tesco 14 year old cashier challenged me about wine

aileth

vuvuzela wrote: »

One of my friends got ID'd when I was with him 2 years ago. He is currently 38 (and, like me, looks it !). Another friend is over 40 and due to her diminutive stature, still regularly gets ID'd.

My OH is 30 and (with respect) looks his age. He regularly gets ID'ed. I am only 5 foot, 25, and people have said I look younger. I never get ID'ed!

CharlieRabbit01

stephen77 wrote: »

some store have policy to ask everyone regardless of how old you look.

Far older people have had to give their ID. I am talking about 70 year olds.

Tesco does have such a policy or at least it did when I worked there.

Its just as embarrassing for the person asking.

CharlieRabbit01

Azari wrote: »

I seem to remember someone here who had been refused alcohol because his girlfriend, who was with him, didn't have any ID. As mentioned, above, the shop's management backed up this rather ridiculous decision.

I say ridiculous for three reasons:

1) If you were buying alcohol for someone under age you'd most likely not have them accompany you to the checkout.

2) This policy could see someone who was asked by a minor, in sight of the cashier, something completely unconnected, refused service.

3) It would mean that no parent could ever purchase alcohol if they were shopping with their children.

Having a robust alcohol policy is a good thing but it should be realistic and not applied arbitrarily.

Generally the policy is: If you have reason to believe they are purchasing alcohol to be consumed by the person or persons (including those who are with them) who are either under aged or unable to provide appropriate ID you can refuse the sale.

CharlieRabbit01

Azari wrote: »

I think backing them up when they make a decision that they cannot be sure someone is over 25 is absolutely correct (unless you have prior knowledge that you can share with them).

But when they start completely changing the rules to include people who you happen to be with (or, by extension, people who they suspect you may be with), it's going a bit far.

It's also very bad for business because if people think that whether they get served is a lottery they will take their custom elsewhere.

Unfortunately the law means shops have to be strict, if you have a secret shopper come in who you see talking with underage customers and then sell them alcohol you can be fined. As you have just sold alcohol to a person who you suspect could be purchasing it for someone who is underage.

hellzbellz

Lou67 wrote: »

34 and mistaken for someone not old enough to buy alcohol? OK then! Not sure I believe that! :rotfl: Can't believe the cashier is 14. Tesco would not employ anyone that age.

well i really don't know what to say to this without being offensive. perhaps a Craggy mug like Gordon ramsey means you don't get id requests lol

but anyway by way of update i went back an hour later with id to the same gentleman and purchased my wine.

he apologised profusely and i assured him there was no need he was only doing his job!

studies show that those aged under 21 often mistake people for being younger than they are. can't quote them or cite them properly from my phone but it is interesting!

i will carry id always now just in case !

Azari

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

Unfortunately the law means shops have to be strict, if you have a secret shopper come in who you see talking with underage customers and then sell them alcohol you can be fined. As you have just sold alcohol to a person who you suspect could be purchasing it for someone who is underage.

I do not believe, for one moment, that that is what the law implies.

If it were, as I said earlier, it would be impossible to buy alcohol if you were shopping with your children. And it would mean that should a cashier happen to notice you for an instant as some ~15 y/o asked you if you knew where the cat food was you would not be allowed alcohol.

Given that the number of people who have mentioned this happening is absolutely microscopic compared with the number of people who buy alcohol it seems fair to assume that such a bizarrely strict interpretation of the law is very rare.

If the cashier sees you in a huddle with a group of teenagers who pass you a tenner, then, yes, fair enough, they have every reason to be suspicious, but merely being accompanied someone who is under 25 is not a sensible reason to refuse service.

dodger1

Nick_The_Greek wrote: »

don't take your child with you for heaven's sake or you'll never get served (can't serve you sir in case it's for the child - i then point out that the child is 3 and my grandchild - sorry sir it's company policy)

pawsies wrote: »

Technically this shouldn't have happened. It's only illegal if you said to your child 'why don't we try some wine tonight' or something equivalent.

Which company is this? Strange policy.

Asda in Totton did this a few years ago.

CharlieRabbit01

Azari wrote: »

I do not believe, for one moment, that that is what the law implies.

If it were, as I said earlier, it would be impossible to buy alcohol if you were shopping with your children. And it would mean that should a cashier happen to notice you for an instant as some ~15 y/o asked you if you knew where the cat food was you would not be allowed alcohol.

Given that the number of people who have mentioned this happening is absolutely microscopic compared with the number of people who buy alcohol it seems fair to assume that such a bizarrely strict interpretation of the law is very rare.

If the cashier sees you in a huddle with a group of teenagers who pass you a tenner, then, yes, fair enough, they have every reason to be suspicious, but merely being accompanied someone who is under 25 is not a sensible reason to refuse service.

The key point to remember though is the cashier is just doing their job and cannot risk losing it because some people are offended by being asked for ID.

My local Tesco express has been fine because they sold alcohol to some one who was clearly purchasing it for someone who was under aged.

Unfortunately like most things people have become afraid of the law and the repercussions of interpreting it incorrectly and therefore make their own rules tighter than maybe they need to be.

The other issue with the situation the OP was in is that the person selling the alcohol was unable to sell it due to being under-age themselves so would have been following protocols as set out by Tesco.

kathrynha

I'm 36 and in the last year I've been asked by Morrisons and Asda for ID for buying alcohol as part of a full weekly shop. Asda even asked for ID once for a bottle of Schloer. I accept that I don't look 36, but I definately look over 25.

Now I have swapped to shopping at Aldi and never been IDed. I benefit because I can shop without taking my passport with me and my shopping bill has halved. Morrisons and Asda are losing out on £100 from me

delain

shop-to-drop wrote: »

Just take it as a nice compliment. How urgent can a bottle of wine be?

That would depend on the sort of day the OP had!