The Show Me I.D – Be Age OK Autumn campaign has kicked off, with Deputy Mayor of Limerick City and County Councillor Dan McSweeney promoting the responsible retail training initiative at Roche’s MACE store on Thomas Street, Limerick City. The campaign coincides with the return of the school year, emphasizing the importance for retailers to ask for proper identification if a minor attempts to purchase age-restricted products such as alcohol, tobacco products and lottery tickets.
The Show Me I.D – Be Age OK campaign encompasses an online training module which places users into hypothetical situations they are likely to encounter in a retail environment, including what to do when a minor attempts to purchase any age-restricted product or when an unacceptable form of identification is provided.
In conjunction with the launch, retail and hospitality staff can enter a competition to win a €100 One4All voucher after completing the training course. Show Me I.D is also encouraging the use of the hashtag #DontFallforFakes to promote vigilance against fake or counterfeit I.Ds that may be used to bypass the strict laws around age-restricted products.
The Show Me I.D campaign has also been supported in 2023 by the Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne TD, President of the Vintners Federation of Ireland Councillor John Clendennen and former Mayor of South Dublin County Councillor Emma Murphy.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Deputy Mayor of Limerick City and County Councillor Dan McSweeney said at the launch, “empowering our local retailers to ‘Be Age OK’ is not just a campaign; it’s a commitment to safeguarding our youth. By asking for identification when selling age-restricted products, we’re ensuring that our community’s well-
being takes precedence over profit. With the return of the school year, we’re encouraging retailers to remain aware of what the acceptable forms of identification are, and to register the names of individuals who are refused at the point of service in the Show Me I.D refusals register.”
Mark Ryan, Store Manager at Roche’s MACE, Thomas Street said, “we’re delighted to be the retailer representative of the Autumn Show Me I.D campaign. The ‘Show Me I.D – Be Age OK’ campaign isn’t just about compliance; it’s about protecting the young people in our community. The online training course provided by this campaign has been brilliant in boosting our staff’s confidence in ensuring that age restrictions are enforced consistently and effectively. Asking for I.D isn’t just a policy; it’s a promise to prioritise safety and responsibility in every transaction.”
For more information about the campaign and to access the free training module, please visit the Show Me ID website: www.showmeid.ie
