Over 18s horror movies sold to 13 year old child

Children as young as 13 years of age are able to buy Certificate 18 horror movies from stores in Northern Ireland

This was one of the findings of a survey of retailers here, carried out by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s Trading Standards Service (TSS).

The survey tested how well retailers are complying with the law on under-age sales of DVDs and games. It involved TSS supervised visits by two children, aged eleven and thirteen, to a range of outlets in Belfast, Newtownabbey and Ballymena, including major high street retailers, supermarkets, convenience stores and small independent outlets.

The results show that in one out of four shops, the children were able to buy DVDs intended for sale only to 15 or 18 year olds.

In the worst examples, the 13 year old child was sold DVDs which were classified as being for sale only to those aged 18 or over, because of their strong violent content. Two of these were the well-known horror movie “Saw IV” and the gangster movie “Smokin’ Aces”. Both contain scenes of a violent nature and strong language.

The Video Recordings Act 1984 makes it a criminal offence to supply DVDs and some computer games to a person below the age marked on the classification label.

Kerry McAuley from TSS said: “While these results show some evidence of improved compliance compared to a similar survey carried out last year, it remains totally unacceptable that any children should be able to purchase such unsuitable material.

“While many of the premises visited have good systems in place to prevent such under-age sales, it is obvious that some other traders are not so diligent.

“As a result of our findings, we have issued warning letters to those traders who breached the law and investigations are continuing in respect of a number of traders who were previously warned for breaching the legislation. We will also be carrying out follow-up visits to these stores in the future.”

If consumers have a complaint regarding under-age sales of DVDs or games or require further advice, they should contact Consumerline on 0845 600 6262 or 028 9025 3900, or alternatively, online at www.consumerline.org.

Notes to Editors:

1. The survey was conducted between 26 and 28 August 2008.
2. The survey included visits to a range of premises in Belfast, Newtownabbey and Ballymena. In all, 23 premises were visited and it was found that in six of those premises either a DVD or game bearing an 18 or 15 classification label was sold to an under-age child. In 2007, 33 premises were visited and it was found that in 11 of those premises either a DVD or game bearing an 18 or 15 classification label was sold to a 12 year old boy.
3. The Video Recordings Act 1984 regulates the supply of videos works, which includes videos and DVDs, to the public. Unless specifically exempted by the Act, they have to be legally classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). They must then be labelled in accordance with the specific requirements of the Video Recordings (Labelling) Regulations 1985. The Act creates a number of offences. Section 11 of the Act makes it a criminal offence for a retailer to supply or offer to supply a video work to a person below the age specified in the classification.
4. Under the Video Recordings (Labelling) Regulations 1985, the classification label must include specific wording, which includes reference to the fact that the work is not to be supplied to a person below the age displayed by the classification symbol. For example, in the case of an 18 classification, the symbol must be accompanied by the wording, "Suitable only for persons of 18 years and over. Not to be supplied to any person below that age."
5. Some games are exempted from the requirements of the Video Recordings Act. However, they can lose that exemption, for example, if they contain violence against realistic human figures. There is also a voluntary pan-European rating system, the PEGI system, which can be applied to games which are exempted from the requirements of the Act. However, all the games purchased in the survey carried either the 18 or 15 BBFC classification labels.
6. The Act and the Regulations made under it are enforced in Northern Ireland by the Trading Standards Service of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
7. For media enquiries please contact DETI Press Office, telephone 028 9052 9591. Outside office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.