Fear over drink buying for minors

Adults risk £80 on-the-spot fines for buying alcohol for youngsters

A quarter of adults who bought alcohol for under 18s said they did not know they were breaking the law, according to new research.

Nearly a third of adults surveyed said they had been asked to buy alcohol for youngsters, while about 30% of those broke the law and made the purchase.

The survey, for the drinks industry's Portman Group, questioned 1,000 adults.

The group is launching a campaign highlighting £80 on-the-spot fines for "proxy purchasing".

ON-THE-SPOT DRINK FINES - NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2004 104 penalty notices issued for buying alcohol for under-18s in first two months of scheme 113 for selling alcohol to minors 6 for allowing under-age drinking 7 issued to under-18s drinking in licensed premises Source: Home Office

The £80 penalty notices for selling alcohol to under-18s, or buying it for them, were introduced in November 2004.

Before then, cases automatically went through the courts system.

Fines for under-18s buying alcohol were added to the scheme in April this year.

The survey, carried out by LM Research, showed that 30% of those who were asked to buy alcohol for minors and agreed did so because they felt intimidated.

The same percentage bought the alcohol because they did not think it would do any harm.

'More vigilance'

Seven out of 10 of those surveyed said they were unaware of the £80 fine for proxy purchasing.

"We urge all alcohol retailers to be more vigilant and never sell alcohol to someone they think might be passing it on to under-18s," Portman Group chief executive Jean Coussins said.

Those who buy alcohol on behalf of children need to know they are committing a serious offence which has consequences for the entire community ACS

Of those who bought alcohol for youngsters, 38% bought it in a convenience store, a quarter in a supermarket, 24% in an off-licence and 14% in a pub or bar.

Of those questioned, 14% thought buying alcohol for under-18s could lead to anti-social behaviour.

The campaign is backed by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) and the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers.

ACS chief executive David Rae said: "This issue has been neglected too often in the past and those who buy alcohol on behalf of children need to know that they are committing a serious offence which has consequences for the entire community."