'Schoolboy Trader' - Is it Illegal?

GreatAuk

GreatAuk

GreatAuk

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-15249686

A young entrepreneur who said he was inspired by The Apprentice has been suspended from his healthy eating school for a week for repeatedly selling sweets.

Tommie Rose, 12, said he made up to £200 a day selling chocolate and fizzy drinks to fellow pupils at Salford's Oasis Academy.

He was warned he was breaking a healthy eating policy, but continued to trade.

The school said it encouraged "entrepreneurialism" but the boy had breached school rules.
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Rather than thinking about this 'healthy eating policy', I was wondering about the legality of this business. Firstly, If he 'made' upwards of £100 some days, but has only been in operation since September, he probably hasn't reached any tax/NI threshold, but I'd always assumed there are regulations on having to register a business, and I'm assuming he didn't. -Are there? Using school property as a shop when it has clearly not been given permission to also sounds and bit off.

Also, I thought there were regulations on certain information having to be displayed on the packaging of food you buy, that isn't listed on multipack items. - Are there? I know if you prepare food you have to have some hygiene certificate, but I presume that as the food will still have been in a wrapper this doesn't apply.

Anyway, good for him making money out of sugar addicted kids who don't know the worth of the change in their pocket, but I was just surprised that this kind of business isn't breaking more than a school healthy eating policy.
 
Your OP shows all sorts of what is wrong with this country and how much of a litigious nation we have become. He's twelve, he's making some money. I doubt that he's made £200 a day, but that's immaterial. He should be commended for his spirit. Hopefully teachers embrace it and him and nurture his skills so he can prosper in life.

I made a killing selling glow sticks at my school.
 
SuBsTaNcE said:
When I was at school I did the same with cigarettes, Made around £20-£30 a day easily, the kid isn't doing anything wrong
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Oh I sold cigarettes also. I also hardly ever paid for my weekend boozing sessions from 3rd year. I was one of the few people who would get sold booze in the offies so I would buy for other people. My only policy was, I don't buy people younger than me spirits and I only take notes. My change policy was dependent on who you were.
 
You're worried about the (lack of) tax contributions from £200/day form a 12 year old, yet state there is much wrong with the country for other reasons?

Mind. Boggles.
 
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i used to sell pie from hamptons.

they had a deal buy 4 for £2, i would then sell for £1 each.

bring in 12, sell 11 keep 1 for dinner.
 
According to my old man back in the day when he was at secondary school the students volunteered to run the tuck shop which he did up until the school had to close it not sure why but afterwards eventhough there was no tuck shop they kept the trade up they just had to move outside and fund it themselves he says it was quite a money maker or so he thought at the time.


I used to sell collectables(Pogs, Stickers, Pokemon cards etc...) They had a higher profit margin than cigs or sweets especially the rarer ones!
 
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LeJosh said:
50p a cigarette!
I made a killing.
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Was just going to say some kids in my school used to sell cigarettes in my school for 50p each and they'd buy the cheapest/nastiest cigs as well and they'd go like hotcakes :p

That was back when smoking legally was 16 years old. Just imagine the profit now :eek:

It's tragic that I've seen kids as young as 12-13 years old smoking, I still get ocassionally asked by young teens to buy them fags as well, there not even smart about it either. They stop and ask you infront of the off license windows :rolleyes:
 
When i was at school( only last year) i would get peope to buy fags oversea's then id sell them in school, 5'er a 20 deck and 8 quid for a 50g :) made a fair bit!
 
People sold sweets at my school. I was a nasty **** and when this one guy wasn't looking I stole his 'stock' form his bag :D

I don't smoke but in my sixth form they are really reinforcing that you have to be 500ft from the school to smoke and threatened with taking pictures and sending them to there parents :p Like that is going to stop them.
 
rexehuk said:
Take their money and walk off :D teach them a lesson.
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I imagine the teens of today would probably then attempt to stab your/get their parents on you or somebody hard who they know. :p

And mattjd, my college is decent. They actually treat you decently, the smoking area has a shelter and everything. I don't smoke, and it's nowhere near any of the rooms or anything. But they wouldn't threaten to tell your parents, that's just pathetic. :p
 
I used to sell Trident chewing gum in Year 9, made like £30 a day for a couple of weeks. There is someone in my year currently that sells drinks and chocolate and makes maybe £40 a day? What I'm trying to say is - there are probably thousands of kids selling food etc daily in their school, this kid really isn't doing anything special. All this publicity and claiming he's an entrepreneur or the next Alan Sugar is pretty comical. Selling a few sweats at lunch means absolutely nothing in the long run.
 
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