Supermarkets to ban acid sales to under 18s

Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons and The Co-op have agreed to ban sales of corrosive substances to customers under 18 years old.

The supermarkets have signed up to the Government’s voluntary ban that applies to cleaning products containing more than a certain threshold of corrosive chemicals. These products are likely to include some drain unblockers, paint strippers, patio cleaners and limescale removers.

The Government is still planning a mandatory ban on sales to under 18s. The ACS said a mandatory ban with legal consequences for those that break it would be “a better approach than attempting to ask retailers to voluntarily age-restrict corrosive substances.”