Thousands of teenagers are able to buy alcohol and cigarettes by snapping up fake IDs off the internet for as little as £10, according to a survey of 1,200 youngsters.
The research, by software company Clarity Commerce, said half the young people interviewed had attempted to buy alcohol and about 20% of teenagers had fake ID, usually in the form of UK or foreign driving licences.
Proxy purchasing remains a big problem, with 45% admitting they have asked older brothers, sisters and friends to buy them alcohol and 20% managing to borrow ID to buy booze.
Clarity Commerce claimed ID schemes have “had their day” and the retail trade needed to use technology in the battle against under-age sales.
Andrew Chevis, chief executive at CitizenCard, said demand for proof-of-age cards was growing, but he acknowledged there were plenty of fake ID cards available as well.
He urged retailers to ensure they did not sell to under-age teenagers and said they should look for the PASS hologram on proof-of-age cards.
“There hasn’t been a single incident where a fake card has been seized with a fake PASS hologram,” he said. “They [retailers] should accept a PASS card before anything else.”
