By Andy Young
Supermarket giant Coles has confirmed that its liquor stores in New South Wales will be running a trial of identification checks for anyone who looks under 40.
The off-premise industry currently runs by an ID 25 program, but Coles has decided to run this trial expanding the checked age bracket.
A spokesperson for Coles told TheShout: "Coles Liquor takes the responsible service of alcohol very seriously.
"To help our teams serve our customers responsibly, we are trialling an increased age limit for identification checks in NSW, under which our team will ask customers who they believe to be under the age of 40 for valid proof of age identification. Our aim is to strengthen our efforts to protect our community and our team members."
In New South Wales the current penalty for serving alcohol to anyone aged under 18 is a fine of up to $11,000 and/or 12 months imprisonment.
Terry Mott, the chief executive of the Australian Liquor Stores Association, told TheShout: "Our position is that we have ID 25 in place and that has been a well developed and well implemented campaign. It does however require that staff are trained and that staff understand the principle of why it's there and that they ask for ID; staff training is important to make it work.
"Whether it's 20, 21, 25 or 50 years old it's important that the message is properly sold to staff and that staff are properly educated in the way that they do it.
"We think it is important that whatever is implemented by any individual retailer is able to be executed and that a responsible approach is taken to ensure staff are adequately trained to make sure it works.
"I think it is important that there is no confusion with the ID 25 scheme and that consumers understand ID 40 is a particular company's approach and not the overall industry approach."