CAN YOU TELL THEIR AGES? - 9 OUT OF 10 RETAIL STAFF COULDN'T

Nine out of 10 staff in high street shops selling age-restricted products such as alcohol and cigarettes were unable to tell the correct age of these youngsters when shown the above photograph. Independent research recently commissioned by CitizenCard, the national proof-of age card, showed that at least two of these young people would have been sold goods they were too young to buy, while three of them would have been refused a purchase they were legally entitled to make.

Mike Bowen, Chairman of CitizenCard, said: "The research showed that, without proof-of age, it is all too easy for retailers to unknowingly break the law by selling to children who do not look their age," He continued: "With sophisticated clothes and make-up, it's becoming increasingly difficult to guess young people's correct age. This is a worry for parents, unfair on retailers, and a potential embarrassment for young people themselves. Teenagers who look younger than their age may be refused a purchase in front of their peer group despite being old enough."

CitizenCard, the only nationally available proof-of age card, has issued 25,000 completely forge-proof cards since its launch a year ago.

THE AGE LINE-UP

Katye (far left) is 19 years old, Chloe (centre left) is 14, Charles (centre) is 16, Elwyn (centre right) is 20 and Alex (far right) is 15 years of age.

Their photograph was shown to shop assistants at retail outlets in London and Manchester, which included supermarkets, independent tobacconists and corner shops, off-licences, cinemas and video stores, betting shops, pubs and night-clubs.

Despite being confident of guessing the ages of all five youngsters correctly, almost all retail staff questioned thought Charles (centre), aged 16, was over 20 years old. Eight out of ten believed 14-year old Chloe (centre left) was several years older. Most put the ages of Elwyn (20) and Katye (19) at much younger- some estimated as young as 13.

FAILING THE AGE TEST

Based on the photograph, all outlets selling alcohol would have served one of the youngsters under 18. Cigarettes, solvents, lottery cards and fireworks would have been supplied to the 14 year old by 86% of the grocery outlets. Betting shops were the most accurate in predicting age but many of them got it wrong; all outlets would have taken a bet from one of the youngsters and one in five would have allowed another to gamble.