Retail & Consumer Goods UK-wide

Age-Restricted Products

Understand legal requirements for selling age-restricted products including alcohol, tobacco, and knives.

Guide summary

You must verify the age of anyone buying age-restricted products like alcohol, tobacco, and knives. Ask for ID from anyone who looks under 25 under the Challenge 25 policy. Train your staff, keep a refusal log, and display signage to avoid an unlimited fine or losing your licence.

  • Ask for ID from anyone who looks under 25 (Challenge 25 policy)
  • Accept only valid UK or foreign passport, photocard driving licence, PASS card, or military ID
  • Refuse sale if customer cannot show acceptable ID
  • Record every refusal in a log with date, time, staff member, and customer description
  • Train all staff on age verification and refresh training every 6 months
  • Display Challenge 25 signs at entrances and points of sale
  • Do not accept paper driving licence, birth certificate, or out-of-date ID
  • Penalty for underage alcohol sale: unlimited fine in England and Wales
  • Penalty for underage tobacco sale: £2,500 fine per offence
  • Proxy sales are illegal – do not sell to adults buying for under-18s
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Selling age-restricted products to underage customers is a criminal offence with serious penalties. Retailers must implement robust age verification procedures to avoid prosecution.

Due diligence defence

You may have a defence if you can show you took all reasonable precautions to prevent underage sales. This includes:

  • Written age verification policy (Challenge 25 recommended)
  • Staff training with records
  • Till prompts for restricted products
  • Refusals log
  • Prominent signage