Raising the age of sale of tobacco products
From 1 October 2007 the law for
selling tobacco will change.
It will be illegal for you to sell tobacco products to anyone under
the age of 18 (an increase from 16) in England and Wales.
To comply retailers need to display the statutory
notices:
For counter sales the A3 sign:
- “It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age
of 18”
- must be at least A3 in size (420 x 297mm) and the letters must
be at least 36mm in height. If you are planning to produce your own
signage or have received a sign from another source, as long as
they adhere to these specifications, they will comply with the
law.
For Vending Machines:
- ‘This machine is only for the use of people aged 18 or
over’.
- Must be at least 60mm x 100mm, with letters at least 6mm
high.
- Must be clearly visible to anyone using the machine.
Trading Standards Officers will continue to enforce the law
relating to the sale of tobacco products to under-age
consumers.
The penalties will be the same as they are now for selling
tobacco products to someone under the legal age (18 years old from
1 October) and can result in a fine of up to £2,500.
Both the sales person and the business owner could be prosecuted
for any illegal sales, even if it was believed that the purchase
was being made on behalf of an adult or if the person looked like
they were over 18. If in doubt, ask for photo proof of age ID.
Visit the No ID No Sale
website for further information.
Failing to display the statutory notice can result in a fine of
up to £1,000.
This applies both to over the counter and vending machine
sales.
Your tobacco wholesaler or vending machine provider should also
provide you with a sign if
they haven’t done so already or you can download a sign from
the Tobacco Age of Change Age of Sale website.
Age of Sale Toolkit
Please see a list of sale of age
restricted products for more information.
Further information