Expired ID - not proof of age?

System

I never got ID'd until a few days after my 23rd birthday. I graduated 8 months previously and bought booze in shops and bars in the student areas. The shops did ID some students as nearby there was a 6th form college.

I'm now 35 and still get ID'd from a couple of shop assistants at two stores near me. I avoid those two and the last time, I joined a queue for a till and the cashiers were swapping over as it one of their breaks - to the girl that IDs me. Then noticed a bottle of spirits in my trolley - she ID'd me. I'm not too sure if these cashiers are unable to tell people's ages well or over zealous with the policy. Everyone I know does think I look younger than my age, but not early 20s.

System

slashlover wrote: »

At work, I've also had someone who was trying to use their older sisters old ID to buy alcohol.
'.

Similarly, I had someone use their elder brother's ID for trying to buy cigs. I knew it wasn't him as his nose was different, I asked him for his date of birth. The lad said 1968 (his brother's year of birth was 1998). Plus the birthday was wrong too. I replied very young looking 48 year old before the manager who was nearby escorted him off the premises.

parkrunner

What would have happened if OP had already opened the bottle and had a quick swig of the wine? I'd be willing to bet they would have taken the money then, even if it meant getting the manager.

Rosemary7391

The thing is, if you don't sell alcohol to someone who can legally buy it, the worst that happens is they get stroppy and make a fuss. If you make a mistake in the other direction, and sell alcohol to someone underage, or who is buying for someone underage, there are a whole host of potential problems, starting with a fine that'll wipe out that shift's earnings pretty quickly. It goes downhill from there! So it's no wonder that cashiers are very cautious. Customers who dislike that could perhaps campaign for a change in the law rather than yell at folks who can't change it?

parkrunner

Rosemary7391 wrote: »

The thing is, if you don't sell alcohol to someone who can legally buy it, the worst that happens is they get stroppy and make a fuss. If you make a mistake in the other direction, and sell alcohol to someone underage, or who is buying for someone underage, there are a whole host of potential problems, starting with a fine that'll wipe out that shift's earnings pretty quickly. It goes downhill from there! So it's no wonder that cashiers are very cautious. Customers who dislike that could perhaps campaign for a change in the law rather than yell at folks who can't change it?

But there is no law stating you can't purchase alcohol in a shop with a child in tow or indeed with another adult who doesn't have I.D with them, that is just the policy of some retailers.

teddysmum

As a teenager, I used to hate it when people didn't believe my age (unless I was using a bus and could get away with half fare,which was for up to age 14) , but the benefit is at the other end, when people don't believe I'm in my late sixties.


My younger son has the same trait, as in his mid-twenties, he was refused some matches, for his barbeque, by a Co-op store. Luckily, he had his mum with him, so I had to go in and vouch for his age.


The girl who served him was very amused as she had the same 'problem' herself. However, it would appear that there is no age restriction on the sale of matches; just lighter fuel.

esuhl

parkrunner wrote: »

But there is no law stating you can't purchase alcohol in a shop with a child in tow or indeed with another adult who doesn't have I.D with them, that is just the policy of some retailers.

That's exactly what I don't understand.

Especially given the fact that the OP's toddler wasn't ID'd. Either it's illegal to sell to parties where anyone is under 18, or it's not.

parkrunner wrote: »

What would have happened if OP had already opened the bottle and had a quick swig of the wine? I'd be willing to bet they would have taken the money then, even if it meant getting the manager.

Maybe they'd call the police and report you for breaking the law. Isn't it illegal to breach the licence conditions by consuming purchased alcohol on the premises?

Or maybe they'd argue that they can't sell you the alcohol as it would break the terms of their licence as they can't sell for consumption on the premises, and that therefore they would have to deal with it as theft as the sale could not be accepted.

slashlover

parkrunner wrote: »

What would have happened if OP had already opened the bottle and had a quick swig of the wine? I'd be willing to bet they would have taken the money then, even if it meant getting the manager.

This would be illegal as a shop only has an off premises licence and drinking on site is not allowed.

A toddler shouldn't be cause to suspect a proxy sale. An underage person pointing/choosing the alcohol, money changing hands, buyer getting a lot of alcohol with a crowd of underagers in tow etc. is reason to suspect a proxy sale.

Norman_Castle

I've never been asked to prove my age. I had a tattoo at 15 with no questions asked. I've always been old enough.

OP. The shops policy is probably for ID to be current for it to be accepted. Its a simple rule that avoids mistakes or misinterpretation.

Rosemary7391

parkrunner wrote: »

But there is no law stating you can't purchase alcohol in a shop with a child in tow or indeed with another adult who doesn't have I.D with them, that is just the policy of some retailers.

No, but if I remember correctly, the punishments are very similar for selling directly to someone underage and knowingly selling to someone who is buying on behalf of an underage person. This is why shops are so cautious about it and what drives these policies. They don't want the fine and the employees concerned don't want the criminal record/to lose their license to sell alcohol.