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Shopkeepers in Reading are being reminded the flood of teenagers heading into town over the festival weekend could land them in trouble if they make illegal underage sales.

The social enterprise Under Age Sales is warning retailers selling products for or at Reading Festival to be strict with their transactions by highlighting a selection of festival paraphernalia that carry age restrictions.

Laws on the sale of alcohol and tobacco should be well-known to licensed traders, but uncertainty and a lack of awareness around the age restrictions placed on the sale of essential camping kit like Swiss Army Knives, cutlery, gas canisters and allergy relief tablets could lead to shopkeepers in Reading or on the festival site facing hefty fines.

Tony Allen, managing director of Under Age Sales, provides insight on five products retailers working at festivals this summer may not be aware carry restrictive legislation:

Bladed instruments and cutlery - seen as an essential item for camping trips, Swiss Army knives and other bladed instruments should not be sold to anyone under the age of 18. The law does not apply to skewers, scissors, safety razors, wooden or plastic cutlery, but does apply to metal cutlery. Gas canisters: whether used to refill cigarette lighters or gas camping stoves, butane gas canisters should not be sold to anyone under 18 years of age - nor should barbecue lighting sticks. Hay fever and allergy medication: many forms of allergy relief contain diphenhydramine or diphenhydrinate – a product which is illegal to sell to those under 18-years-old. Tattooing: some festival-goers might mark the occasion with a new tattoo, however it is an offence to tattoo anyone under 18, except for henna “tattoos” which do not fall under this legislation. Explosives: often on sale at festivals, fireworks of category two or higher and sparklers cannot be sold to anyone under 18.This does not includes Christmas crackers, novelty matches and party poppers.

Mr Allen added: “Festivals are a place for friends and families to have fun outdoors, learning about new cultures and trying different things.

“Often at these events, people lose their inhibitions and a respect for the law can become blurred.

“For many retailers attending festivals, challenges arise when their knowledge of age restricted products becomes outdated, which doesn’t only leave them at risk of being fined for breaking the law, but could result in their customers being placed in danger.

“Alcohol and tobacco products are the obvious products for retailers to be cautious about selling to under-age people, however we’re urging retailers selling any age restricted products for or at outdoor events this summer to arrive prepared.

“Make sure you’re familiar of the restrictions on your products, and be stringent when it comes to requesting forms of identification from customers who are suspected to be under the legal age to purchase the items.”

Under Age Sales offers training on the age restrictions for those working in licenced hospitality venues. For more advice, visit www.underagesales.co.uk.

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