Nine out of 10 staff working in local shops feel uncomfortable asking shoppers for proof-of-age, trade magazine Retail Newsagent reports.

As local shops depend on sales of price restricted products for footfall, this must represent a lot of unhappiness. The solution, expert Mike Denby suggests, is to train staff. Your people know the law, he says, but they often do not know the consequences of not following it.

Context is always important. You need to coach your people in what could happen to your business and their job if they serve under age people.

Good local retailers have a process: they teach new staff the rules, and the refresh all staff at regular intervals. Create an environment in which your staff can be successful. The more confident they are, the fewer problems they will face in asking for proof-of-age.