A Birmingham shop has been fined £1,000 after selling a bottle of WKD to a 16-year-old during a test purchase operation. The sale took place at the Premier convenience store on Alum Rock Road, and the case was brought by Birmingham City Council’s trading standards team.
The shop, operated by a company called Alum Rock Mini Market Ltd, was also ordered to pay £500 in costs and a £100 victim surcharge, making a total of £1,600. The incident came to light after a test purchase was carried out in February this year, when a volunteer aged 16 was able to buy the alcoholic drink without being asked for identification.
Court hearing and penalty
Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard that the sale was made by an employee who did not request any proof of age. The court was told that the shop had previously been visited by trading standards officers as part of a wider campaign to tackle underage alcohol sales.
The company pleaded guilty to the offence of selling alcohol to a person under 18. In addition to the fine and costs, the court ordered that the premises licence be reviewed, which could lead to further restrictions or even revocation if similar breaches occur in the future.
Impact on the community
Councillor Barbara Dring, the council’s cabinet member for neighbourhood management, said: “Selling alcohol to anyone under 18 is a serious offence, and we will not hesitate to take action against businesses that break the law. This fine should serve as a warning to other retailers that we are actively monitoring compliance.”
The test purchase operation is part of an ongoing initiative by Birmingham City Council to reduce underage drinking and its associated harms. The council has urged all licensed premises to ensure their staff are trained to check ID and to operate a robust age verification policy.
