Underage Sales of Age Restricted Goods and Services

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Trading Standards enforces consumer protection legislation that includes preventing the sale of age restricted goods and services to underaged persons.

Traders must not sell goods or services that are age restricted to persons that are underaged.

‘Trader’ means a retailer, on-line business or any person offering goods or services for sale to a consumer.

The age-restriction of the goods or services is dependent on the type of goods or services that is sold by a Trader. 

The following outlines the type of goods or services that are age restricted.

If you click on the age-restricted goods or service, you will be signposted to guidance compiled by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s Business Companion.

Type of Age Restricted Goods

Applicable age-restricted age= Persons under the age of 18 years old.  

The applicable age of restricted goods and services are outlined as:                                 

• tobacco goods
• offensive weapons (knives and similar bladed goods)
• crossbows
• adult fireworks
• solvents
• air guns
• lighter refills containing butane
• alcohol
• botulinum toxin (Botox) and cosmetic fillers
• sunbeds
• corrosive substances
• lottery tickets

Applicable age-restricted age= Persons under the age of 16 years old.

• sale of caps
• party poppers (and similar products)
• aerosol paint
• liqueur confectionery
• petrol
• animals

Applicable age-restricted age = various dependant on classification 

• video recordings
• video games

Applicable age restricted age= persons under the age of 12 years old. 

• Christmas crackers

Traders who sell alcohol and/or age-restricted goods to underaged persons are at risk of their premises alcohol licence being revoked. (This means the Trader could be banned from selling alcohol if they are found to be breach Licencing objectives of their premises alcohol licence).

View guidance on how Licensed Premises and On-line Traders can prevent the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years old.
The aim is also to ensure that the Licensing objectives namely: - 

• the prevention of crime and disorder. 
• public safety. 
• the prevention of public nuisance. 
• the protection of children from harm.

RBKC Trading standards would provide guidance to Traders with the aim of preventing the sale of age-restricted goods and services to underaged persons. However, RBKC Trading Standards would also consider formal enforcement action such as prosecution in accordance with RBKC’s Enforcement Policy.

This is to ensure that children are protected from harm and to tackle the effects of anti-social behaviour resulting from the misuse of age-restricted products.  
If you would like to obtain guidance regarding the sale of age restricted goods, please telephone RBKC Trading Standards:  020 7361 3002 or email [email protected].