Shropshire retailers fined for selling alcohol and cigarettes to minors
Shropshire Council’s trading standards officers have warned businesses to remain vigilant after two local retailers were fined for selling alcohol and cigarettes to minors.
On 28 April 2017 at Telford Magistrates’ Court two businesses were fined after pleading guilty to selling age-restricted products to minors.
First Stop (The Column) Ltd – trading as News Express – at the Column Roundabout in Shrewsbury was fined £1,200 and ordered to pay costs of £3,000 plus a victim surcharge of £100 for selling cigarettes and alcohol to minors, whilst also failing to display a notice identifying the legal ownership of the business operating at the store.
The second business, Broseley Wines and Convenience Store at High Street, Broseley, was part-owned and managed by Mr Aminder Sandu who was fined £193 for his direct involvement in the sales to the minors; his parents Mr Paramjit Sandhu and Mrs Manjit Sandhu each received a conditional discharge. The family was ordered to pay costs totalling £750 plus £60 in victim surcharges after pleading guilty to selling alcohol to minors and for failing to display their alcohol premises licence at the store.
In addition, a review of the premises licence for Broseley Wines and Convenience Store has now been undertaken which has resulted in the Designated Premises Supervisor being removed and the premises licence, permitting the sale of alcohol, being suspended for three months. An application to review the premises licence at News Express has also been submitted.
All sales at these two premises occurred as part of a series of test purchasing exercises conducted by officers from Shropshire Council’s trading standards and licensing service during 2016.
Grant Tunnadine, investigations team manager for trading standards and licensing, said:
“I am very pleased with the outcome of these prosecutions and hope it sends out a timely reminder to any business selling age-restricted products of the need to ensure they remain diligent and utilise practices that will prevent sales to minors occurring.
“By using initiatives like ‘Challenge 25’ in conjunction with the use of photo identification, the accidental sale of any age-restricted product to a minor becomes very unlikely.
“We will continue to employ the use of test purchasing exercises throughout the year, targeting businesses where we have received intelligence or information that sales may be occurring to ensure that businesses are adopting these simple practices. Where businesses refuse or fail to take such reasonable measures then we will not hesitate to use the full weight of the law in the event of a sale occurring. This will include the use of Fixed Penalty Notices, legal action in the courts and, where any business is licensed to sell alcohol, then we will also consider applying for a review of the premises licence. These reviews can result in a licence being revoked, suspended for a period of time or additional conditions being applied to the licence.”
Shropshire Council encourages individuals to contact the Citizens Advice Consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 if they have any suspicions that retailers may be selling age-restricted products to minors. Information can be given anonymously and will always be treated in line with the council’s information governance policies.
Shropshire-based traders who wish to seek further advice on their legal obligations or who also wish to report any suspicions that offences may be being committed by other businesses can do so by contacting Shropshire Council on 0345 678 9000.
General business advice and support can also be found on the council’s website at http://new.shropshire.gov.uk/trading-standards.
ENDS
