The warning comes as sales of televisions surge in the run-up to the World Cup this summer.
TV Licensing spokeswoman Jessica Ray said: 'With football fans across the UK warming up for the World Cup, we expect TV retailers will find themselves busier than usual. However, regardless of how busy they are, retailers need to keep up with their notifications if they want to avoid the risk of prosecution and a large fine.'
Tesco and Woolworths have been working with TV Licensing to develop point-of-sale notification systems. Tesco has cut 300,000 paper notifications a year and Woolworths achieved 100 per cent compliance within the first two months of implementing the new system.
In October 2003 Woolworths was fined£14,400, plus£1,350 in costs by Wimbledon magistrates when it failed to notify TV Licensing of TV sales. Later the same month, supermarket chain Asda was fined£3,600 plus£1,350 in costs by Brighton Magistrates Court.
Retailers are legally obliged to notify TV Licensing of the name and address of every customer that buys a TV, PCTV, set-top box, video recorders, DVD recorder or TV card.
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