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Original poster

Waitrose age ID check is bugging me

381 replies

Mothership4two · 14/09/2023 05:43

I was is a smallish busy Waitrose (not my usual shop) with DS (25) and I bought 6 bottles of (not cheap) wine, a box of chocolates and a handful of day to day food items. At the till I put the items on the belt and bagged them while DS stood waiting by the end. The cashier didn't put the wine through and asked my son for ID. I was a bit confused and told her that this was MY shopping (I'm in my 50s and sadly do not need ID). She ignored me and asked for his ID again. When I repeated it was my shopping she said it was company policy - other than that she was pretty uncommunicative. So DS went out to the car to fetch his ID and there was a bit of grumbling from the couple waiting behind who then went off to find another till. DS came back and she put it through without a word.

I wasn't grumpy with her, I was just neutral, paid and left. It was irritating but we weren't particularly outraged and had a laugh about it in the car. DS said he hasn't been asked for ID in years (he looks his age) and that no "youngster" would be spending £70+ on wine for a party. We thought it was odd though.

I know there are much bigger things going on in the World to worry about, but it has bugged me since then. I know the cashier isn't a mindreader but it was pretty obvious it was my shopping and very obvious that DS is an adult. And also what happens if you go around with your 16 year old child or younger and happen to buy alcohol, would Waitrose then refuse to let you buy it? I'm sure that happens in supermarkets up and down the country all the time - buying alcohol when parents are shopping with their children. I understand that supermarkets have to have a policy for not selling alcohol to childen via others but it was patently obvious that was not happening. The whole thing doesn't make sense.

AIBU and has anyone else been put in a similar postion?

OP posts:
Morgysmum · 15/09/2023 21:10

I haven't, but a friend I know, had trouble with painkillers. She is old enough, but looks young, she went shopping with her elderly mother, who has mobility issues at the self service till, she scanned her mums shopping as mum couldn't do it but got asked for ID as she pointed out, it wasn't her shopping but her mums. The woman said, but you scanned the shopping, friend pointed out her mother's illness and said she cannot scan it or put money in the slot, the woman wouldn't let my friends mum buy the painkillers, because her daughter didn't have her ID on her. My friend was annoyed, as mum needed them. My friend who is a carer, was frustrated as she is old enough age wise, she just doesn't look it.

Danielle9891 · 15/09/2023 21:12

This is normal. My dad couldn't buy his beer at Morrisons once as my sister was with him. She was 14 at the time and it wasn't for her but the cashier wouldn't have known that.
I got asked for ID when I went shopping in asda with my mam once. I was 26 and had ID luckily.

whynotwhatknot · 15/09/2023 21:14

problem is this is what theyre told to do-could be mystery shoppers testing them

it is silly but think about it from their point of view-i dont know anyones ages anymore-some people look really young these days

AmberMcAmber · 15/09/2023 21:33

Lidl refused to sell me (36) and my mum (59) paracetamols because we were talking in the shop and ‘how could she know if we were going back to the same house’?

I offered to show her my ID with different address and pointed out that I could just run my mum over/her me if that’s what we intended to do/ there are literally thousands of ways to achieve that outcome but she was set.

i asked her to show me the company policy where it stated that you can’t bump into people in a shop when buying restricted items… she couldn’t

so we don’t shop at lidl now…. Tbf I didn’t much before but my mum

I also have a 2yo and have never been asked for ID or refused alcohol because they have been with me during the shop… would be different if I was buying a crate of beer/alcopop type stuff and they were a teenager maybe but I’d be annoyed with that too!

ILoveEYFS · 15/09/2023 21:55

I was out with a group of scouts. I went into waitrose to buy an energy drink. They refused to serve me because I had under 16s with me. I'm 50 🤷‍♀️

LoveBluey · 15/09/2023 22:09

This winds me up no end. If I take my 2 year old shopping with me I will be allowed to buy whatever I want but if I took my 17 year old niece suddenly I wouldn't be able to. I'd obviously just make her wait out of sight while I paid but it's ridiculous.

