Some products are age-restricted. That means that you have to be over a certain age to buy them. Anyone who sells these products to underage people commits a criminal offence.
No ID No Sale campaign
Warwickshire Trading Standards Service supports the No ID No Sale! campaign which seeks to raise awareness of the minimum legal age for buying age-restricted products. It’s also about helping retailers refuse underage sales by showing them how to work out someone’s age, spotting fake ID and helping them to record attempted purchases.
No ID No Sale! helps to create a culture of expectation at the point-of-sale, that proof of age should either be offered or produced on demand and that this should be the norm. The No ID No Sale! campaign is now supported by over 100,000 retailers across the UK.
A retail pack is available free of charge for any retailer who sells age-restricted products. The pack contains a window sticker, refusal register, counter card and guidance for retailers and customers on valid ID. For more information visit No ID No Sale!
Become a Trading Standards age restricted sales test purchase volunteer – find out more
Proof of age cards
To assist retailers further to distinguish between bogus and genuine proof of age cards PASS the Proof of Age Standards Scheme was launched in January 2003 by the British Retail Consortium. PASS is supported by major retail associations, including those representing the licensed trade. It is an umbrella system, audited by the Trading Standards Institute, under which reliable proof of age card schemes carry the same hologram logo so licensees and other retailers can easily distinguish such cards from forgeries and disreputable schemes.
There are a number of nationally recognised proof of age cards. Retailers should look out for these cards, but beware of counterfeits, and ‘mock’ proof of age cards that are readily available on the internet.
Organisations that issue these cards:
Business Companion – Trading Standards Business Advice
Business Companion provides free and impartial legal guidance for businesses and individuals that need to know about trading standards and consumer protection legislation. Key topics and business activities include fair trading law, product safety, underaged sales, food standards and safety, animal health & welfare and weights & measures.