In the lead-up to fireworks season, Trading Standards Officers in South Lanarkshire are visiting local retailers to ensure they are following rules designed to keep the public safe.
The team are undertaking covert test purchases in the 34 premises registered to sell fireworks across South Lanarkshire, working with volunteers between the ages of 16 and 18. The exercise is designed to boost consumer safety and tackle anti-social behaviour by enforcing both the age restriction for sales, and the time period in which fireworks can legally be purchased in Scotland – between 7am and 6pm.
Councillor Robert Brown, Chair of Community and Enterprise Resources at South Lanarkshire Council, commented: “We are very encouraged by the responsible stance taken by our retailers in past years in not selling fireworks to under 18s, and we want to make sure that continues.
“By undertaking a programme of regular visits, we can be sure that each registered premises is up to date with the law on how to store these dangerous substances, and who they can and cannot sell them to.
“Ultimately, our advice to them remains – if there is any doubt about the age of a potential customer, refuse the sale. There is no room for error. The potential for anti-social behaviour, and indeed, serious injury, is huge when dangerous explosives fall into the wrong hands.
“Our approach to this issue is about putting safety first. By doing this we want to ensure that residents enjoy this time of the year without accident or incident, whether they choose to take part or not.”
There are four times each year when registered traders can legally sell fireworks. These are:
- Three weeks before and one week after 5 November
- New year: 26-31 December
- Chinese New Year – four days before and including the day itself – normally late January/early February
- Diwali – 1 November (This year within the standard sales period)
Retailers can only sell outside these periods if they apply for and are granted a more extensive licence.
