ACS cautions retailers on counterfeit alcohol

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has asked retailers to beware of counterfeit alcohol during the festive period.

The note of caution comes in the backdrops of reports indicating the smuggling of counterfeit goods into the UK targeting the Christmas market.

The ACS has reminded retailers to only work with Alcohol Wholesale Registration Scheme (AWRS) registered wholesalers and to take seriously any complaints regarding the difference in the expected taste, smell or look of a product.

“It’s essential that retailers only work with suppliers and wholesalers that are registered under the AWRS scheme. Counterfeit alcohol is not only damaging to legitimate retailers, it’s also potentially harmful for consumers. We urge retailers to report any suspicious activity to the relevant local authority,” James Lowman, the ACS chief executive, said.

Darren Davies, head of the Food Standards Agency’s national food crime unit, added: “Fake alcohol is harmful to public health. We urge all retailers to be vigilant and only purchase stock from registered suppliers. Any concerns around the authenticity of a product must be reported to your local authority or to the brand owner displayed on the label.”

Noting that there have been instances of independent retailers being targeted with counterfeit products, the ACS has urged retailers to ensure the below steps when buying alcohol:

• Use the Online Look Up Service to check if a wholesaler is registered
• Check the Unique Reference Number on the wholesaler invoice. The URN will be made up of four alpha characters and 11 numeric characters.
• Due Diligence and Record Keeping. You must be able to demonstrate to HMRC that you requested a wholesaler’s URN and checked its authenticity. You can do this by printing off the webpage after checking your wholesaler’s URN.

Retailers are also encouraged to report suspicious activity to their local authority.