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Trading
Standards
Service

'Working towards a fair,
safe and equitable
trading environment
for consumers and
businesses alike.'

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Important

New, strengthened
sanctions against
retailers who repeadedly
sell tobacco products
to children under 18
came into force
on 1 April 2009

Click here for full details.

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Age Restricted Products
Advice for Businesses

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What are age restricted products

UK law prohibits the sale of some products to people under certain ages. The following information is intended to inform North Somerset businesses of the laws relating to the sale of those products.

Product Only to be sold to persons aged:-
Alcohol

18 and over

Tobacco products

18 and over
(including from vending machines)

Fireworks

18 and over

Video and DVD
Classification
12
15
18



12 and over
15 and over
18 and over

Gaming machines with prizes
over £5 in cash (£8 in tokens)
Category B, C

18 and over

Knives (blades and axes)

18 and over

Lottery tickets and scratch cards

16 and over

Petrol

16 and over

Solvents and lighter refills

18 and over

Spray paints

16 and over

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Staff Notes

North Somerset Trading Standards Service has joined forces with the other Trading Standards Authorities across the South West of England to produce a CD Rom detailing all the issues surrounding age restricted products. The CD includes a short film and some staff notes.

If you are the owner of a business in North Somerset involved in the sale of any of the above products, you are strongly advised to read the notes. Furthermore it is vitally important to ensure that all of your staff are fully aware of their responsibilities.

pdf

The Staff Notes (not the full CR Rom) can be
downloaded and/or printed here.
(pdf 113kb)

The notes cover all the following issues:-

  • Samples of acceptable 'proof of age'
  • Guidelines to follow
  • Checking 'proof of age'
  • How to refuse a sale
  • What the law says
  • Penalties for illegal sales (including on the spot fines)

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Legal defences

If you and your staff follow these guidelines it will help to show you are taking ‘all reasonable precautions and exercising all due diligence’. This is legal-speak to say that you have behaved in a way that can provide a defence in law if an illegal sale takes place. You must be able to show that you are doing all that you possibly can to make checks. This is what the courts would look at should an illegal sale take place.

What is ‘reasonable’ will be different for smaller premises than for a large national chain.

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Test Purchasing

Our Trading standards Officers check that the law is followed and can carry out test purchases of all age restricted products as part of their enforcement duties. Police officers may also carry out such exercises with regard to alcohol sales. The test purchases will be made fairly, with volunteer young people who look their age. These test purchases follow procedures supported by the government. They are allowed as evidence of under age sales and are not a trap. Following the guidelines in this booklet and asking for proof of age should make sure that you don’t make an illegal sale.

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Obtain a copy of our CD Rom about age restricted products

To obtain a free copy of our CD Rom, which includes a short film, the Staff Notes and a wealth of other valuble material, please contact us

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North Somerset Council Trading Standards

North Somerset Council, Trading Standards Service, Somerset House, Oxford Street, Weston super Mare, Somerset, BS23 1TG
Telephone: 01275 888634    Fax: 01275 888683
Electronic Mail: trading.standards@n-somerset.gov.uk

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