Supermarket fined for underage booze sale
A supermarket chain has been fined £1,500 plus £2,000 costs after admitting serving an underage boy with alcohol.
CK Supermarket in Fishguard was prosecuted by Pembroke-shire County Council under the Licensing Act 2003.
The offence occurred on November 11th, 2006, when four cans of lager were sold to a 15-year-old boy at the West Street store.
The transaction was part of a test-purchase exercise carried out by the council's trading standards service.
A formal caution had previously been issued by Pembrokeshire trading standards to the company after an earlier illegal sale of alcohol to a child from the same store.
After the case at Haverfordwest magistrates court, Nigel Watts, the council's trading standards manager said: "It is very disappointing that CKs has failed in its legal obligations to prevent children accessing alcohol from the Fishguard store, especially as we previously issued advice and guidance to the company.
"Illegal sales of alcohol to teenagers is a serious issue that can have major consequences for both the health and well-being of the teenagers involved and for the community as a whole."
2:29pm Saturday 23rd February 2008
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CommentPosted by: Andrew Lye, Johnston on 6:17pm Sat 23 Feb 08
Until licenses are revoked to underage selling of booze (and fags?), why bother to prosecute as no lessons are learnt and the problems continue.
Until licenses are revoked to underage selling of booze (and fags?), why bother to prosecute as no lessons are learnt and the problems continue.
Posted by: One Voice, Wales on 9:01am Sun 24 Feb 08
100% behind you there Andrew. Although I can't believe that there is only one store who has sold booze to underage drinkers. And what about the clubs and pubs?
Many times in the past 12 months I have seen clubs, pubs and stores sell to underage drinkers without so much as a glance at ID. And if you say something to the staff, you're told to mind your own business.
Perhaps they need to crack down more often.
100% behind you there Andrew. Although I can't believe that there is only one store who has sold booze to underage drinkers. And what about the clubs and pubs?
Many times in the past 12 months I have seen clubs, pubs and stores sell to underage drinkers without so much as a glance at ID. And if you say something to the staff, you're told to mind your own business.
Perhaps they need to crack down more often.
Posted by: Lady May, Tenby on 8:40pm Mon 25 Feb 08
One example doesn't always make a difference to all but it is a start towards bringing to task the problem, I suppose it may ruffle the feathers of the supermarket in question but the whole problem still exists.
It should show if anything the minus ability to address this issue, rarely do supermarkets who I believe have the largest monopoly on alcohol sales use the identity purpose to view age prior to alcohol sales, chances are the purchasers are minors but could well pass as elders the way they follow the fashion trends etc.
It is at the discretion of landlords of public houses, management in any supermarket and the like to watch what and who they are selling to, I have always found public houses to be the more prudent of the majority.
One example doesn't always make a difference to all but it is a start towards bringing to task the problem, I suppose it may ruffle the feathers of the supermarket in question but the whole problem still exists.
It should show if anything the minus ability to address this issue, rarely do supermarkets who I believe have the largest monopoly on alcohol sales use the identity purpose to view age prior to alcohol sales, chances are the purchasers are minors but could well pass as elders the way they follow the fashion trends etc.
It is at the discretion of landlords of public houses, management in any supermarket and the like to watch what and who they are selling to, I have always found public houses to be the more prudent of the majority.
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