to think the Saunburys checkout lady shouldn't have told me I look like I could have had my children at 13?

[CarriedAwayAnnie]

I am 32 in 2 months. I would like to tell myself I look like a young 20 something but the truth is sleepless nights and the general stress of children has taken it's toll.

I was buying alcohol through self service and she refused to allow the transaction as she said I looked under 25. I would have been flattered if it weren't so ridiculous. I haven't been ID in years.

I explained that I had my 6yr old with me so it was unlikely I was under 18 and she said I looked the sort who would have their children at 13.

I was incensed so asked for a manager. Manager agreed I didn't look under 25 but said he couldn't overrule a colleague. I asked him for a form to complain about the comment his collegeue had made but he said there are no forms to complain.

So I asked for the store manager who told me I could complain through the careline. I asked the manager why he hadn't told me this and he was very insolent, he just stood there looking sulky and shrugging my shoulders.

The store manager then said I couldn't buy my shopping. So I felt as if I was being asked to leave the store without purchasing anything. To be clear, I hadn't been rude or aggressive. It was as if they knew the policy was daft and wanted me out.

But instead of leaving I went back round, picked up the same alcohol and purchased it through a different till with no problems. Surely this shows a fundamental flaw in their Think 25 policy.

AIBU to think that when I am stood there with my wrinkles and my 3yo and a 6yo and a manager and the store manager agree I look over 25, I should be allowed to purchase alcohol? How can a collegeue overrule a store manager?

Are you serious? I think you're in need of a bit more sleep my love

Let me get this right....the shop assistant told you that you looked the sort of person who would have kids at 13??? Am I misreading this?

Checkout lady was very rude , I thought this thread would be about someone trying to clumsily compliment you!
Definitely complain to head office

Yes HoHoHo, that's what she said.

What a horrible comment for her to make. The policy is standard and if you can't produce id then I think its fair enough for them to refuse to sell you the alcohol but you should take the complaint about the staff members comments as far as you can, they were completely wrong!

blimey, I thought you meant that the checkout person had very clumsily complimented you - ie 'gosh, those can't be your childrne, you must have been about 13 when you had them' (you look too young to have childrne that old, iyswim), but what the staff member said was horrible and unacceptable.

I would absolutely complain about a comment like that.

You looked the sort ????

What sort is that then?

however, if you had been under age, it would have been the lady o the till as well as the store being prosecuted - so if she doesnt want to sel it to you she's quite right to stand her ground on that.

www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/contact_us/contact_us.jsp

I would be putting the insult in writing though - to David Tyler, Chairman, adddress on that link

The assistant said, "Well, you look like the kind of person who would have had a kid at 13"?

Are you absolutely, completely sure that's what she said/meant? It wasn't an attempt at a backhanded compliment that went wrong - along the lines of "Oh, you must have been a mere child when DS was born!"

The fact that you weren't served the alcohol is meh - annoying but does happen. But if that's what she actually said, that's fucking rude and I would be getting on to their Twitter & FB accounts.

What does that sort of person look like, I wonder.

Write to corporate.

Better yet, let's find out who started Think 25 and start a campaign to get them to either reverse it or allow for some fucking common sense!

You look like 'the sort' who could have had a child at 13?

That's HORRIBLE.

That's totally different from saying, ooh, you're so young, must have been a kid yourself which is still not good, if you think about it but just a clumsy and stupid way of saying you look youthful - but 'the sort' that's a bloody vile thing to say.

Then it's her comment you need to complain to Head Office about as it was extrememly rude.

The alcohol issue you will need to let pass as I think it's the individual making the initial decision who is responsible. I'm sure there will be someone who knows the technicalities who will be along to clear that up.

Did you get her name? I would make the complaint today if I were you.

Did you produce ID?

Legally, if a check out operator has requested ID (however stupid that request may have been) you need to show ID to be able to purchase the alcohol. The store manager can't override it - if it's requested, you have to show ID.

It sounds like your checkout operator requested ID just to be a pain, and then insulted you to boot. Complain about her, most definitely.

For those of us who live with the curse of looking like Methuselah's Mother you should be happy.

It's a policy that doesn't hold water though.

I don't look 25 but checkout lady obv had issues so ID me. And despite
manager and store manager agreeing I looked over 25, her word was final.

Further proof that I don't look under 25 was being served by another collegue 5 mins later.

So if one collegue has the hump she can stop a sale and can't be over ruled?

The manager can't overrule the cashier because it would be the cashier who got prosecuted if you were underage.

She didn't need to be rude about it though, so I would complain.

Yes that's right but pick your battles. You can't do anything about the company policy re alcohol but if she really did make the comment that you look 'the sort' to have a baby at 13, you need to complain.

I've been ID'd and not been able to produce it, that's a PITA, I agree, but really my face would be saved for being told that you looked the sort to have a baby at 13! The policy is neither here nor there when you think about that bit!

Well they need to rethink the policy. If the manager couldn't have over ruled her then he should have made the sale himslef.

She did really say that. My face as like this

I'm sorry, I know it was rude and all that, but the 'she said I looked the sort who would have their children at 13' made me fall about.

Do I just write it on their facebook page?

I think you need to give over about the policy as you could end up sounding huffy about not getting your booze! And in the scheme of things, that's not worth the raised blood pressure, surely?

Now I have walked away and calmed down, I can see the funny side. Still bloody insulted though.

Maybe I need to rethink my look.

Do you think it was the converse? Should I invest in some hush puppies like my old nan used to wear?