Rosebel · 15/09/2023 22:25

Isn't it think 25 now? So if you think someone is under 25 you ask for ID. As your son is 25 then it's quite likely he could be asked for ID.
I don't go shopping with my teenagers if I'm buying alcohol as they aren't over 18 so I could be refused service.
I often wonder at what age children is seen as a possible consumer. I have brought alcohol with my 3 year old present so is it a certain age where service is refused or have I just been lucky.

chicken12 · 15/09/2023 22:32

Unless you work or have worked in retail with age restrictions get over it they need there job

GirlOfTudor · 15/09/2023 22:43

That's the law. It's not the shop assistants choice.

This is one of the most middle class problems I've seen on here in a while. Shopping in Waitrose and buying wine that you HAD to comment wasn't cheap 😂😂

MsCactus · 15/09/2023 22:52

My family all look incredibly young. My older brother was with my mum once and she bought a magazine you had to be over 15 for (or something) he was over the age but the guy on the till refused to give my mum the magazine because he said it was for my brother and would not believe he was old enough (even though he was).

I've also had people "not believe" my valid ID when buying alcohol because I look young. We're English and on holiday in New York my mum got carded and refused to be served because she didn't have ID - she does look young for her age but she was in her 50s at the time, so she doesn't look THAT young.

IMO it's ridiculous.

Original poster
Mothership4two · 15/09/2023 22:59

If you read my posts @GirlOfTudor you would see that I said I don't normally shop at Waitrose. I would expect booze bought for underage kids would be cheap - hence my "not cheap" comment. Sorry I didn't explain in more detail as I thought it was obvious.

From reading other's comments on here it doesn't appear to be a "middle class problem" as it happens in other supermarkets and with other products. In my opening OP I did say there are more important things going on in the World but it bugged me afterward as it didn't make sense to me. I have been informed on here that once she asked she had to follow through.

OP posts:
Nomad916 · 15/09/2023 23:03

Does this mean I can't buy wine with my groceries if my 15yr old DC is with me? 😵‍💫

Original poster
Mothership4two · 15/09/2023 23:16

@roseinthedark

Is your branch in a university or college town? One of my branches was. We had to be very hot on ID check, especially situations that outwardly looked like yours. Early 20’s looking people accompanying others that they may have asked to buy alcohol for them.

No a small market town in a fairly rural area but does have a private school and a secondary school so maybe they get school children doing that?

She shouldn’t have been so uncommunicative though - you can fire off a complaint/suggestion about that if you want.

No I wouldn't do that unless someone was really rude (and am not that bothered about what happened anyway) as it was very busy and I guess she was hassled.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mothership4two · 15/09/2023 23:20

@Pandor

The easy solution if an adult is buying alcohol and is accompanied by someone who is an older teen/looks under 25 would be for the cashier to ask the customer to confirm that they are buying the alcohol for themselves and not on behalf of anyone under the age of 18.

Assuming the customer says yes the cashier could then log that they carried out a verbal check and in the absence of any reason to believe the adult customer was lying they proceeded with the sale.

That would be a sensible way around it if it were possible

OP posts:
WotsitsMadeIn1927 · 16/09/2023 00:03

Mothership4two · 14/09/2023 05:43

I was is a smallish busy Waitrose (not my usual shop) with DS (25) and I bought 6 bottles of (not cheap) wine, a box of chocolates and a handful of day to day food items. At the till I put the items on the belt and bagged them while DS stood waiting by the end. The cashier didn't put the wine through and asked my son for ID. I was a bit confused and told her that this was MY shopping (I'm in my 50s and sadly do not need ID). She ignored me and asked for his ID again. When I repeated it was my shopping she said it was company policy - other than that she was pretty uncommunicative. So DS went out to the car to fetch his ID and there was a bit of grumbling from the couple waiting behind who then went off to find another till. DS came back and she put it through without a word.

