Firework safety comes first

In the UK, the sale of fireworks is legally restricted, which means they can only be sold to individuals over a certain age. This restriction is enforced by Trading Standards and is designed to protect young people, reduce health risks and prevent anti-social behaviour.

Different age restrictions apply to the various types of fireworks available, depending upon their ‘F’ category, which categorises them based on their intended use, hazard level and how they perform. See The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 for more information.

It is your responsibility to keep within the law and not supply fireworks to those under the minimum legal age.

The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 prohibit the supply of F4 fireworks to the general public.

The Regulations prohibit the supply of F2 (outdoor use – confined areas) and F3 (outdoor use – large open areas) fireworks to any person under 18. The regulations prohibit the supply of F1 (indoor use, low-hazard, low-noise – party poppers and so forth) fireworks to any person under 16.

An exception is made for Christmas crackers, which must not be supplied to any person under 12. Caps for toy guns are exempt from fireworks legislation, as they are covered by the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011.

Where F2 and F3 fireworks are supplied or exposed for supply in any premises, a notice must be displayed in a prominent position in those premises, no less than 420mm by 297mm (A3), with letters no less than 16mm high, giving the following information:

IT IS ILLEGAL TO SELL CATEGORY F2 FIREWORKS OR CATEGORY F3 FIREWORKS TO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 TO POSSESS CATEGORY F2 FIREWORKS OR CATEGORY F3 FIREWORKS IN A PUBLIC PLACE.

Retailer responsibilities and preventative measures

Retailers have a legal duty to ensure that neither they nor their staff sell age-restricted products to anyone below the minimum legal age. To comply with the law and prevent illegal sales, businesses should implement the following measures:

● Staff training: provide comprehensive, documented training on underage sales to ensure staff are competent and aware of their legal responsibilities.

● Age verification checks: always ask young customers for proof of age (valid ID such as a passport, driving licence or PASS-accredited card). If a customer cannot provide acceptable proof or if there is any doubt, do not proceed with the sale.

● Operate a Challenge 25 policy: if a customer appears to be under 25, staff should request valid identification before completing the sale.

● Clear signage: display prominent posters informing customers of legal age restrictions for specific products. This serves as a deterrent to underage customers and a reminder to staff.

● Till prompts: use electronic point of sale (EPoS) systems to provide automatic age-restriction alerts for relevant products. This can help prevent accidental sales.

● Maintain a refusals register: keep a record of all refused sales, including date, time, product and reason for refusal. This demonstrates compliance and helps monitor trends in underage purchase attempts.

For more information, visit the Business Companion website: https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/underage-sales/fireworks-age-restrictions