Why Facebook No Longer Recommends Alcohol-Related Business Pages - and What You Can Do About It

Many wineries, tasting rooms, and alcohol-related businesses have recently received notifications from Facebook stating

Your Page didn’t follow the rules, so it isn't being suggested to other people right now.

While alarming at first glance, this change is not necessarily a penalty or policy violation. Instead, it reflects how Meta now handles recommendations for regulated industries.

Understanding what’s happening - and what actions are still available and how we can help businesses adjust their marketing strategy without overreacting.If you manage the Facebook page for a brand that's in the alcohol business, you probably received some bad news lately. Your Page isn’t being suggested to other people right now. While this may seem alarming, it doesn’t mean your Page violated any rules — it reflects Facebook’s updated approach to recommending alcohol-related Pages.

Many wineries, tasting rooms, and alcohol-related businesses rely on Facebook suggestions to reach new audiences. Understanding what’s happening — and what actions are available — can help businesses adjust their marketing strategy without overreacting.

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Why Facebook Stopped Suggesting Alcohol-Related Pages

Changes to Meta’s Recommendation Guidelines

Facebook (Meta) uses automated recommendation systems to decide which Pages appear in features like “Pages You May Like” or similar discovery surfaces. Under current guidelines, content related to regulated products - including alcohol - is often excluded from recommendation systems.

This means:

• Your Page may still be fully compliant with Facebook’s Community Standards.
• Your content may continue to appear to existing followers.
• Facebook simply chooses not to proactively recommend alcohol-related Pages to broader audiences.

This is a classification decision, not a violation or suspension.

What This Means for Wineries and Alcohol Brands

The loss of Page suggestions can result in:

• Reduced organic discovery by new audiences
• Slower follower growth
• Greater reliance on direct marketing channels

However, your Page is still searchable, functional, and eligible for advertising if it meets age and content requirements.

What You Can Do Right Now

1. Review and Update Page Settings

Ensure your Page is properly configured:

• Age Restrictions: Alcohol-related Pages should be age-restricted (21+ in the U.S.). While this limits visibility to underage users, it is expected and helps maintain compliance.
• Recommendation Settings: Confirm that the setting allowing your Page to be recommended alongside similar Pages is enabled. While this does not guarantee recommendations, it ensures you haven’t opted out unintentionally.

These settings won’t override Meta’s broader policies, but they prevent avoidable discoverability issues.

2. Request a Review If Available

In some cases, Pages lose recommendation eligibility due to automated classification systems. If your Page has no policy violations, you may be able to request a review through:

• Meta Business Suite
• Page Support Inbox
• Meta Verified business support (if applicable)

While reviews do not always result in changes, they can provide clarification or correction if your Page was incorrectly flagged.

3. Shift Focus to Channels You Control

Because organic recommendations may be limited for alcohol brands, successful businesses are diversifying their reach:

• Paid Facebook and Instagram Ads: Alcohol-related ads are permitted when age-targeted correctly.
• Email Marketing: Drive traffic directly to your Page or booking platform.
• Website and SEO: Ensure your website links clearly to your social channels.
• Instagram Cross-Promotion: Engagement across Meta platforms can still support visibility with existing audiences.

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Step by Step Instructions

How to Update Age Restrictions on Your Facebook Page

1. Log in to Facebook Use an account with admin access to the business Page.
2. Go to Your Page Navigate to your Page by clicking your profile picture > “Pages” > select your business Page.
3. Access Page Settings
4. Find Age and Country Restrictions
5. Set Age Restrictions
6. Optional: Check Country Restrictions If you want your Page visible only in countries where alcohol promotion is legal, click Edit next to Country Restrictions and enter the relevant countries.
7. Verify Changes

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What You Cannot Do

There is no setting or appeal process that guarantees Facebook will resume recommending an alcohol-related Page. This limitation applies broadly across regulated industries and reflects platform-wide policy, not individual Page performance.

Attempting to reclassify your business inaccurately or remove age restrictions can lead to policy violations and account risk.

Key Takeaway for Wine and Hospitality Businesses

Facebook’s decision to stop recommending alcohol-related Pages is not a punishment — it’s a structural change in how regulated content is surfaced. While organic discovery may be reduced, compliant businesses can still succeed by:

• Ensuring Page settings are correct
• Leveraging paid and owned marketing channels
• Driving traffic intentionally rather than relying on algorithmic discovery

For wineries and tasting rooms, this shift reinforces the importance of direct relationships with consumers — through email, booking platforms, and curated experiences - rather than depending solely on social media recommendations.

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