As a trader or business owner you are responsible for ensuring that you and your staff do not engage in underage sales.
Training
- Ensure all staff are trained in the sale of age restricted products
- Keep written records of the training you have provided to staff (sign and date these records)
- Review all staff training on a regular basis and provide re-training to staff where necessary
Refusals record
- Keep a refusals book to record refusals made by staff (noting the date, details of refused person, and reason of refusal)
- Ensure that a manager or senior person reviews the refusals book regularly to ensure it is being completed (and take corrective action where it isn't being completed)
ID policy
- Consider adopting a "No ID, no sale" policy requiring staff to ask everyone who looks underage for proof of age before a sale
- Implement a "Challenge 21" or "Challenge 25" (PDF, 34KB) policy to make it easier for staff to identify underage purchases
- Advertise clearly (PDF, 100KB) that you will be asking for identification from those who look underage
Proof of age
Suffolk Trading Standards support 3 main types of proof of age identification:
- photo driving licenses
- passports
- PASS cards bearing the PASS hologram
A passport, photocard driving licence, Ministry of Defence form 90, European Union national identity card or a biometric immigration document are all acceptable, but make sure that the card matches the person using it and that the date of birth shows they are at least the minimum age of 18.
You do not have to accept all of the above forms of identification, and it may be best to exclude any type of document that your staff are not familiar with.
Some young people may present false identification cards, so it is advisable to also check the look and feel of a card. For example, the PASS hologram should be an integral part of a PASS card and not an add-on.
If the person cannot prove that they are at least the minimum legal age, or if you are in any doubt, refuse the service.
When you are checking identification:
- take the ID from the customer (don't examine it from a distance)
- take the ID out of any holder it may be in - this will often show up poorly made fake cards
- see if it is flimsy or too rigid - this could indicate a photocopy or ID that has been taped over
- make sure that the person in front of you is the same as in the photograph
- take note of whether the ID is a valid or provisional driving license, a National Identity Card or European Driving Permit
- read the date of birth carefully (you can also ask the customer to tell you - there is a good chance they will struggle if they are lying)
- see if the card has a swipe strip on the back (if it does, it is unlikely that this is a genuine ID card as no UK ID cards have strips on them)
- take your time, even if you are busy
Proxy sales
If you think that an adult is buying age restricted products for someone under 18, you should refuse to sell to them and contact us for advice. Anyone who buys alcohol for a person under 18 may be committing an offence by doing so.
The Retail of Alcohol Standards Group has produced easy-to-read guidance for retailers with best practice suggestions for preventing proxy sales and details some common scenarios where proxy sales could occur.
Decline09
On 1 January 2027, measures introduced in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill are set to come into force which will mean that anyone born on or after 1st January 2009 will be unable to ever legally purchase tobacco products.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has launched a new awareness campaign to help retailers, colleagues and consumers with incoming rules on age verification for tobacco products.
As part of the Decline09 campaign, ACS has put together a one-page guide on the actions that retailers need to do to prepare. This includes replacing the mandatory age of sale notice on 1 January and training colleagues on the new rules.
Further guidance
Business Companion provides a guide to underage sales. it covers the age restrictions that apply to the sale of certain products and services, including alcohol, tobacco, blades, solvents and sunbeds, as well as offering advice on how to prevent underage sales.
