tesco 14 year old cashier challenged me about wine

CharlieRabbit01

I'm wondering is the issue people are having with being Id'd any of the following:

1. Just dont think they should be as clearly over 18/21/25
2. Offended that someone might think they look younger
3. lack of available ID
4. just feel the need to complain about something
5. Other (please specifiy)

Azari

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

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.

That was not what I was talking about. I've already said they should not be criticised for asking anyone who is purchasing alcohol for their 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.

Again, I said that it is reasonable to refuse to sell alcohol to someone if you have grounds to suspect they are buying it for someone who is under age.

My point was that they should not (and, evidently given the very small number of complaints about this, do not), cast the net too widely.

In reality, this is a bit of 'sticking plaster for a broken leg' situation. All that will happen if someone is trying to buy alcohol for under age drinkers is that they will go somewhere else this time and be more careful next.

I take your point, though, about people being afraid of the law, particularly if it has been applied over zealously in the past.

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.

I was not commenting on that aspect. In fact, for the most part, I wasn't even commenting on the OP's case at all. I was mentioning a case where the 'buying for someone else' rule had been applied in a rather ridiculous manner.

Cycrow

The store i worked in was very strict with this.
A cashier who makes a mistake could potentially ruin their whole life.
In many stores, alcohol is one of the biggest earners, and a store losing thier licence could potentially mean the store not making enough profit and more staff losing thier jobs.

Thats why they have to be extra careful

kathrynha

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

I'm wondering is the issue people are having with being Id'd any of the following:

1. Just dont think they should be as clearly over 18/21/25
2. Offended that someone might think they look younger
3. lack of available ID
4. just feel the need to complain about something
5. Other (please specifiy)

For me 1,3 and 5
I look at least 30 so shouldn't be asked.
I am old enough that my driving license is a paper one, and they won't accept that because it has no photo, and it's a hassle taking my passport as I keep it in the safe at my parents. I have no other ID that on it's own has a photo and age.
And for other, why do you have to look 25 to buy alcohol, when the legal age is 18? Also why did Asda ask for ID for Schloer? The laws are clear, 18 to buy, 5 to drink it, who gave the shops the power to enforce additional laws. I sometimes have to shop with my 7 year old daughter with me. Why should I be stopped from buying alcohol because she is with me because I might give her some when she is legally old enough to drink it?

CharlieRabbit01

I think availability of ID is key and would make the whole thing easier if we all had photo driving licences.

It takes no time to flash you photo-card at the same time as getting out your bank card or cash.

It is annoying having to carry your passport with you, which I will have to do for the next 3 weeks whilst I wait for my driving licence to be sent back to me.

mattyprice4004

kathrynha wrote: »

For me 1,3 and 5
I look at least 30 so shouldn't be asked.
I am old enough that my driving license is a paper one, and they won't accept that because it has no photo, and it's a hassle taking my passport as I keep it in the safe at my parents. I have no other ID that on it's own has a photo and age.
And for other, why do you have to look 25 to buy alcohol, when the legal age is 18? Also why did Asda ask for ID for Schloer? The laws are clear, 18 to buy, 5 to drink it, who gave the shops the power to enforce additional laws. I sometimes have to shop with my 7 year old daughter with me. Why should I be stopped from buying alcohol because she is with me because I might give her some when she is legally old enough to drink it?

How old you look is an opinion, if the cashier feels they need to ask then they will. It's their job on the line.

Not their fault you have an old driving license. How do they even know it's you, and that you haven't borrowed it from a friend?

You have to look 25 to account for the fact some look older and some younger than they really are. I used to get served at 16 every time when the 'think 25' policies weren't around, but got ID'd last week and I'm nearly 25 now.

They shouldn't have asked for ID for Schloer, however of course they may not have known it's non-alcoholic.

Who gave the shops additional power to enforce additional laws, you ask? The answer is simple, they don't have to serve you anything. If someone got a cob on with me when I worked on the tills, I'd void their transaction and have them escorted out of the shop. Shops are not legally obliged to sell you anything, and they don't have to give you a reason why they won't. It's their choice.

Hope this answers your questions!

aileth

To be honest, the body in charge of policing shops selling to the underage should send an undercover child shopper to my local shop. They couldn't give a rats a*se in there and I'm almost certain that slob parents send their spawn there to pick daddy up some special brew and the assistants don't bat an eyelid.

Heck, the fines they could make from the shop would probably be enough to clear the national deficit.

DCodd

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

You have to look 25 to account for the fact some look older and some younger than they really are.
!

You don't have to look 25, you only have to look 18 or over. That is the law and there is nothing within any licensing guidence notes that says otherwise even though they do encourage a 21 or over policy it is not mandatory. It is the shop's policy only.

Technically the cashier is not responsible either. The "responsible person" as defined in the Act is the person to whom the purchaser should look 18 or over. Again the cashier carrying the responsibility is the shop's policy.

maninthestreet

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

I'm wondering is the issue people are having with being Id'd any of the following:

1. Just dont think they should be as clearly over 18/21/25
2. Offended that someone might think they look younger
3. lack of available ID
4. just feel the need to complain about something
5. Other (please specifiy)

I've been able to buy alcohol legally for 32 years now.
I expected to get asked my age when buying alcohol at the age of 18, 19 or even 20, but not now at the age of 50! There is no way on God's earth I could be anything other than signifcantly older than 18, 21, 25 and 30, so why the flipping heck am I being asked for ID when I attempt to buy alcohol in a shop???

JimmyTheWig

DCodd wrote: »

You don't have to look 25, you only have to look 18 or over.

No, you have to _be_ 18 or over.
The ways they have to ensure someone is 18 or over are
(a) ID to show they are 18 or over
(b) They look over 25.

They could look over 25 but actually be 20. That doesn't cause a problem.