to think that banning children from buying plasters is stupid

[creamteas]

A friend's DS was in out with his mates and fell over cutting his hand. He is 15 and had some money so thought he would get a box of plasters from the shop nearby. They refused to serve him without ID proving he was over 16. The shop assistant said it was illegal (it isn't, but if shop policy would be flagged on the till so not the assistant's fault).

Booze, fags, knifes etc no problem. But why would anyone think that plasters are a health and safety risk to kids?

People can be allergic to them perhaps?

People can be allergic to nuts but they still sell Snickers to kids!

Plasters? Like Elastoplast? Illegal to buy if under 16 Can't be allergies surely otherwise you'd be id'd buying a pack of peanuts. How strange.

You're right, it's a really daft rule.

wtf? whats the reasoning behind it? thats soo strange and am very curious now.

Yes, Elastoplast and antiseptic wipes are 'banned' as well. I can't find anything to say it is illegal, it is the shop's policy

I'm rubbing my chin in ponderous fashion trying to figure out why plasters are dangerous to under 16s.

Daft rule, sensible teen :)

This was a co-op, I'm tempted to find out if others are the same. i have a thirteen year old I could send in as a mystery shopper.....

That is stupid.

However I think that the shop has not made a policy of "plasters cannot be sold to under 16's" I think what will have happened is that, as lots of medical products cannot be purchased by under 16's, then all stock that is in the catagory of "medical" has been set to flag on the till and require ID. This sytem would be easier for the shop to set. All stock will have a cotagory it fits in on the tills computer, and setting catagories to flag up for minimum age is much less time consuming than individual products, if that makes sense.

imacho that makes more sense, but surely the shop assistants should be told that this is the case, and therefore be able to override it (asking a manager if necessary) rather than just refusing to serve

FFS, they'll be stopping teenage girls from buying their own tampons next.

I would imagine so. Probably would come down to the training the staff have been given. May well be a case of it not being mentioned in training, and the assistant not really paying attention....

Some staff are thick (although they are the minority) - I tried to buy stamps in Sainsbury's at the till and was told I had to go to the kiosk.

I pointed to the sign saying that if you want stamps ask the checkout 'colleague'. She read the sign then called her supervisor to find out if I could have stamps.

It turns out they are no longer allowed to sell cigarettes from the til, but she thought it was all kiosk products.

BTW I have an elastoplast / micropore/ just about any sticky dressing alergy but I don't think there should be restrictions on buying them.

Dd1 is often dispatched to our local Co-Op to fetch plasters for her sister. We never have them in the house because the little feckers find them and play hospitals with them

She is 8 and has never been turned away.