New off-trade body to tackle under-age sales

by John Harrington

The off-trade has agreed to tighten up its policy towards under-age sales after a summit meeting with top ministers and police.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) even suggested, during the meeting at the Home Office last week, that supermarkets should be banned from selling RTDs in a bid to combat under-age drinking.

Home secretary Charles Clarke, culture secretary Tessa Jowell and ACPO president Chris Fox attended the meeting, in which major supermarkets and off-trade bodies were given a clear sign that urgent action is needed.

After the discussion, supermarkets and trade associations agreed to form a new organisation, the Alcohol Retailing Standards Group (ARSG), to weed out under-age sales.

British Retail Consortium director general Kevin Hawkins, who also attended the summit, said the group would promote better staff training and would encourage premises to communicate the 'no ID, no sale' message more effectively.

The 'Challenge 21' policy, whereby anyone who looks under 21 will be asked for ID, will also be encouraged.

'We've got to get to a situation where all young people should expect to be challenged when they ask for drinks, and they should always carry an accredited proof-of-age card,' said Hawkins.

In addition, the group is to commission detailed research into under-age drinking in the on and off-trades.

However, there will be no action taken on cheap drinks deals.

Hawkins said everybody at the meeting agreed that such action would be ruled illegal by the Office of Fair Trading because it was price fixing.

Hawkins denied reports that the Home Secretary threatened to bring in tough new laws if under-age sales at supermarkets continued.

'The ministers made it clear they were looking for improvement but the threat of sanctions was not overt,' he said.

Ministers, ACPO and the trade associations will meet again later in the year to discuss the progress made.

Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations chief executive Tony Payne welcomed the steps taken by the off-trade. 'It's nice that they had this meeting and hopefully they can carry the message through about under-age sales.'

But Payne agreed it was a shame that no action will be taken against cheap drinks deals in supermarkets.

He said: 'They have a responsibility to be more caring in their community by not having these promotions.'