We’re Saying It… the C Word: Christmas Is Coming!

We’re Saying It… the C Word: Christmas Is Coming!

Christmas will be here before we know it, and for retailers and hospitality venues, that means one thing: it’s time to make sure your compliance and training are ready for the rush.

The festive season is one of the most exciting times of the year for customers and businesses alike. People are eating out more often, drinking more, staying out later, and spending more. Shops are busier, restaurants are packed, and as family and friends reunite, expectations are higher than ever for customer experience to be 10/10.

It’s a brilliant time for business but also a time when due diligence and compliance matter significantly.

The Christmas Effect: When “More” Means More Pressure

With the festive buzz comes greater pressure across every part of retail and hospitality.

Shops and venues see higher footfall and longer queues, while staff juggle constant questions, deals, and new product launches. In hospitality, seasonal menus and temporary staff can increase the risk of allergen mistakes, while busy bars, restaurants, and delivery services must maintain service quality under pressure. Beyond the high street, people are heading out to theatres, pantomimes, comedy shows, and corporate parties — meaning more venues, more events, and more responsibility to ensure safety and compliance.

Staff have more to remember, customers expect more, and everything moves faster. Amid the excitement, it’s easy for details to slip — but compliance standards can’t afford to.

What We Saw Last Year

Last Christmas, Serve Legal surveyed over 500 of our auditors about their festive habits as customers.

• 61% said they drink more alcohol in December
• 48% said they dine out or order in more often during the holidays

More sales and interactions mean greater opportunity, but also greater risk, unless teams stay trained, alert, and supported.

Key Areas to Watch This Festive Season

Age Verification: It’s not just about alcohol. Fireworks, certain beauty products, DIY gifts, and even energy drinks can carry age restrictions. Make sure your Challenge 25 policies are visible, active, and consistent.

At Serve Legal, we’ve seen consistently that clear Challenge 25 signage significantly improves compliance — whether it’s because customers are better informed or staff feel more confident to act. Support your teams to challenge customers appropriately and maintain standards, even when queues are long and the pressure is high.

Allergen Awareness: With festive menus, limited-time specials, and new or temporary staff, the risk of allergen errors naturally increases. It’s never worth risking a customer’s health for the sake of a quick sale or speedy interaction. Keep welfare at the forefront: ensure allergen information is accurate, accessible, and clearly communicated, and make sure every team member knows how to respond to allergen questions confidently.

Venue Safety & Welfare: The festive spirit sometimes goes too far, and venues must be prepared. If you promote schemes such as Ask for Angela, ensure staff feel confident in how to use them and understand their purpose in keeping guests safe. Maintain a strong culture of responsible alcohol service and proactive monitoring of customer wellbeing.

Safer Gambling: The festive season often brings increased spending and social gaming, which can heighten risky gambling behaviour. From pub fruit machines and Christmas raffles to online betting and festive casino nights, venues and operators have a duty to promote safer gambling practices.

That means clear signposting to support services, training staff to recognise when someone might be struggling, and ensuring all promotions are responsible and compliant. Encouraging moderation and offering help when needed not only protects vulnerable customers but reinforces your venue’s duty of care and reputation.

Customer welfare should always come first and during the festive season, that responsibility only grows.

Keeping Standards High When It Matters Most

Christmas is a time of celebration and opportunity, but it’s also when brand reputation, legal responsibility, and customer safety are most at risk.

The standards you follow throughout the year should remain just as strong, if not stronger, when the pressure is on. With the right training, policies, and support, businesses can deliver both great experiences and great compliance.

Make This Festive Season Merry and Compliant

Serve Legal works with retailers, venues, and hospitality operators across the UK to maintain high compliance standards through independent testing, auditing, and insight.

As customer expectations rise this festive season, make sure your due diligence rises too; because while Christmas only comes once a year, your reputation lasts all year round.

Learn more about how Serve Legal can support your compliance this festive season. Let us demonstrate the tangible shift we can make in your business; browse our service offering and get in touch with our team.