I wasn't grumpy with her, I was just neutral, paid and left. It was irritating but we weren't particularly outraged and had a laugh about it in the car. DS said he hasn't been asked for ID in years (he looks his age) and that no "youngster" would be spending £70+ on wine for a party. We thought it was odd though.

I know there are much bigger things going on in the World to worry about, but it has bugged me since then. I know the cashier isn't a mindreader but it was pretty obvious it was my shopping and very obvious that DS is an adult. And also what happens if you go around with your 16 year old child or younger and happen to buy alcohol, would Waitrose then refuse to let you buy it? I'm sure that happens in supermarkets up and down the country all the time - buying alcohol when parents are shopping with their children. I understand that supermarkets have to have a policy for not selling alcohol to childen via others but it was patently obvious that was not happening. The whole thing doesn't make sense.

AIBU and has anyone else been put in a similar postion?

Should they get spot checked with a mystery shopper, the consequences can be severe enough for them to lose their jobs, massive fine or can result in a prison sentence.
The cashier asked your son in case it was a proxy sale (buying age restricted products for people under age). However, she still should have served you with some manners.
when I was around 34, my husband (36) and I were buying some alcohol for a family members birthday, they asked me for ID, obviously I wasn’t expecting it so didn’t have it with me. My husband showed his. The cashier blatantly said she couldn’t serve him incase it was for me as I looked under the age of 25 (18 but think 25) I wish! But still made my day.
In retail you can’t be too careful, you just never know. I always say appreciate it whilst you can!!!

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 00:27

The people asking if they are ok to buy alcohol with babies and toddlers aren't really serious, surely?!

AllNineLives · 16/09/2023 00:28

So if I attempt to buy alcohol whilst shopping with my 16 year old (who does not have ID, obviously, as she is under age) does that mean that I should not be allowed to purchase it?

Fordian · 16/09/2023 00:39

sashagabadon · 14/09/2023 07:20

It’s shop policy and they do have to follow through. They can get big fines if they don’t and there are lots of undercover shoppers from council etcthat are doing checks. Don’t blame the poor till worker

I doubt for a second that councils are 'doing checks'. They can't afford to fill pot holes big enough to swallow cars.

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 00:44

@Fordian doubt it all you want, it happens quite frequently in our store.

Fordian · 16/09/2023 00:45

Just curious, here.

Can anyone point to any cashier at a major supermarket, you know; Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda - who has been prosecuted for selling alcohol to a minor in the last, let's say, 5 years?

Or for selling alcohol to someone with a minor?

This is a genuine question.

From someone who today was asked to sign a disclaimer at a posh New Forest hotel as we took our uneaten cakes from an afternoon tea home, in a box? A disclaimer?

Original poster
Mothership4two · 16/09/2023 00:57

@Fordian

Just curious, here.

Can anyone point to any cashier at a major supermarket, you know; Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda - who has been prosecuted for selling alcohol to a minor in the last, let's say, 5 years?

Or for selling alcohol to someone with a minor?

Not recently but I think I remember some of the big ones being fined in the past 20 years. They seem to be being very careful now

OP posts:
OP posts:
smithsgj · 16/09/2023 02:34

What is this nonsense about "following through"? You ask for ID, subsequently realise it clearly isn't necessary because the person is clearly over 25, but must still ask because of "follow through" policy? Don't understand, and nobody has explained this.

mandlerparr · 16/09/2023 02:48

I was just buying one bottle a few weeks ago and I haven't been ID'd in ages. Usually the graying hair, tired eyes, and face lines speak for me. But they ID me and I can't find the thing. Turns out it was behind another card. But, not wanting to hold up the line, I tell them I can't find it and they refuse to sell me alcohol. I don't say anything, but I am bemused when they then proceed to give me the senior discount on the rest of my order.

Ukrainebaby23 · 16/09/2023 06:43

So if I go in with my one year old they won't sell me alcohol? Wtf?
I don't carry age specific id, I'm 40+.