Budgens pantomime for alcohol

Ivrytwr3

believe that it is to indicate that you are claiming to be over 18

So what's wrong with:

"Sir, Are you over 18?"

"Yes"

Job done!

RadoJo

I completely agree, but if you press the button, presumably it registers somewhere so it is not a case of one person's word against the other. I do know that cashiers can face fines for selling alcohol to minors, so maybe this is some way of protecting them from liability?

Either that, or this particular branch of Budgens are participating in a 'caught on camera' style TV prank to see how many people will press a button just for being asked!

dangeroussports

Yup.

I wonder if the people who had pressed the button would also sweep up if asked too? That'll be funny for a home vid

kuohu

It might be a test of faith. If you don't press the button then something bad will happen.

melancholly

kuohu wrote: »

It might be a test of faith. If you don't press the button then something bad will happen.

have you been watching lots of lost then!! (but i haven't seen series 3 so don't reply with any plot line giveaways - how stupidly paranoid am i lol)

Aliss

What if you're deaf?

"Please press the bell"

Ok...


"Thank you, here's your five-litre pack of vodka". Cue existental paranoia...!

Biggles

I think I might be going for, "Read that? Without my glasses? Sorry, I can't see it". And I certainly wouldn't press a bell to confirm reading something I was unable to read, would I? So, ball back in their court.

I plan to include at the very least a bottle of beer every time I shop, even if I don't want one!!

kr15snw

Biggles wrote: »

I think I might be going for, "Read that? Without my glasses? Sorry, I can't see it". And I certainly wouldn't press a bell to confirm reading something I was unable to read, would I? So, ball back in their court.

I plan to include at the very least a bottle of beer every time I shop, even if I don't want one!!

Exactly what I was going to say! Just tell him you cant see the sign and then see what he says

Altarf

kr15snw wrote: »

Just tell him you cant see the sign and then see what he says

That he won't sell you the beer.

The penalties for selling age restricted products to underage customers have increased. All that is happening is that the large retailers are bringing in procedures that keep them out of court, and don't rely on anybody making any guesses about age.

I was reading about some Co-Op stores bringing in a similar system, except that the customer was asked to press a green button if they were over 18 or a red button if they were under 18. If the green button was not pressed then the till would not sell the goods.

The way Trading Standards operate to catch retailers selling age restricted products to underage customers is to use underage child volunteers, but they are given the strict instruction that they must tell the truth to any question asked. So if the retailer asks if they are over 18 they must say no, or in Budgens case refuse to press the bell, or in the Co-Op case press the red button.

So it may seem stupid when you ask an 80 year old to press the bell if they are over 18, but it stops them being prosecuted.

Biggles

Altarf wrote: »

That he won't sell you the beer.

<snip>

I was reading about some Co-Op stores bringing in a similar system, except that the customer was asked to press a green button if they were over 18 or a red button if they were under 18. If the green button was not pressed then the till would not sell the goods.

That's OK, I won't actually be wanting any beer ;-)

I have slightly less reservations about pressing a button that actually does something. But in the Budgens case, it really does just seem to ring a bell. No more, no less. Moreover, a bell that nobody takes any notice of. If it does do more, they'll have to tell me about it ;-)