Legislation exists to help to prevent a range of potentially dangerous/anti-social products being accessible to young people. The products regulated with age-restrictions include alcohol (minimum age 18), cigarettes (18), fireworks (18), knives (18), aerosol paint (16); in recent years trading standards officers have carried out education and enforcement work in all of these areas.

The number of illegal sales has been decreasing over recent years

In future children posing as potential purchasers of restricted items may not tell retailers their correct age. The intention is to force the retailer to ask for proof of age

The report can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/age-limit-sales-enforcement