has not provided meaningful support or resolution.

As of now, the restrictions appear limited to Facebook and have not been broadly reported on Instagram, which is also owned by Meta.

Businesses and observers are watching closely for clarification from Meta, and many hope the company will either restore recommendation eligibility or revise its policies with clear guidance for regulated industry sectors.