A CASH & CARRY business in Leicester has been ordered to pay £10,000 for failing to verify the age of someone purchasing a knife.
Kooners Cash & Carry Ltd, of St Saviours Road, Leicester, failed three test purchase attempts in the last four years.
Test purchases identify businesses that fail to verify age and sell to underage children. A young person - often a police cadet - attempts to buy a knife in a shop. If the sale is completed, the business commits an offence.
Last week (7 January 2026), at Leicester Magistrates Court, Kooners Cash & Carry Ltd pleaded guilty to offences under section 141a of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 in relation to sale to a child. They were fined £6,000, and ordered to contribute £2,000 towards prosecution costs with a further £2,000 victim surcharge.
Trading Standards manager Ronald Ruddock said: “Failure to comply with age verification laws can result in significant penalties, including fines, licence revocation, and potential legal action. Ensuring compliance is not complicated and not only avoids these consequences but also promotes responsible retailing and community safety.
“Legally, both the business owner and the staff member who sold the knives may be held accountable. Kooner’s Cash & Carry had previously received advice and guidance around age-restricted sales of knives so it was disappointing that they did not implement measures to avoid this from happening again.”
Leicester City Council’s Trading Standards team works with Leicestershire Police to regularly investigate age-restricted sales of knives as part of Operation Sceptre, which targets knife crime.
In the past year (is that correct?), Leicester Trading Standards officers have issued 11 formal warning notices to businesses and 32 letters of good practice. Larger retailers are visited as well as local businesses.
ENDS