Teenagers rush for CitizenCard ID as local shops expand No ID No Sale! policy

Dozens of teenagers throughout Hayes & Harlington have started to apply for CitizenCards, the credit-card size ID cards that allow them to prove their age. The rush is on because Hayes & Harlington’s supermarkets, newsagents and convenience stores have teamed up to promote a stringent No ID No Sale! message. Supported by Trading Standards and the Police the message is designed to prevent illegal sale of tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets, solvents and other age-restricted goods to teenagers who are too young. The legal age for selling alcohol, solvents and fireworks is 18. For lottery tickets it is 16. And on 1st October the tobacco age rose from 16 to 18.

At Hari News, 17 Station Road, Hayes Middlesex UB3 4BD, owner Dixit Patel welcomes the No ID No Sale! policy, adding that his staff often suffer abuse when refusing a sale:

“We often get youngsters trying to buy alcohol or cigarettes. It’s very difficult to tell their real age so we have to ask for ID. Unfortunately, customers without ID often become abusive so to prevent this we hand out a CitizenCard application form and tell them to get a card.”

Local MP for Hayes & Harlington John McDonnell strongly supports the No ID No Sale! message and urges all local shops to add their support:

“It’s important that the laws on alcohol and tobacco are upheld, and I’m pleased the legal age for alcohol and tobacco is now 18. There are stiff fines for shops that are caught selling to children. But I understand how difficult a No ID No Sale! policy can be to implement, and I welcome the opportunity for all youngsters here in Hayes & Harlington to get a CitizenCard. This will make their lives easier and in turn will help shop staff to stay within the law.”

Andrew Chevis, CitizenCard’s Chief Executive, added that CitizenCards are available for anyone in the population who needs to get a valid form of ID or proof-of-age:

“In the Hayes & Harlington area we already have more than 3,750 cardholders. The card is all about what people can do, not what they can’t. But we live in a world where you need to prove who you are, or how old you are. We are distributing application forms to as many shops in Hayes & Harlington as we can, but the public can also phone us for a form or visit http://www.citizencard.com and apply online.”

submitted by John on 11 Apr 2008 at 10:12