Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

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:
DinosApple · 16/09/2023 07:05

Yes, it's the law but it doesn't stop law abiding people from finding it mildly irritating when it inconveniences them. I'm wary of buying booze now my teens are, well, teen age.

Does this happen with home deliveries too if your teens help you unpack?

When wearing a baseball cap last year I got IDd for the first time in adulthood, at the grand old age of 39! I've always looked old so was delighted.

DH on the other hand was not so happy as the cashier presumed he was my dad!

Original poster
Mothership4two · 16/09/2023 07:25

@DinosApple

Does this happen with home deliveries too if your teens help you unpack?

That's a thought, no it hasn't. It just shows how it is a bit daft. I try and order shopping when one of my DS are going to be around, to help lug it in and, in the past, if the delivery drivers have asked about their ID they told them that it's my shopping and that was accepted. The drivers just ask for my date of birth because I am such an old fart they don't need to look at my ID!

DH on the other hand was not so happy as the cashier presumed he was my dad!

That's quite funny and flattering Dino

OP posts:
DinosApple · 16/09/2023 07:39

@Mothership4two
Oh that's interesting - they've never asked for ID or even a date of birth for me before when delivering.
Most of the delivery guys look half my age anyway so maybe they feel a bit silly.

My teens grudgingly help - but I'm sure it's only to see what snacks there are!

Haha it was very surreal, before that I was last IDd at 17. I think I'll take up wearing a baseball cap more often!

Mere1 · 16/09/2023 07:45

My daughter was 32 and checking in to an hotel in Northern Ireland with her husband. She was told she couldn’t check in until they had proof of her age as they couldn’t have ‘minors’ sharing rooms with ‘older men’. Her husband is 6 months her senior. As she had flown to NI, from England, she had her passport as ID. We still tease her about it. She didn’t find it amusing.

Solonge · 16/09/2023 08:14

So, I often take my 8 and 11 year old grandsons shopping with me (I have them after school every day) would the be ID’d? Or is it only teens who look like they could be around 18. The law surrounding this sounds 100% confused!

If you do shop with your teen and come across this and said teen goes back and sits in the car, would you not be served? I am trying hard to find the logic!

Frazzledstudentmom · 16/09/2023 08:24

@Platypuslover Liquors do. You have to be atleast 16 to buy them. Any age restricted product is subject to challenge 25. So maybe they thought you were an older sister? Who knows! I got ID'd for lotto when I was 22. I was thrilled 😂 No chance it would happen nowadays though.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 16/09/2023 08:37

Last time I got ID'd was in Waitrose a couple of years ago. When she asked me for it I laughed and said I was 43. She gave me a very sceptical look and said she definitely needed to see ID, so I handed over my driver license - which she scrutinised for aaaages, before eventually handing it back and telling me I was "blessed" to look so young.

FWIW, I could maybe pass for a few years younger than my age. But not more than 20! I wonder if Waitrose staff have just had a lot of training drummed into them to make them ultra-cautious.

Rlg2725 · 16/09/2023 09:05

As someone who currently works in a supermarket (Sainsbury’s) our policy is think 25 so I don’t care if you look over 18, if you look 25 or under (so your son) I’m asking them for ID unless I want to have a disciplinary meeting and potentially lose my job.

that being said, depending on Waitrose policy, at sainsburys you only ask for the ID of the person paying unless you see money exchanging hands or talking which indicates that the alcohol is actually for the other person.
it’s way harder now I’m older to play the guess the age game though. I swear 15 year olds look 25 nowadays.

LaDamaDeElche · 16/09/2023 09:19

What does the actual law on this say? I understand that it’s illegal to buy alcohol under 18 or for under 18’s, but why would there be a presumption that the alcohol in a family shop would be for the child. If you have a 10 year old with you, will they refuse to serve you? Or does the law state that everyone accompanying the adult paying has to be asked for ID if they’re a teenager or something? For example, you can buy drinks in a pub or restaurant with teens with you, so how is that different? I’m assuming it’s supermarket policy as opposed to an actual clearly defined law. Surely is an adult was buying for a teen, the teen would wait outside and they’d at least try to be subtle!

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 09:23

@LaDamaDeElche

What does the actual law on this say? I understand that it’s illegal to buy alcohol under 18 or for under 18’s, but why would there be a presumption that the alcohol in a family shop would be for the child. If you have a 10 year old with you, will they refuse to serve you? Or does the law state that everyone accompanying the adult paying has to be asked for ID if they’re a teenager or something? For example, you can buy drinks in a pub or restaurant with teens with you, so how is that different? I’m assuming it’s supermarket policy as opposed to an actual clearly defined law. Surely is an adult was buying for a teen, the teen would wait outside and they’d at least try to be subtle!

