WINTER 2019 COUNTERFEIT ALCOHOL Incidents of fake or smuggled alcohol are on the rise, so protect your business, your customers and yourself Reputable drink and food producers keep a tight control on their production methods. Ingredients are verified and the production process is monitored carefully to ensure the products quality and safety. There can be real health hazards associated with counterfeit food and drink production, ranging from non-disclosed allergens to poisoning from industrial alcohol. Sadly, there are always those who are financially motivated to bypass the legal provisions in place to prevent consumers from being misled or put in harms way. There are always those who are financially motivated to bypass the legal provisions in place to prevent consumers from being put in harms way In recent months, Trading Standards has seen a spike in the number of incidents where fake or duty-evaded wine, sparkling wine and spirits have been found at the retail level. The best precaution you can take against buying such stock is to ensure traceability. Food retailers are legally required to maintain detailed, itemised receipts to prove the provenance of their stock and alcohol retailers must take extra traceability steps. Use the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS) to check that your supplier is approved by HM Revenue and Customs. It is an offence to buy alcohol from an unapproved UK wholesaler, and you will need to repeat this check periodically and keep records of the checks as evidence of your due diligence. When checking a suppliers AWRS unique reference number, make sure the number you are given relates to the wholesaler with whom you are dealing. AWRS numbers are displayed on invoices and other business correspondence, so its possible that someone who is not approved could try to use a legitimate number. Ignoring these legal requirements can have tragic consequences for consumers who unwittingly buy drink that they believe is safe. Business owners have also been brought before the courts to answer for their negligence. If you are offered suspicious alcohol, report it to Trading Standards by calling Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06. This can be done anonymously, but the more information we have, the more proactive we can be. Four Ps to avoid fakes n Place buy from a reputable supplier n Price if a deal looks too good to be true, it generally is n Packaging watch out for poor-quality labelling, including spelling mistakes and the lack of a UK duty stamp. Spirits in bottles of 35cl or more must carry a duty stamp. If its not there, it is illegal. n Product look out for fake versions of well-known brands and be wary of names you havent seen before. Vodka is the most commonly counterfeited spirit. Credit: Paul Bird, Trading Standards officer, Credit: Bob Charnley, Trading Standards consultant Image: iStock / benidio / vadimguzhva Under the Tobacco Products (Traceability and Security Features) Regulations 2019, unit packets of cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco manufactured in or imported into the UK must have unique identifiers on the packaging, five specific security features applied to the packaging, and be scanned at particular points in the supply chain. Managing the merriment Pubs and licensed premises are at the centre of many Christmas festivities, from staff parties to meals out with friends or family. It can be a hectic time for managers and staff, but the basics of responsible trading should not be forgotten. You may need to review your systems and procedures to address specific issues. For example: n Larger parties may present additional security concerns do you have enough staff, and have they been trained appropriately? n How will you keep people safe in the event of bad weather, including ice and snow? And how will larger parties be evacuated in the event of a fire? n If you are playing music, or offering entertainment that you dont normally provide, how will you manage noise levels? n What will you do if young children attending parties or family gatherings are supplied drinks by relatives or friends? of your licensing conditions will ensure you meet the four licensing objectives: prevention of crime and disorder; promotion of public safety; prevention of public nuisance; and protection of children from harm. Ensuring you stay within the terms For further information, please contact your local Trading Standards Service