Consumer advice
Some products can only be sold to people who have reached a certain age. This is to protect the health and safety of young people.
There are age limits for the sale of:
|
Product |
Minimum age |
|
Cigarettes including vending machines |
18 |
|
Alcohol |
18 |
|
Confectionary containing alcohol |
16 |
|
Knives, axes and blades |
18 |
|
Crossbows |
18 |
|
Imitation firearms |
18 |
|
Fireworks and sparklers |
18 |
|
Caps, cracker snaps, novelty matches, party poppers, serpents and throwdowns |
16 |
|
Solvents e.g. solvent based glues, marker pens, correction fluid |
18 |
|
Lighter refills containing butane |
18 |
|
Aerosol paint |
16 |
| Lottery tickets / scratch cards | 16 |
|
Videos, DVDs, computer games |
12, 15, 18, 18 Restricted |
What can you do
If you want to buy age restricted products you may be asked to prove your age. This is usually in the form of a photographic ID.
Reporting underage sales
If you suspect a retailer of selling any of these products to anyone under the minimum age, please report them via Citizens Advice Bureau. They manage the national Consumer Advice Service, and staff there assess each problem and pass it on to the relevant body, such as Trading Standards.