Nearly all convenience stores in the UK sell water. So should they then be expected to offer refills of water to customers for free? The short answer is, no. Retailers are not required to provide water free of charge for customers on request. Only businesses that sell alcohol for consumption on the premises are required to provide free water.
With more and more people carrying refillable water bottles in a bid to do their bit to protect the environment, it’s not just becoming harder to know what to do, but also what feels right.
If you decide to offer water refills to customers, there are two main ways to do this.
- Refill from tap behind the till – A member of staff can take a customers’ container and fill it up from a tap somewhere behind the till.
- Providing either a tap or facility on the shop floor – This way, customers can fill up their bottle themselves. Retailers offering this service should be aware of any spillages, which could be a health and safety risk.
The ACS has released a full guide for retailers about water refills. The guidance sets out the different ways that retailers can provide a water refill service in store, as well as highlighting some of the challenges of offering this service, especially for stores where there is only one member of staff behind the till.
