Sainsburys refused to sell OH a bottle of wine

frugallass

fluffybunnies wrote: »

How are the shop assisstants supposed to 'know' that the youngster is son/daughter?

cos the adults tend to have a trolley load of shopping and the teenagers aren't walking around with the adults for an hour and a half to buy a 4 pack of Boddingtons

I have occasionally bought alcohol for my 17 year old daughter - she drinks it at home, which she is entitled to do - not all teens are irresponsible and immature when it comes to drinking

we're not 'bashing' the till staff but surely they have to use their common sense - or is that removed when they put on their uniforms

nearlyrich

Rikki wrote: »

Personally if I had my 14 year old with me, I would put the wine or other alcohol on first and if they refused to sell it to me, I would leave all my shopping for them to put back.

Just me.

#

Not just you I would do the same, I am 48 with a DD 22 and DS 24, if I go shopping withthem and they or I don't have ID we can't buy alcohol? I think not we are all over 18!

Cazza

I can see why the rules are there, but there's got to be a little bit of common sense too. When does a child become a problem in terms of selling alcohol to their parents with a weekly shop? Is it only teenagers? I've not seen any official polices in any supermarkets, whilst they do usually have a notice up about the "Think 21" or "Think 25" policy

Some friends of mine, a married couple aged 28 and 30, recently tried to buy wine with their shopping - they were refused by the SA, they believed he was old enough but she didn't have any ID on her :rolleyes:

vikingaero

The question is: What would you do in the shoes of a supermarket cashier? Sell the alcohol and hope the parent is responsible and not a chavscum that gives booze to their children, because of course you know every stranger - or risk a fine, criminal record and loss of job?

pandas66

vikingaero wrote: »

The question is: What would you do in the shoes of a supermarket cashier? Sell the alcohol and hope the parent is responsible and not a chavscum that gives booze to their children, because of course you know every stranger - or risk a fine, criminal record and loss of job?

plenty of parents allow their under 18 a drink or 2 without them immedietly becoming chavscum:rotfl::rotfl:

I allow/have allowed both of my lads to drink before 'age', now 1 is over age, I do feel less chavlike

So on completing a full shop at Mr S's (or wherever) and I get refused to be sold any alchohol then they would have a trolley full of food perishing :T cos I wouldn't spend a penny with them.

Amanda65

fluffybunnies wrote: »

How are the shop assisstants supposed to 'know' that the youngster is son/daughter? Try to have some sympathy for the people who you are bashing and don't judge anyone until you have done their job

So what do you suggest - that every family carries photo ID and birth certficate to prove parentage !!! Could prove a real problemwith step-families

I am not 'shop assistant bashing' at all - I have worked in a shop and do know that not everyone is honest however my husband is a respectable looking 48 year old, my daughter was dressed very smartly as she had just been for an interview and I think that common sense really should have prevailed here.

And when a store manager chases you through the shop yelling at you, I think I actually have the right to pass judgement

Amanda65

vikingaero wrote: »

The question is: What would you do in the shoes of a supermarket cashier? Sell the alcohol and hope the parent is responsible and not a chavscum that gives booze to their children, because of course you know every stranger - or risk a fine, criminal record and loss of job?

In that case, no shop assistant would ever sell alcohol to anyone who had someone with them under 18 - how absolutely ridiculous.

MrsE_2

fluffybunnies wrote: »

How are the shop assisstants supposed to 'know' that the youngster is son/daughter? Do you ever think about the amount of lies that are told to us regarding age restricted sales? I know most of them from smoking when i was under-age.

At the end of the day it is not just the store that can be fined but also the individual shop assisstant - worse case scenario they can be taken to court and fined up to £5000 and get a criminal record if they make a sale to someone underage.

Try to have some sympathy for the people who you are bashing and don't judge anyone until you have done their job.


Incidently; trading standards say that the only acceptable forms of id are passport, photo driving license or a photo id card with the pass mark on it - the store should have a poster displayed to this effect.

But does the law say an adult can't buy a bottle of wine if they have a child with them?

Amanda65

MrsE wrote: »

But does the law say an adult can't buy a bottle of wine if they have a child with them?

No what they say is that if the assistant believes the alcohol could be for the consumption of a minor they can refuse to sell it and this is part of my problem - my husband advised the assistant and the manager that the bottle of red wine was not for our 16 year old daughter and basically they were saying that he was a liar :rolleyes:

tripled

fluffybunnies wrote: »

How are the shop assisstants supposed to 'know' that the youngster is son/daughter? Do you ever think about the amount of lies that are told to us regarding age restricted sales? I know most of them from smoking when i was under-age.

Legally it is only an offence to if the sales assisstant 'knowingly allows anybody else to deliver to an individual aged under 18 alcohol sold on relevant premises'. So if someone comes through and says it is for their own consumption it is irrelevant whether the person with them is actually a relative or not. In fact, the purchasor is the one commiting the offence if he passes it on to people under age.

At the end of the day it is not just the store that can be fined but also the individual shop assisstant - worse case scenario they can be taken to court and fined up to £5000 and get a criminal record if they make a sale to someone underage.

They weren't actually making a sale to someone underage in the OP's situation.

Try to have some sympathy for the people who you are bashing and don't judge anyone until you have done their job.

I didn't see anyone 'bashing' cashiers in this thread, people were saying it was ludicrous that you can't buy booze with your kids with you, which I agree with. I've worked part time in shops and bars on and off for twelve years, so that clearly qualifies me to comment under your criteria.

Incidently; trading standards say that the only acceptable forms of id are passport, photo driving license or a photo id card with the pass mark on it - the store should have a poster displayed to this effect.

The trading standards institute doesn't say this, however most (if not all) trading standards bodies do list those as the acceptable forms of proof. There is nothing legally to stop a retailer accepting other forms, such as an MOD card, provided "the evidence would have convinced a reasonable person". It is understandable though that retailers are reluctant to accept anything that isn't on the trading standards list.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030017_en_10#pt7-pb4
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/advice-business-sfsum1.cfm