Videos & DVDs
All videos, with certain exemptions, must have been submitted to the British Board of Film Classification| (BBFC). This board will either give the video a certificate or refuse classification.
A videotape or DVD is classified with regard to all the material on it. For example, trailers for other films would be considered in the overall classification.
It is an offence to: supply, offer to supply or to have in possession for supply, any video that has not been classified. The maximum fine for these offences is £20,000 per tape or disc.
Categories of classification
U - Universal: suitable for all
Uc - Universal: particularly suitable for children
PG - Parental Guidance: some scenes
unsuitable for young children
12 - Twelve: not to be supplied to any person below twelve
15 - Fifteen: not to be supplied to any person below fifteen
18 - Eighteen: not to be supplied to any person below eighteen
Restricted 18: to be supplied only in licensed sex shops to persons eighteen years and over.
The maximum fine for selling or hiring an age-restricted video to someone who is under that age is £5,000.
Exemptions
Works which are solely designed to inform, educate, instruct, concern only sport, religion or music or comprise only a video game are all exempt from classification unless they contain scenes of a violent or sexual nature. Some producers of videos display an E to show that they are exempt, but this is not a legal requirement.
Labelling requirements
You need to check the labelling of both:
the tape/disc: this must have the appropriate symbol on top of the spool or on one face of the disc (double sided discs must have the letters 'UK' before the classification letter)
the case: this must have the appropriate symbol on its front and spine (unless one of the dimensions of the spine is less than 2cm), and a label that includes the symbol and an explanatory statement on the reverse side.
If you transfer tapes/discs into library cases, you will need to have those cases labelled in accordance with the regulations. You do not have to label the front of a transparent library case if the label on the cassette or disc is clearly visible through it.
The maximum fine for selling or hiring out incorrectly labelled videotapes or DVDs is £5,000 per item.
Keeping within the law
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check current stock and see that all videos have been classified
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check new stock for labelling
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make sure that tapes and discs are in correctly marked cases both with the appropriate symbol and with the symbol and explanatory note
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always observe any age restrictions on the recording and make sure your staff do so too.