Premises join scheme to crack down on underage sales

A growing number of licensed premises are running "Challenge 21" style policies in attempt to guarantee they are not selling alcohol to underage children.​ The initiative, which requires customers who appears to be under 21 to show ID proving they are 18 or over, is now being promoted to all pubs in Leicestershire.

Even supermarket Sainsbury's has now started instigating the policy in more than 700 outlets in the UK, including its Sainsbury's Local convenience stores. The initiative follows complaints from the pub trade that not enough supermarkets are acting to prevent underage sales.

In the pub trade Mitchells & Butlers has been a pioneer of the scheme, which only recognises Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS)-validated cards - including the Portman Group 'Prove It' card, Connexions card, Validate UK card or Citizencard - photo driving licences or passports as acceptable ID.

Simon Ward, director of public affairs for Mitchells & Butlers said: "The Challenge 21 campaign has proved a great success, not only in helping our staff to identify potential underage customers in a busy pub environment, but also in educating customers of the need to carry a form of identification.

"We are pleased the scheme is being launched by Leicestershire Constabulary, and hope it will be of benefit to other pubs and off licences in the area."

Inspector Nigel Banks, Leicestershire Constabulary's licensing and accreditation officer, said: "Licensees have a personal responsibility to prevent underage sales and alcohol consumption on their premises.

"However, it is appreciated that judging the age of customers can sometimes be challenging and in order to assist and protect licensees, the Challenge 21 scheme has been developed."

Sainsbury's claimed its new "Think 21" policy, which it began implementing from the beginning of September, is just the latest of a series of initiatives it has in place to prevent underage sales.

"Colleagues at the check out are given training to ensure they do not sell alcohol to anyone who is under age, and this training is repeated on an on-going basis," she said.

"We are now rolling out 'Think 21' whereby anyone who we believe to be under 21 years old is asked for a form of ID before alcohol can be sold to them."