Minimum Age to Buy The Sun

rdwarr

Just got back from a trip to the big Sainsbury's at London Colney (next to M25 J22). Seemed a good store with friendly staff and lots of bargains (including the £59.99 DVD Recorders etc.).
On checking the receipt later I noticed that there was a note to the cashier to check my age as over 16 prior to buying The Sun! Is that a policy shared with other shops?
Personally I have no problem with my children reading the paper as there's nothing of contention in it. I'd be more concerned about selling children The Mail which (IMO) IS hugely offensive and wonder if the age check extends to that rag too? I don't think The Mail should be sold to anybody below the age of 50

plonky_2

I always cover the offending rag up with any other tabloid that happens to be next to it

mdeebee

I think it's to do with the free DVD inside - up here in Yorkshire we have Arnold Whatshisface in Conan the Adventurer or somesuch.

webhamster

pretty sure it is to do with the dvd , but heres the conundrum what about paper deliverers?

internetuser_2

its the conan dvd that was free with it

the latest offical xbox 360 mag had a 15 rating on the front due to the game demos on the dvd

mum26

funnily enough our reciept for thursday asks the same thing for us buying the guardian! and no dvd or clothing challenged slappers in there!

Trow

Is it just me that reckons that the Sun should have a disclaimer not to be sold to anyone OVER the age of 16 due to threat of brain rot.....






(only kidding, honest!)

rdwarr

I could sort of understand it if there had been a DVD (but when did you last see one that was Cert 16?), but we had no freebies at all this week. Even the picture of Little Mo on the front of the TV Mag (in truth I only buy papers according to their Little Mo coverage) was smaller than usual.
When I was a student (25 years ago) I thought the Sun was the lowest of the low and that it couldn't be classed as a "newspaper". I didn't like Benny Hill either. Apart from what the paper did with their Hillsborough coverage it now ranks amongst the best. Most people really are more interested in what's hapening in Albert Square than what's going on in Iraq.

rammy007

my son has had exactly the same problem today in morrisons he wanted to buy the star for the free football stickers and book in it but they wouldnt sell it him i had never heared of this before so i thought it must be cos of all the boobs in it i would be very interested to know the correct legal position on this myself

freebie_junkie

yesterday me and my fella went to sainsburys i got a few groceries and he added a bottle of ale. the cashier asked me for id (i dont look my age which is 22, but my fella looks older than 23 which he is) my fella said "which one of us?" and she said both so we both showed our id. i asked why we were both asked and she said "you cant have a minro with you if youre buying alcohol" so i asked her "what if a family comes shopping and has a little kid in the trolley would you refuse to serve them?" and she (cheeky cow) said "its about my discression, i have to make sure teenagers arent buying alcohol for each other!" i said "oh right so we look like kids then?" and teh silly cow said "yes"! like i said befor ei often get asked for id but my fella never does coz he looks a lot older than what he is, so what the hell was she going on about?!

grrr!

Tom125

I think the only reason is because of dvds, which are certificate 12, 15 or over (although sometimes perhaps the age restriction is left on by mistake). I think anyone can (legally) buy any of the main tabloid newspapers, regardless of age.

Personally I kind of agree with Trow (and Gizmoleeds)! I don't actually read any of the tabloids myself because I think they are largely so sensationalist and hypocritical. In my opinion all they are good for are: (1) free dvds and (2) coupons that scan at Tesco!!!!