‘Show Me ID – Be Age Ok’ campaign highlights high standard of compliance

THE 2024 ‘Show Me I.D – Be Age OK’ national campaign was launched this week showing the country’s largest responsible retail training programme.

The launch coincides with the Easter holidays, encouraging retailers and hospitality staff across the country to maintain high standards of compliance in-store around age-restricted products, which include alcohol, tobacco products, lottery tickets and vaping products.

The theme of this year’s campaign concerns the extra vigilance required around vaping products, in response to the ban of these products for minors in late December.

Failure to comply with the new legislation can result in fines of up to €4,000 or up to six months in prison. Retailers are also being advised to prepare for the possibility of underage test purchasers being sent from the HSE to verify compliance with the new laws.

Retail and hospitality staff are encouraged to complete the ‘Show Me I.D – Be Age OK’ online training module, which quizzes users on potential situations they are likely to encounter in a trading environment.

This includes questions on what is best practice when a minor attempts to purchase an age-restricted product or when an unacceptable form of identification is provided at the point of service.

The training platform can be easily accessed on a computer, phone or tablet, making it a useful resource for staff to ensure they are trading responsibly.

Coinciding with the launch is the commencement of a month-long competition period, in which any retail or hospitality staff member who completes the training module can enter a competition to win a €100 One4All gift card. ‘Show Me I.D’ will run a concentrated social media campaign over the next month,  calling for the sector to stay up-to-date with the do’s and don’ts around age-restricted products.

Speaking at the launch in Regan’s SuperValu Firhouse, Mayor Alan Edge said:“I am proud to launch this year’s ‘Show Me I.D – Be Age OK’ campaign nationwide today, shining a light on the responsibility incumbent upon retailers to protect minors in local communities from alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets and vaping products.

Given the two-week school break for the Easter holidays, this is an important time for retailers and traders of age-restricted products to stay vigilant and maintain high standards of compliance.

The online training module at the forefront of this campaign is a brilliant resource for staff, helping them remain compliant with the new legislation for vaping products.

There are serious consequences for traders who fail to comply with the legislation, so I would urge all traders nationwide to incorporate the training module into their staff training processes to protect not only their business but their local communities as well.”