Frequently Asked Questions
This is where you will find answers to most questions. If you have any queries, don't hesitate to Contact Us.
General FAQs
Is 'No ID, No Sale!' well recognised?
The phrase 'No ID, No Sale!' is widely understood and visible on shop doors, aisle shelves and above tobacco gantries in supermarkets, convenience stores, newsagents, betting shops and elsewhere. Its eye-catching red, yellow and black logo is well recognised and will help you be compliant.
Is 'No ID, No Sale!' compulsory?
Whilst it is not compulsory to order your 'No ID, No Sale!' packs, some of its contents are legally required to be displayed in your store, i.e. A3 statutory tobacco and fireworks posters (if you are a retailer selling tobacco or fireworks). Please note that whilst these are available for download they must be printed in A3 size with the legal letter sizing.
Again, whilst it is not compulsory to have a 'No ID, No Sale!' refusal register, it is a legal requirement to keep and maintain one in your store. This means keeping a record (date, time, incident, description of potential buyer) where sales of age-restricted products have been refused. This helps to demonstrate that you actively refuse sales and have an effective system in place.
Who can take advantage of a free 'No ID, No Sale!' pack?
The 'No ID, No Sale!' Retail Pack is available free of charge to ACS, NFRN, SGF, RetailNI members and other independent retailers.
What is included in the 'No ID, No Sale!' pack?
- 25x new app forms
- 1x refusal register
- 1x A3 statutory tobacco notice
- 1x 'No ID, No Sale!' badge
- 1x 'Under 25' poster
How many packs can I order?
You can order as many packs as you need.
One pack is completely free of charge (including P&P). For two or more packs you will be charged for postage.
Can I print off my own posters?
You can download selected materials and print them. However, bear in mind that whilst these are available for download, they must be printed in the legally required A3 size with the legal letter sizing.
How can I contact you?
If you need to contact us, please email:
Can I change or cancel my order?
You are welcome to change or cancel your order, given your order has not yet been shipped to you.
Contact us on
Underage Sales FAQs
Why is selling underage products a criminal matter?
The sale of restricted products to minors has been recognised by the Government as a matter affecting our entire society. These laws exist to safeguard the population, and when they are infringed, it becomes a matter of the criminal justice system.
What makes certain goods age-restricted?
The restrictions on specific products were introduced by the Government with the intention of avoiding the misuse of certain goods. These laws exist to safeguard the health of young people especially. Some products may cause physical, psychological and moral harm if misused by any person, and the underage legislations are put in place to avoid this.
What happens if you sell age-restricted products to minors?
The consequences of selling age-restricted products to underage customers can vary based on the product and frequency of offence. For example, if you are selling alcohol in your store, you must hold a licence to do so. One of the licencing objectives is the 'protection of children from harm'. If this objective, or any of the licencing objectives, are breached (e.g. by selling alcohol to minors), your licence to sell alcohol can be revoked by your Local Authority. Should your licence be revoked or suspended, you will not be permitted to sell alcohol in your store anymore, losing significant revenue, though you can still sell other goods i.e. groceries.
What are the benefits of keeping a refusals register?
There are many benefits to keeping a refusals register:
- It helps manage your business.
- It is useful for looking for noticing any patterns that staff may need to be addressed about, for example, someone regularly attempting to buy age-restricted goods.
- It can be used to determine if any member of staff never or rarely makes entries in the register. If so, it could be that that member of staff may require additional training.
I followed all guidelines but an underage sale was made. Am I safe from prosecution?
If the sale was made by a member of staff other than yourself, you should be. You can only be prosecuted by a Trading Standards Officer if they can prove you haven’t taken adequate precautions or were negligent in following them. If you made the sale personally, you will have to prove that you asked your customer for ID to confirm their age.
What happens when a test purchase is failed?
If a retailer fails a first test purchase, they should be prepared for a second visit within the next three months. It is recommended that all records such as CCTV, refusals register and training records are kept and updated. Staff should be informed of what has happened and should keep vigilant. If a Trading Standards officer can prove that not all adequate precautions have been carried out, they may prosecute you.
Can retailers only accept passports as proof of age / ID?
The police encourage you to leave valuable documents, such as passports, safely at home. Instead, it is recommended that PASS cards are used, such as the CitizenCard, as these are less valuable and much cheaper to replace. Staff should be trained on recognising the PASS hologram and accepting these as proof of age.
What happens if a customer lies about their age?
As a retailer, you must take all measures to prevent any underage sales from occurring. This means you must take 'reasonable precautions and exercise due diligence' when challenging one's age. This includes requesting acceptable ID, i.e. a photo driving licence, passport or PASS card (e.g. CitizenCard or Young Scot card), to prove their age. We recommend displaying all the relevant materials included in our retail packs, in order to indirectly inform the customer that checks will be carried out. We also recommend recording any sales refused in the Refusals Register to cover your back.
Can I refuse a sale even if customer is old enough and they can prove it?
Yes, a retailer can refuse a sale at any time, for any reason. You are not obligated to follow through with a sale if you do not feel comfortable i.e. you have a reason to believe the products will be used improperly. An example could be an older person buying age-restricted products for minors.
How could my customers prove their age without driving licence or passport?
It may be a common occurrence that a customer doesn't bring their driving licence or passport out with them, as these are seen as valuable documents and people are encouraged by the police to leave these safely at home. If a customer does not hold a valid driving licence or passport, their alternative can be a valid PASS card, such as a CitizenCard. These proof of age cards are much cheaper to obtain and give people a valid and accepted form of proof of age and identification.
How to challenge for ID / proof of age?
If a customer is purchasing age-restricted products, always think about challenging them for ID. Apply the 'Challenge 25' strategy to reinforce the message that anyone attempting to buy age-restricted goods and looks under the age of 25, will be asked to produce ID. Be sure that both you and your staff are clear on what you will accept as valid proof of age ID. Our recommendation is that you only accept driving licences, passports, proof of age cards that carry the PASS hologram (such as a CitizenCard) and military ID. CitizenCards can be confirmed as genuine at verify.citizencard.com. You can use the free PASS Card Verify app and take a photo of any card issued by CitizenCard (including Post Office PASS card), My ID Card, Young Scot and Totum NUS, to check if the card you are shown is valid and can be trusted.
Can you use an out of date passport as ID / proof of age?
You cannot accept an out of date passport as ID or proof of age. Should you have to refuse a document because it is out of date, you can advise the customer one of two options. They can renew their passport, or they can apply for a PASS card, such as CitizenCard or Young Scot card. Direct your customers to the CitizenCard application form included in your free Retail Pack.
FREE
'No ID, No Sale!' Retail Pack
The 'No ID, No Sale!' Retail Pack might just
save your livelihood. Get the eye-catching materials that help retailers comply with the underage laws by advising customers that they should expect to be asked for identification if they are attempting to purchase age-restricted goods.
One 'No ID, No Sale!' Retail Pack is FREE
