ACS: "No Room for Complacency on Underage Sales"
12 Oct 2006
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has warned against complacency amongst retailers following the latest announcement of underage sales results published by the Home Office. ACS welcomes the clear progress that the off licence sector as a whole has made in the last year but is adamant that there is still work to be done.
The figures show that the failure rate for test purchases carried out in the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign (AMEC) starting in May 2006 was 21% for off licences, this compares to 22% in Winter 05-06 and 36% in summer 05.
ACS Director of Public Affairs, James Lowman said: “We believe that there has been a fundamental change of approach and renewed energy applied to tackling underage sales in the last 12 months. The results show that there has been a major decline in test purchase failures, and this is due to the work that the trade has put in to tackle the problem.
“What is especially pleasing is that the marked improvement that we see in performance is reflected across all parts of the off licence sector. Large and small retailers are playing their part in tackling underage drinking.”
ACS has led the convenience sector tirelessly promoting the No ID No Sale and Challenge 21 messages. The industry has achieved unprecedented levels of co-operation in how it communicates the messages on underage sales and how it shares information on how the problem is tackled. ACS’ role is to ensure that the measures agreed by the multiple retailers are inclusive of the wider trade. ACS has made available the industry- wide Under 21 point of sale materials to all retailers, mailing out to over 30,000 businesses in March 2006, and this month a targeted mailing of over 30,000 staff badges. Under 21 materials are still available to retailers who contact the ACS Office on 01252 515001.
Mr Lowman continues: “However, let’s be clear that there is no room for complacency, the figures have improved over the last 12 months, but we are disappointed that there has been little change in the results from Christmas 2005 and Summer 2006. We must aim for a further reduction in failures, and that challenge continues. ACS will be working with colleagues from across the alcohol industry and driving through the improvement in standards that we know all responsible retailers want to achieve.”
Contact:
Rachel Lawson ACS Communications Co-ordinator
01252 515001
Michael Saxton Grappa PR
Julie Kirby 020 7486 4448
Notes to Editors
1. The Home Office press release is under embargo until Thursday 12th October 00:01
2. ACS is still making available advice, support, point of sale material and badges to retailers, please contact James Green on 01252 515001 for more information.
3. James Lowman will leave his current role as Director of Public Affairs on November 1st to take up the post of Chief Executive of ACS.
The figures show that the failure rate for test purchases carried out in the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign (AMEC) starting in May 2006 was 21% for off licences, this compares to 22% in Winter 05-06 and 36% in summer 05.
ACS Director of Public Affairs, James Lowman said: “We believe that there has been a fundamental change of approach and renewed energy applied to tackling underage sales in the last 12 months. The results show that there has been a major decline in test purchase failures, and this is due to the work that the trade has put in to tackle the problem.
“What is especially pleasing is that the marked improvement that we see in performance is reflected across all parts of the off licence sector. Large and small retailers are playing their part in tackling underage drinking.”
ACS has led the convenience sector tirelessly promoting the No ID No Sale and Challenge 21 messages. The industry has achieved unprecedented levels of co-operation in how it communicates the messages on underage sales and how it shares information on how the problem is tackled. ACS’ role is to ensure that the measures agreed by the multiple retailers are inclusive of the wider trade. ACS has made available the industry- wide Under 21 point of sale materials to all retailers, mailing out to over 30,000 businesses in March 2006, and this month a targeted mailing of over 30,000 staff badges. Under 21 materials are still available to retailers who contact the ACS Office on 01252 515001.
Mr Lowman continues: “However, let’s be clear that there is no room for complacency, the figures have improved over the last 12 months, but we are disappointed that there has been little change in the results from Christmas 2005 and Summer 2006. We must aim for a further reduction in failures, and that challenge continues. ACS will be working with colleagues from across the alcohol industry and driving through the improvement in standards that we know all responsible retailers want to achieve.”
Contact:
Rachel Lawson ACS Communications Co-ordinator
01252 515001
Michael Saxton Grappa PR
Julie Kirby 020 7486 4448
Notes to Editors
1. The Home Office press release is under embargo until Thursday 12th October 00:01
2. ACS is still making available advice, support, point of sale material and badges to retailers, please contact James Green on 01252 515001 for more information.
3. James Lowman will leave his current role as Director of Public Affairs on November 1st to take up the post of Chief Executive of ACS.