Age restricted products

Age-restricted products are those goods and services where there is a minimum legal age to buy them.

Trading Standards has a duty to enforce the law relating to a number of age restricted products:

  • Tobacco
  • Tobacco related products
  • Nicotine Vapour Products (NVPs)
  • Butane gas lighter refills
  • Fireworks
  • DVDs & Computer games
  • Spray paint devices

Test purchasing

In order to check businesses are complying with the age-restriction laws Trading Standards conducts test purchase operations. This is done simply to check a business is trading in the correct way and not to trick or catch businesses out.

Minimum legal age

It is an offence to sell products to someone younger than the minimum legal age and for some products it is an offence for somebody below the legal age to try to buy them.

The following table provides confirmation of the legal age restrictions.

Product Minimum Age Enforceable Penalty
Tobacco, NVP's and smoking related products 18 £200 fixed penalty notice leading to a banning order
Alcohol 18 £1000 fine and forfeit of licence
Cigarette lighter refills 18 £5000 fine and up to 6 months prison
Fireworks 18 £5000 fine and up to 6 months prison
Party poppers, throwdowns, caps etc 16 £5000 fine and up to 6 months prison
Knives, knife blades, razor blades & axes 18 £5000 fine and up to 6 months prison
Spray paint devices (aerosol paints) 16 £1000 fine
Video, DVD & selected computer/video games Check BBFC classification £5000 fine and up to 6 months in prison
National Lottery & instant win tickets 16 £5000 fine and up to 2 years in prison
Petroleum spirit 16 £5000 fine

Police Scotland enforces the law on alcohol and weapons and you can contact them on their non emergency number 101 for advice.

You can view the Business Companion website for a list of age restricted products.


Guidance and advice on tobacco/NVP sales and underage sales

Underage sales guides and advice


Trading Standards
Falkirk Stadium
4 Stadium Way
Falkirk
FK2 9EE