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We have carried out two Tackling Underage Sales of Alcohol Campaigns (the most recent of which included a 10-week operational phase which concluded on 13 July) through which police and trading standards officers have targeted over 3,000 potential problem premises that break the law by selling alcohol to under-18s. These national campaigns make use of tough sanctions available under newly commenced legislation to prosecute the premises licence-holder, where there are persistent sales of alcohol to children. Prior to this, we carried out four national Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaigns (AMECs) between 2004 and 2006.
As a consequence of these test-purchase campaigns, retailers have strengthened their procedures and training of staff in relation to alcohol sales. Most retailers have now adopted the ‘Challenge 21’ policy, whereby anyone appearing to be under 21 is asked to produce a valid form of identification prior to any sale of alcohol. Test-purchase failure rates have dropped accordingly, indicating that it is increasingly difficult for under-18s to purchase alcohol illegally. During AMEC one in 2004, the overall test-purchase failure rate was 50 per cent. By AMEC four in the summer of 2006, it had reached 29 per cent. and 21 per cent. for the on and off-licence trade respectively, and 18 per cent. for supermarkets. In addition, the Licensing Act 2003 also increased penalties for selling alcohol to children with the maximum fine increasing to £5,000 on conviction, and the possibility for courts to suspend or order forfeit of personal licences on a first offence as opposed to a second conviction, as was previously the case.