SUMMER 2022 CORROSIVE SUBSTANCES BURNING ISSUE Corrosive substances are the latest age-restricted products of which retailers should be aware The legislation bans delivery of corrosive substances to residential premises What are corrosive substances? Age restrictions apply to the sale of many items, including cigarettes, beer and wine, and products containing nicotine. Since the passing of the Offensive Weapons Act 2019, corrosive substances, knives and weapons have been added to the list, and are now regulated to a greater extent than previously. The legislation bans delivery of corrosive substances to residential premises. Businesses that sell such products at a distance for example, via the internet, an app or over the phone should have processes in place to ensure they are not delivered to a home address and into the hands of someone under 18 years of age. Locker collection is also banned. Good, clear advice on preventing the sale of age-restricted products is available on the Business Companion website; simply search for underage sales. But the key points are: Under guidance issued by the Home Office, corrosive substances include, for example, strong drain cleaners and unblockers, brick and patio cleaners, paint strippers, and industrial cleaning agents that members of the public may purchase for legitimate purposes. Most of these products will be marked to show they contain a strong corrosive and that they can seriously burn the skin. Household bleach or standard household cleaners or liquids, such as table vinegar which are not strong enough to burn human skin by corrosion would not be captured by the legislation. n Age checks on the purchaser, requiring identification n Challenge Schemes if a purchaser appears under 21 or 25, they will be challenged for identification n Staff training adequate and refresher training that is recorded; make sure staff members know about the new legislation n Till prompts to remind staff to challenge for identification update the prompts for knives and corrosive substances n Refusals Register have a book or electronic till system to record refused sales n CCTV in areas where age-restricted products are stocked. Knives and corrosive substances should be placed so they cannot be stolen easily, even if they are low-value n No delivery to a residential address n No locker collections. Businesses should review their systems and training regularly, to make sure they comply with all relevant legislation. Credit: Andrew Tandy, Trading Standards officer Image: iStock / Seetwo For further information, please contact your local Trading Standards Service