Oh do come on. Stop whatabouting. Unless your 10 year old looks 15, no, of course I'm not going to ID him.

How is it different in a pub? They can see you bloody drinking it, obviously!

All these spoiled madams bringing more and more whataboutisms to the table are HILARIOUS.

LaDamaDeElche · 16/09/2023 09:33

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

LaDamaDeElche · 16/09/2023 09:36

Rlg2725 · 16/09/2023 09:05

As someone who currently works in a supermarket (Sainsbury’s) our policy is think 25 so I don’t care if you look over 18, if you look 25 or under (so your son) I’m asking them for ID unless I want to have a disciplinary meeting and potentially lose my job.

that being said, depending on Waitrose policy, at sainsburys you only ask for the ID of the person paying unless you see money exchanging hands or talking which indicates that the alcohol is actually for the other person.
it’s way harder now I’m older to play the guess the age game though. I swear 15 year olds look 25 nowadays.

That makes more sense. It's the same in the supermarkets in the country I live in. It's only the person buying who would ask for ID. The way some posters kept saying it's the law, I though there might be a specific law in the U.K. now regarding asking everyone for ID who enters a shop/supermarket together when alcohol is purchased, but clearly not, it's just Waitrose policy.

LaDamaDeElche · 16/09/2023 09:37

*be asked for

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 09:39

@LaDamaDeElche I'm great thanks babe, no a💪🏼issues here. You, though...👀😬

LaDamaDeElche · 16/09/2023 09:41

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 09:39

@LaDamaDeElche I'm great thanks babe, no a💪🏼issues here. You, though...👀😬

Yes, me though, look at me defending myself when being called a spoiled madam when asking a simple question about the law of a country I don't live in. Full of problems me, and you are just a pleasant ray of sunshine 😂

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 16/09/2023 09:43

This makes me glad I shop on line!

I almost never go into a shop with my teenager (15) so will make sure not to do so if buying wine for a party. Bit of a faff though!

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 09:48

@LaDamaDeElche hope your day improves. 😆

LaDamaDeElche · 16/09/2023 09:50

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

PToosher · 16/09/2023 09:56

As under 18s can drink alcohol in a private residence, it can't be illegal to buy or sell alcohol that will be consumed by under 18s.

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 10:12

@LaDamaDeElche bless you, the only person that's been rude and behaved embarrassingly is you. This whole thread is a wannabe middle class moan.

LaDamaDeElche · 16/09/2023 10:40

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 10:12

@LaDamaDeElche bless you, the only person that's been rude and behaved embarrassingly is you. This whole thread is a wannabe middle class moan.

You called me an spoiled madam. I quite rightly stood up for myself. I explained that I was asking about U.K. law as I don't live in the U.K. At that point a normal person would have said "ok, yeah that was a bit rude, I misunderstood your post etc" and moved on. You continued to double down and now you're actually trying to gaslight me into thinking that I was the rude one. It's all there in black and white.

Bonbonbonbonbons · 16/09/2023 10:40

FrogsWormsandCaterpillars · 15/09/2023 13:15

100% not true

Show quote history

I’ll wait for your apology when you find out it is.

DemBonesDemBones · 16/09/2023 11:05

@LaDamaDeElche and yet the only person swearing and getting posts deleted is...you.

Grapefruitsquash · 16/09/2023 11:42

I'm early 50s.

I was asked for ID in Tesco. As I don't shop with my passport and my DL had been sent away due to a change of address. I had my work ID on me which showed I'd started there in 2003. I pointed out that meant ai couldn't possibly by under 18 but that wasn't good enough. It had to be official government ID which is only passport or DL (according to the cashier).

The irony is that my work ID includes an airside pass for Gatwick. To obtain that I needed a 5 year background check, a criminal record check and a DBS. Which makes it far harder to obtain than a driving licence but still, no wine for me.

pollymere · 16/09/2023 11:46

I got talking to a local independent shop when a schoolboy was trying to buy a knife with fake ID. Apparently the local police are sending people in to ensure the law is being kept. Our Waitrose has to check ID for anyone you might be buying the products for, and yes, it is over-25 now which is a bit mad as an over-16 can drink wine in a pub. But if they don't check they put themselves at risk of prosecution.