Child Was Sold Fireworks In Trading Standards Undercover Operation
A fifteen year old girl was sold fireworks in an undercover operation organised by Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service in the Nuneaton and Bedworth area.
On Monday 23rd October, a 15 year old child volunteer visited 9 retail premises in Nuneaton and Bedworth and attempted to buy fireworks from each one. Only one premise sold fireworks to the girl, a small store in the Bedworth area (a selection pack of fireworks was sold).
Mark Ryder, Head of Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service said:
“We are very disappointed that a retailer sold fireworks to a fifteen year old girl who was almost three years below the age at which she could legally purchase fireworks; but I would also like to thank those retailers in the Nuneaton and Bedworth area who took their responsibilities seriously and refused to sell.
Fireworks are explosives and are consequently very dangerous if misused. Warwickshire Trading Standards is committed to preventing the sale of fireworks to minors and reducing firework related injuries and anti-social behaviour associated with their misuse.”
In total 25 firework retailers were visited across the County and two sales were made (in Bedworth and Stratford upon Avon).
The retailers were chosen at random and a similar proportion of large, medium sized and small retailers were visited including supermarkets, convenience stores and cornershops/newsagents.
All retailers involved have/will be advised either by letter or verbally of the undercover operation and the exercise followed LACORS ‘Test Purchasing Code of Best Practice’.
The age at which a person can legally buy fireworks is 18.
Investigations are now underway in to the circumstances surrounding the sale of fireworks to a minor at the Bedworth and Stratford upon Avon stores.
The penalty for selling fireworks to a person under the age of 18 is a fine of up to £5000 and/or 6 months imprisonment upon conviction in a Magistrates Court.
Warwickshire Trading Standards Service will continue to take appropriate enforcement action to ensure that fireworks are not sold to children.