Rant about asda

PenguinJim

I once was buying a few things from Tesco that included a couple of vodka, and had a couple of friends with me. At the checkout I was asked for ID - no problem. I presented my ID (I was 26/27 at the time, my friends were some months older). My friends were then asked for ID. It was my shopping, for me, and they just happened to be with me, but the stupid cashier made the fantastically intelligent point that I might be buying alcohol for them. One of them didn't have ID. Service refused by idiot-woman.

A few years later I'd just entered the UK and not yet sorted out my wallet with my usual array of ID, but stopped at a Tesco (coincidentally enough) to pick up some odds and ends - this time with two friends who were younger than me (and both looked about 20! Damn them!). Ah, you're buying wine, but your friends don't look old enough, says the cashier. No problem, they say, and produce their ID that shows they're in their late twenties. But despite only needing ID because they looked young, and producing ID that showed that they weren't, probably-idiot-woman refused to serve us as I didn't have my ID on me. Partially my fault for not having ID, I know. But I looked much older than my friends who had ID - it just makes no logical sense, as if we were trying to scam the system, I'd have just let them pay by themselves.

In both instances I just had my friends take my car keys and load up the car while I walked back into the store and purchased the alcoholic items by myself, wasting a few minutes each time. Unsurprisingly, I wasn't asked for ID either time.

It's the inconsistency that irritates me. Do supermarkets really refuse to sell wine to parents who happen to have their baby with them? Because if not, then it's simply prejudice. Rules should be applied fairly.

I didn't lose any sleep over it, and I'd forgotten about both incidents until reading this thread, but I'm glad it's reminded me not to shop in Tesco if I'm with anybody else, because the staff are idiots.

hgotsparkle

amibovvered wrote: »

Really? I'm 57 and only have a paper licence. The majority of my friends and acquaintances are in the same position. In fact, I personally don't know many people who do have a photo driving licence!

About 9/10 of the transactions I do at work mean having to see ID, and as a driving licence is more likely to be on you than a passport, thats what I'm presented with majority of the time and I have to say, I only encounter a paper licence every few months. And this is going on 1000+ transactions per week.

quidsy

We live in a society where for certain things you need photo ID, if you chose not to get one for whatever reason, that's your call, just don't b!tch about it when you can't buy something because a company has exercised their right to request photo ID. Simples innit?

hgotsparkle

quidsy wrote: »

We live in a society where for certain things you need photo ID, if you chose not to get one for whatever reason, that's your call, just don't b!tch about it when you can't buy something because a company has exercised their right to request photo ID. Simples innit?

Thank you!! :T

Azari

OlliesDad wrote: »

I'm not sure that would be providing a better customer service though. The two scenarios are:

Scenario 1 (as it is without this referral system) - Customer wants to buy alcohol but operator is not sure they are old enough (and does not want to risk a criminal record) and the customer does not have ID.. the customer leaves slightly miffed.

Scenario 2 (with your suggested referral system) - Customer wants to buy alcohol but operator is not sure they are old enough (and does not want to risk a criminal record) and the customer does not have ID.. customer is miffed but sent to the customer service desk, customer waits 5-10 minutes for the duty manager.. duty manager then arrives and is also not sure they are old enough (and does not want to risk a criminal record) so they also refuse the sale.. customer leaves fuming.

I don't think that would happen.

I think these situations are extremely rare (i.e. people over thirty being thought under 25) and it is very unlikely that two people in the same shop would get it wrong.

The main disadvantage I can see to the referral system is that you'd get so many under-age idiots 'trying it on' once they knew about it.

System

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

BEST KNOWN. No ID card is more widely recognised by retailers than CitizenCard. The card’s PASS hologram (endorsed by the Home Office, Police and Trading Standards) gets you access to what you’re entitled to.

Do you notice that it says 'more widely recognised' so no guarantees there

System

quidsy wrote: »

We live in a society where for certain things you need photo ID, if you chose not to get one for whatever reason, that's your call, just don't b!tch about it when you can't buy something because a company has exercised their right to request photo ID. Simples innit?

In which case there is definitely a case for a National ID card to be carried by all. You can not rely on a method of ID that is not being used for its intended purpose or is not open to all.

Not all people are entitled to apply for and hold a driving licence.
Not all people are willing or can afford to shell out £100 for a passport especially if they have no intention of travelling abroad
The much vaunted Citizencard is not as universal as they would like to think and holds absolutely no legal standing.

Some towns have even brought in their own 'ID' cards. How fragmented can things get.

quidsy

Not all people are entitled to apply for and hold a driving licence.

Jus FYI, anyone old enough to drive can apply for a photo provisional license.

But anyway, my point was, this is what some companies require before agreeing to sell certain products to YOU. Therefore YOU have the choice to either 1) not buy said products or 2) get some ID

The choice really is yours.

gik

Azari wrote: »

Er, yes, that was rather the point.

...and as per usual YOU missed the point completely and disappear.

powerful_Rogue

Azari's idea in action!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1YCRuSCpWc