Strange Tesco Policy

kriss_boy

Did the checkout girl get this wrong?

My girlfriend and I are 25 and 26 years old.

When we attempted to buy a bottle of wine with our food shop we were asked for ID. I said I didnt have any but my girlfriend showed hers. The checkout girl said we were BOTH required to show ID. I explained she was paying for it but the girl said I didnt matter.

I offered to leave the shop but the girl said she couldnt sell it as we both tried to buy it.

I suggested we pay for the food and my girlfriend come back in and buy it separately to which the girl insisted that wasnt permitted either...

What a joke huh!!!!!

djb215

Sensible really.

Many retail staff are told to 'Think 25', so if the cashier wasn't convinced you looked older than 25 then they can refuse to serve you and your partner, you because they don't think you're old enough, and your partner (as daft as this may sound to you) because they would be buying the drink for you POTENTIALLY a minor.

I've worked in retail for a while and Trading Standards make regular checks on sales of knives, age restricted video games, gambling products - I had to refuse the sale of a poker table top and a set of poker chips because to two lads - one lad didn't have ID but the other did, one was 19 but the other didn't look much older than 15.

Retailers are having to check everything and enforce this heavily to ensure they are not done by Trading Standards.

kriss_boy

djb215 wrote: »

Sensible really.

No, not considering the circumstances. I offered to leave the shop... and given that my girlfriend proved she was 25, did the checkout girl really think it was possible I was only 17?

Even I was... what about parents with children? Does that mean a 40 year old mum cannot buy alcohol when her 15 year old son is there... or a toddler for that matter?!

I even pointed out our bank cards were the same joint account, that I had a credit card which proved I was over 18 as well as car keys to a car most kids couldnt get insured on!!

DVardysShadow

kriss_boy wrote: »

No, not considering the circumstances. I offered to leave the shop... and given that my girlfriend proved she was 25, did the checkout girl really think it was possible I was only 17?

Even I was... what about parents with children? Does that mean a 40 year old mum cannot buy alcohol when her 15 year old son is there... or a toddler for that matter?!

Welcome to Barmy Britain. People are not allowed use their intelligence, they just have to do whatever their stupid employer tells them

djb215

kriss_boy wrote: »

No, not considering the circumstances. I offered to leave the shop... and given that my girlfriend proved she was 25, did the checkout girl really think it was possible I was only 17?

She was only doing her job, she obviously thought that you looked young enough to require ID (some take it as a compliment :rotfl:) - if you've ever been/plan on going to the USA it's "Think 35" over there!
Leaving the shop wouldn't have made a difference because the cashier could still interpret it as her buying alcohol for you as a potential minor.

kriss_boy wrote: »

Even I was... what about parents with children? Does that mean a 40 year old mum cannot buy alcohol when her 15 year old son is there... or a toddler for that matter?!

There is a difference between a 40 year old mother or father (for example) buying the alcohol, because if they were buying the alcohol then the cashier could interpret that as either the parents buying the alcohol for themselves or the buying the alcohol for their children, which is the choice of the parent.

It's difficult to word, but because your partner isn't your parent, thus not looking like your parent/guardian for example then it could be interpreted that she is an older friend buying alcohol for her younger friend who looks like he's under 18!

Granted there's no way to prove that each 40 year old women with a teenager is the parent and not just a randomer off the street, but any decent adult would know that it's against the law to lawfully purchase alcohol for minors (yes in reality parents are breaking the law if buying White Lightning for their 15 year old )

kriss_boy wrote: »

I even pointed out our bank cards were the same joint account, that I had a credit card which proved I was over 18 as well as car keys to a car most kids couldnt get insured on!!

Did any of these have your photograph and date of birth on?
Bank/Credit Cards are not sufficient as proof of age because they may simply not be your cards! If you had a form of photographic ID with your credit card then the cashier could potentially have accepted that, but how would the cashier have known they were your cards and not somebody else's wallet that you borrowed/pinched?

Doesn't matter if the card is joint account or you have the keys to a luxury car, you simply had no photographic proof of ID with your age on.

I'd honestly just write it off as a lesson learnt and remember to carry your driving license with you in your wallet lol.

EDIT: She probably may have thought you look old enough but "all legal bases" must be covered - if Trading Standards get involved it's not a slap on the wrist and a telling off, it's serious trouble.

jamespir

kriss_boy wrote: »

Even I was... what about parents with children? Does that mean a 40 year old mum cannot buy alcohol when her 15 year old son is there... or a toddler for that matter?!

!

i got turned down buying alchol in tescos because i had my 5 year old with me i had id he obviously didnt but they wernt having any of it

djb215

jamespir wrote: »

i got turned down buying alchol in tescos because i had my 5 year old with me i had id he obviously didnt but they wernt having any of it

Unless you're a young parent that does sound a step too far...

sarahg1969

I wasn't just turned down. I was actually asked for ID for my daughter. She was wearing her school uniform. :rolleyes:

Meepster

Oh here we go again...

Claire_Bear

What does having your car keys with you prove? You can drive at 17, just because it was a fancy car doesn't make it acceptable ID, that's just silly. She wasn't going to turn around, risk her job and a hefty personal fine from Trading Standards just because you flashed your car keys at her. If you were driving did you not have your provisional/drivers license with you? When I worked in a supermarket you would always get someone clearly underage being served with someone over 18 who was buying loads of alcohol, and it was always obvious that they were just buying it for them. Rules like that have to be put in place to stop things like that happening, otherwise the supermarkets can get in massive trouble and get their license taken away. Next time just both make sure you have your ID with you, and you won't have any problems.

before_hollywood

i'm 28 and have to carry photo id, as i have to look well over 25 before i can buy alcohol in shops i will potentially be being refused alcohol at 35 if i dont

legal drinking age is 18