Challenge 25
About Challenge 25
Challenge 25 is the proof of age scheme, created by the Retail of Alcohol Standards Group, to eradicate underage sales of alcohol in the UK.
The scheme was designed to assist checkout staff when making decisions on whether a sale of alcohol could be made. In the UK it is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 18 years and making a decision on whether a person is over this age is a difficult one so C25 was created to provide checkout staff with a clear buffer zone within which proof of age should be requested. The basic premise of the scheme is simple: if a person is buying alcohol and they look under 25, proof of age should be requested. If proof of age cannot be provided the sale must not go ahead.
Today the scheme is routinely applied to many other age restricted items including tobacco, knives, lottery tickets and painkillers. Whatever age restricted product it is applied to, the basic premise remains the same.
Adopting Challenge 25 is an outward indication of a business’s commitment to the responsible retailing of alcohol and other age restricted products.
By adopting Challenge 25 and displaying C25 materials in and around store you:
- Help to further reduce the number of underage sales in the UK.
- Set the tone of your business by clearly communicating that you take your social and legal responsibilities seriously.
- Set the expectations of customers, clearly indicating that proof of age may be requested.
- Help deter minors from attempting to purchase age restricted items.
- Empower staff by providing them with the knowledge, confidence and support they need to make a challenge. Managers are trained to not overrule staff once a challenge has been made.
- Provide staff with a valid reason for making challenges. A simple poster acts as a prop, indicating the stores age verification policy. Having C25 materials near checkouts may help to divert unwanted behaviour away from the staff member making the challenge.
In England and Wales, businesses must have an age verification policy relating to their premises when selling alcohol. C25 is a way for businesses to satisfy this legal requirement.
In Scotland, C25 is a compulsory requirement for all licensed premises selling alcohol.
Training
We offer free online training on how to adopt and apply the C25 scheme to any business that sells alcohol.
Our training has no legal standing and is by no means exhaustive.
Completing our training and adopting the recommendations may contribute to any ‘reasonable precautions’ and ‘due diligence’ defence if alcohol is sold to a minor. However, it does not confer immunity from enforcement action should offences be committed. Businesses must ensure that they are aware of all legal requirements expected of them when selling alcohol and other age restricted products
Challenge 25 materials
Our Challenge 25 materials have the support of our Primary Authority trading standards partners at Salford City Council, on behalf of the Greater Manchester Regulatory Centre of Excellence, and the Shared Regulatory Services of Bridgend, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Our materials for use in England and Wales have been endorsed by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC).
The benefits of using official RASG C25 materials are:
- They are industry approved, clear and consistent designs.
- They are nation specific so that businesses can be confident that the text is correct for their part of the UK.
- They are an instantly recognisable message that a premises operates Challenge 25.
- They are suitable for all age restricted products, not only alcohol.
- They provide staff with the confidence to make challenges.
- They are free for anyone to download. A lot of other businesses will charge for the posters. None of these are linked to RASG.
