No Hiding Place for Rogue Shopkeepers
Covert operations are being carried out in North West Leicestershire to try to catch shopkeepers who sell tobacco or aerosol paint to children.
Leicestershire County Council's trading standards team revealed it was targeting premises in Ashby, Moira and Measham as well as other areas across the county.
Bosses warned traders that staff had been running operations for several months and would continue to stage inspections using volunteer children.
Trading Standards helps to enforce the law which prevent the sale of tobacco products to children aged under 18 and the sale of aerosol paints to children aged under 16.
The operations also check to see if traders are displaying age-restricted notices and the labeling and prescribed quantity of packets of cigarettes is correct.
Over the last year the service has, using test purchases:
- Uncovered 15 cases of shops which are selling tobacco to children, leading to prosecutions, caution notices or warnings being issued to the business concerned;
- Uncovered three underage sales of aerosol paint and issued a warning and given guidance to shopkeepers.
Byron Rhodes, county council cabinet member for regulatory services said:
The law is very clear-shopkeepers must not sell tobacco or aerosol paints to children.
The majority of shopkeepers have been obeying the law. However, those that do sell tobacco and aerosol products to children run the risk of being caught by our undercover operations and prosecuted.
Source: Burton Mail Midlands
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