Since when is kombucha an age restricted product?!

[GenuineWorkOfFart]

Just picked up a can of raspberry kombucha with my meal deal at a train station M&S, and had to wait for a store attendant to come and authorise my purchase to say I was over 16. I asked her why and she said "because it's fermented" which cannot possibly be correct, so is yoghurt FFS.

Anyway I wasn't about to argue with her because she won't be in charge of the policy but wtf? It can't be because of concerns over alcohol content because that would be 18+ not 16+. Caffeine? But it's probably got less in than coca cola and they don't restrict that

You might not know the answer to this, but realistically how could a prosecution work for a shop worker who sold alcohol to a 50 year old woman, when there were teenagers hanging round outside? Even if those teenagers were trying to get adults to buy it for them? I get the principle behind it but surely there couldn’t be a successful prosecution or fine for selling booze to a middle aged woman?

Bananas are also slightly radioactive - so I think they should be banned altogether to be fair.

Speaking purely from a public health standpoint and nothing to do with the fact that I bloody hate bananas.

Sometimes this is a computer error. Once had the age restriction on plastic picnic cutlery because it had a knife in it. Either someone in head office was having an off day or the computer had clocked knife in the description.

At what age do they start checking ID? I've popped into Aldi a couple of times with 16yo DD and picked up some wine and they've always just allowed it.

(She doesn't look particularly young).

I’ve been in a shop where a man was buying some beers and had his young teenage son with him. The son was asked to step away from the till when the man came to pay as the shop worker didn’t want him in the CCTV picture in case it was thought the man was buying the beer for his son. 🤷‍♀️

I don't know. But I suspect that if the woman could be seen on camera (and all shops will have security cameras trained on the front of the shop) talking to the teenagers, and certainly if any money has changed hands, then they would be able to prosecute.

So it's best just not to interact with any kids standing out the front, and especially if they are asking people to buy alcohol for them. Don't even make eye contact.

Kombucha is fermented, I make it myself but to stop it tuning to alcohol, it must be refridgerated and consumed out of the sun.

I don't drink alcohol for health resons and this is something I have to be careful about.

Its very healthy though, so long as its not turned to alcohol.

Even so, unless the shop worker had seen that interaction on cctv and still sold it (which I presume is not likely to happen) then they would be ignorant of the fact and simply selling alcohol to someone of appropriate age.
I can’t see the crime here. anyway, sorry to derail or get hung up on this point, it just seems a bit silly

The idea would likely be that someone (manager, other customers etc) would have seen and reported what was going on at front of store - there are usually people in the office, particularly if there's a bunch of kids causing trouble, monitoring cameras, or even a manager out at the front moving the kids on. So if someone saw it happen they would report it over headsets to all shop floor staff, and that would be how someone might get caught trying to buy alcohol for underage teens.

However most people are sensible and just won't even attempt to buy for underage kids and if they do they will likely leave the kids at home. It's a complicated matter and the shops are just trying to do their legal duty and make sure that kids don't get hold of alcohol directly through them (and cigarettes too), but of course some purchases slip through. But it is why age checks at the till exist.

Ah ok, I see. That makes sense

What should I do if I go shopping with my kids who are 17 and 15. They are underage so ID would not help. I am not buying wine for them; should I be challenged in these circumstances? If so what I should I do to get my weekly shop with 2 bottles of wine in?

I got id'ed to buy plastic picnic plates a few years ago. When I asked the sales assistant it was apparently because they could be snapped in half and weaponized. I was going out for a picnic with some friends and didnt fancy bringing my kids cartoon character plastic plates with me. I wasnt planning to maim my friends.

More recently I got asked for ID in b&q when I was buying fairy non bio pods. I'd only gone in to buy a screwdriver and thought I'd also get some more washing stuff. Even the staff thought it was a bit bizarre.

That could potentially be a proxy sale but is still a bit silly.

It's really ridiculous when you try to buy medicine and they won't let you have it in case you give it to your 5 year old. How do you buy Calpol then?

The rules really need looking at, but the last I saw the government was looking at making them even stricter.

Why on earth would you have restrictions on cheap reading glasses?

I think some of these sales assistants are making things up. Snapping plastic plates in half and using them as weapons?

Tell them to go outside before you pay - or hide in another part of the store.