Retailers are reminded to heed new regulations surrounding the sale of fireworks this Halloween and Bonfire season, which started on 15 October and runs until 10 November.

All retailers who are licensed to sell fireworks must now keep a record of where they sourced them from for 10 years.

The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 place a new duty on all ‘economic operators’ to keep records of firework transactions throughout the supply chain. This includes vendors that sell fireworks onto other businesses.

The new regulations also affect in-store signage. The old statutory signage for Garden Fireworks’ and ‘Display Fireworks’ has been replaced by new signage for F2 and F3 Fireworks.

The new signage, available from retailers’ local trading standards or fire authority must read:

  • 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

Tony Allen, managing director of training provider Underage Sales also urged retailers to refresh staff training and maintain rigorous underage sales prevention policies.

“It is illegal to sell fireworks or sparklers to people under the age of 18,” he said. “Cracker snaps, indoor fireworks, novelty matches, party poppers, gunpowder, serpents and throwdowns can all be sold to any person over 16 years of age. These are now category F1 fireworks.

“Retailers should also note that Christmas crackers can only be sold to people over 12 years of age,” he added.

Bonfire Night 2015 is on Thursday 5 November. For more information visit www.underagesales.co.uk