Tesco wins recognition from BII

Written by Claire Weekes

Friday, 15 August 2008

Tesco has become the first off-trade retailer to be recognised by the British Institute of Innkeeping's awards body (BIIAB), for tackling under-age sales through its staff training scheme.

The supermarket giant has been recognised under the new BIIAB Good Practice Recognition Scheme (GPRS), for its Think 21 training programme, which trains staff on the consequences of selling alcohol to minors.

Tesco licensing manager, Greg Bartley said: "Tesco was the first major retailer to adopt a Think 21 policy - and this is now an industry standard. We take our responsibilities towards the sale of alcohol extremely seriously and continue to dedicate substantial resources to improving our Think 21 policy and supporting our staff in tackling underage sales.

"We are very proud to receive this recognition of our training programme from BIIAB and it is a testament to all the hard work that our staff have put into making this policy a success."

Cathie Smith, director of BIIAB, added: "We are delighted that Tesco sought the endorsement of the leading provider of licensed retail qualifications for its training policy. There's no doubt that the BIIAB brand can add credibility and real value to the programme and demonstrate that it conforms to good quality industry standards.

"It's a challenge for any retailer to ensure that policies which deal with underage alcohol sales are adhered to at all times. Tesco has invested a considerable amount of time and money in establishing a robust training programme and takes its commitment to responsible operating very seriously."

The GPRS scheme is designed by the BIIAB to offer formal recognition for in-house training programmes. As an officially recognised organisation, Tesco can use the BIIAB GPRS logo.