Under Age Sales
Walsall Trading Standards has responsibility for enforcing the legislation relating to age restricted products. We work in partnership with other agencies to reduce the ease with which products such as alcohol, tobacco and fireworks can be bought by children. This work has been given a high priority, as the impact of children having access to such products not only has the potential to cause serious future health problems but it is a key source of anti-social behaviour and crime within the borough.
We have adopted a three-pronged approach to reduce under age sales.
Advice to traders
All Walsall traders who sell age restricted goods are visited on a regular basis and provided with a range of notices, posters and guidance leaflets. All traders are advised to always request a proof of age card if unable to judge the age of a purchaser and adhere to the principle 'no card, no sale'.
Validate UK Proof of Age Scheme
Validate UK is a nationally recognised card issued to children at local schools. Validate cards have scanned photos, scanned signatures, the holder's date of birth and age attainment boxes thus making it easy for traders to see immediately how old the card holder is. they also bear the Government endorsed PASS logo. An officer from Walsall Trading Standards visits Walsall's secondary schools and informs pupils of the merits of the scheme and issues them with Validate cards.
Enforcement
Walsall Trading Standards have a strategy to target those traders who persist in flouting the law. Unfortunately, there are always a small minority of traders who fail to take on board their social responsibility and are prepared to put profits above all else. The trading standards team has therefore stepped up the frequency of test purchasing exercises. Child volunteers are asked to attempt to purchase goods from various premises and any sales may result in prosecution.
If you would like to complain about a Walsall trader who you suspect is selling age restricted goods to minors please telephone us on 01922 652246, or email trading_standards@walsall.gov.uk.
Test purchase volunteers
Test purchasing volunteers are recruited from local schools to make the purchases. These test purchases are supervised by trading standards officers and are sometimes carried out in conjunction with the police. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please view our test purchase volunteer information leaflet (PDF 11KB) and fill in a volunteer application form (PDF 12KB). You will need to be between 14 and 16½ and not look old for your age.
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Contact us
Trading Standards
Challenge Building
Hatherton Road
Walsall
WS1 1YG
Telephone 01922 652246
Fax 01922 630697
Email trading_standards@walsall.gov.uk