Underage Sales It is our responsibility at Trading Standards to ensure that the children within our authority are protected from the supply of age restricted products.
Alcohol, cigarettes, videos, fireworks and even some computer games carry age restrictions. It is against the law for a retailer to supply a product to a child who has not reached the appropriate age.
Each year we carry out surveys to ensure that these products are not being illegally supplied to children. With the aid of a child volunteer we will conduct test purchases to see if retailers are breaking the law. Any retailers found breaching the law may face prosecution.
To help eradicate the problem of identifying the age of purchasers the service supported the introduction of Citizencard. This is a proof of age scheme, where children can obtain a proof of age card which will have a photo along with the holders date of birth, and a date when they will reach eighteen years of age. These cards are available from the child's school or, if they have already left school, from the Citizencard website.
The retailers in Merthyr Tydfil have been informed of the scheme and with everybody working together the problems associated with the supply of underage products may be eradicated.
If you know somebody who is supplying products to children underage or require further information on Citizencard please contact us using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
We also work closely with the Police to identify the criminal offence of proxy purchasing where an adult buys alcohol for children.
For business information on how to deal with the supply of age restricted products visit the Trading Standards Wales website.
Trading Standards Enforcement Policy.pdf (47k)
|