Baffled by conflicting age-restricted sales advice?

We know that members have struggled in the past with conflicting advice from different Trading Standards departments on age-restricted sales legislation. Some local authorities advise that it’s ok to sell a certain product to under 18s (scissors have been a case in point) and others have been giving opposing advice. bira members will be pleased to know there is a solution.

Primary Authority is when a business takes their advice on certain legislation from one primary local authority. The scheme is currently adopted by larger retailers like Tesco etc, who no longer have to go through the hassle of varying interpretations of legislation by the different LA areas in which they trade.

Currently, the scheme is not open to Trade Associations, and its scope does not extend to all age-restricted sales legislation. bira are keen for both these things to change (Government consultation is currently in progress) to enable us to join a Primary Authority scheme and give consistent, assured advice to our members. Retailers trading in any LA area in the country would take their advice from one Primary Authority (via bira) and it's hoped that a published list of participating retailers would be available to all LA enforcers, allowing them to identify Primary Authority scheme members and to concentrate on other retailers in their area.

We're trialling a PA relationship with Staffordshire County Council, which will hopefully let us see what sort of issues come up. It won’t be a real PA in that any advice won’t be assured, and the scheme will not be recognised by other LAs. However, it will help us to work out how a real scheme would operate, assuming the consultation goes favourably and Trade Associations are able to join, and age restricted sales legislation is included.

Until then, it would be really helpful if we could get an idea from members as to how many would be interested in signing up to a PA scheme, were a real one to get off the ground. This information would be really valuable to the current Government consultation, and to the Local Better Regulation Office, who manage the whole Primary Authority concept.

If you sell age-restricted products, would you be interested in receiving assured advice via bira on legislation affecting this? Email rebecca.abbott@bira.co.uk to register your interest.

As well as letting us know it's very important that you respond to the government's consultation Click here for more details. Closing date is Friday 16 September