ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has published an updated version of its Fireworks Assured Advice Guide, helping retailers sell and store fireworks safely and responsibly this festive season.
The new edition includes a clear flow chart to help retailers identify what licences they need based on the type of fireworks they plan to sell. The first step for any retailer is to determine the classification of the fireworks (F1 or F2/F3) as this affects age restrictions, storage limits, and licensing requirements. The guide also reinforces the importance of having a Challenge 25 policy in place and complying with seasonal sales rules.
Retailers who only intend to sell F1 category products (for example small indoor sparklers) and store less than 5kg of F1 category product can do so throughout the year without a storage licence. For retailers selling other categories of product and/or storing higher quantities, additional permissions and licences apply - all of which is outlined in the guide.
There are specified periods of time when retailers can sell fireworks without an all-year round sales licence. These are:
- Between 15th October and 10th November
- Diwali and three days prior
- Between 26th and 31st December
- First day of Chinese New Year (22nd January 2023) and three days prior
This guidance forms part of ACS’s Assured Advice Scheme, developed in partnership with Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards. Retailers who follow it benefit from consistent enforcement across local authorities.
