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