Age Restricted Sales
Age restricted sales
We enforce a range of legislation dealing with age restrictions on supplying goods and services to youngsters, which include:
- Alcohol
- Cigarettes - age rose to 18 on 1st October 2007
- Fireworks
- Videos
- Solvents
- Lighter refills
- Petrol
- Credit
- Gaming machines
- Lottery tickets and scratch cards
- Tattoos and skin piercing
- Aerosol spray paints
We have concentrated mainly on the underage supply of cigarettes, alcohol and fireworks following specific complaints and assessment of risk in the Poole area and have carried out test purchasing exercises with volunteer youngsters. Enforcement test purchasing of alcohol has also been undertaken jointly with Dorset Police. Otherwise, age restricted products and underage sales are regularly dealt with by Environmental & Consumer Protection Services through routine inspection, advice to traders, education, and licensing requirements as well as the promotion of proof of age cards.
A 'Responsible Retailer' scheme operates in Poole. This initiative involves Environmental & Consumer Protection Services working with Dorset Police 
, Community Safety, the Primary Care Trust, schools and participating local retailers as well as linking with Trading Standards in Dorset and Bournemouth.
The scheme advises that retailers should train staff to ask for proof of age rather than guessing or trying to judge age.
Refusals to sell should then be recorded in a register. Participating retailers who are following the ‘Responsible Retailer’ guidelines can be issued with certificates on request. The scheme is linked to the distribution of approved proof of age cards. The cards, which must include an up to date photograph of the user and be PASS accredited, can be shown in any retail outlets as proof of age
Approved means of proof of age include Passport, Photo Driving Licence, or Citizencard card.
A free CD Rom of ‘No Proof of Age – No Sale’, a 15 minute film and training materials for people who sell, or supply age restricted goods is available to all retailers. If you are a retailer, or a licensee, and would like a copy of this updated CD Rom please contact us.
The CD can be viewed on most PCs and Macs and all the documents can be printed off. These include notes for staff and for trainers, a series of tests on various age restricted products (with answers in a separate document) and some support materials, including posters, useful websites and sample refusals register pages.
You can view the film and supporting materials on the 'No Proof of Age - No Sale' website .
This version on the website takes account of recent changes in the law.
If you would like to report a restricted sales issue please email us
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