to think Tescos new rule about alcohol is pointless?

[HotCrossCervix]

They wouldn't sell me a bottle of Merlot because I had a teenager with me.

1. A 16 year old is highly unlikely to be swigging merlot. If the adult were purchasing booze for said teenager, vodka or barcardi breezers would be more likely.

1. What if I had a toddler or 8 year old with me? Would they have refused to sell me my wine?

1. The rule is completely pointless. All I did was tell the teenager to wait outside for me, then I went to a different till and bought my wine. I could have done exactly the same and then passed it straight over to the teenager to swig illegally.

So. Completely pointless and nobbish.

And is it a real rule? or just the till chap being an arse? and what are the details of the rule? Any child at all? Any child over 10? Anyone with a moody teenager in tow?

They sell crap wine, anyhow.

yes. I shall add that to my formal complaint.

Dear sir/madam

Your rule is pointless and stupid (for the above reasons) and your wine is crap anyhow.

All the best
Cervix

I wasn't allowed to buy alcohol from Tesco because I was with my DB and his GF. Asked for ID. They had it (they're 20). I didn't (32) so I wasn't allowed to buy my wine. The GF then tried to buy it after going out and coming back in and wasn't allowed because she was buying it for me. Argh!!

Don't think this is new, have seen it crop up with other supermarkets to. Completely pointless.

It isn't new, but sales assistants are so afraid of the consequences of selling to minors, that the whole thing has become ridiculous.

The sales assistant who is caught out by a trading standards stin operation ( or an actual underage customer I suppose) can be prosecuted, I think.

I wonder if this is implemented at store level? Tesco don't have a problem when I buy wine. I do it via the scanner thing which is operated by my 7 year old. All I do is input my PIN number at the end!

It's illegal to sell alcohol to an adult if you think they might be buying it for someone under 18. I have some sympathies with the Tesco cashier as I guess they have to err on the side of being overcautious or they risk losing their job, being prosecuted etc.

You would be fine with a toddler because presumably presumably it's reasonable to assume that you wouldn't be buying alcohol for them.

If they don't know you have a 16yo (they are outside or not with you) then they can't be accused of reasonably thinking you might give alcohol to a child, so can serve you.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1955793/Tesco-ban-on-alcohol-sales-to-parents.html

It's not a new rule unfortunately

utter bollox.

if I were purchasing for a minor i'd tell them to wait outside, not help me pack.

and if I were planning on feeding merlot to a 16 year old I may well be feeding it to an 8 year old. so it shouldn't be up to the till chap to decide how irresponsible I actually am.

I think MN needs to start a campaign.

Let Parents Buy Booze.

Sainsburys did it to.
Its a ridiculous rule because as you say if you had small children with you, would they stop you? You could Just as easily pour it down their throats.

The only person who is required to show ID is the person purchasing it, however the shop can refuse to sell it to you if they genuinely believe its for the minor with you. Next time point this out to them and ask on what basis they have that belief? If they don't back down or provide evidence of your intentions then ask for the complaints procedure.

And if it is illegal to buy alcohol for under 18s it is also illegal to drink alcohol and drive. So they shouldn't sell merlot to anyone driving home from the supermarket.

I have worked on checkouts and the rule isn't new- it was Think 21 before instead of Think 25 now. It's an annoying rule but because the consequences are so severe, most people do not dare to ignore them. If I remember correctly it was a massive fine to both the person on the checkouts and the store. I used to pray for people to have an ID with them, especially groups of younger looking people. The abuse you would get was ridiculous. I had a guy try and punch me for asking his ID.

I didn't even know about this rule but pre-empted any questioning this morning. I was at the tills putting my shopping on the belt and Dd2(19) came over with a bottle of Amaretto to take back to uni. She put it with the shopping and I asked if she had her ID with her. She didn't so I told her to go out to the car while I paid. Without knowing it, it sounds like I saved myself a whole lot of trouble!

I am actually quite pissed off.

maybe I look like the sort of adult who encourages their teenagers to drink. (I may have purchased booze for under 18s to take to parties before but that is so not the point)

Maybe it was because I am wearing a Guns n Roses T shirt.

It's a stupid rule anyway.

The law is an ass in this case. How can it be legal for someone under 18 to drink at home but be illegal to buy alcohol for them to drink?

Luckily, the supermarket I shop in uses their common sense. Sadly I don't think Tesco have any.

I think I should complain that they never ever ask me for ID.

I am 46 and have been buying alcohol freely in Tesco and other stores since I was 14 and have never once been asked for ID.

Even when I go to the self service checkout, the staff get called, take one look at me and click 'Clearly over 25'. The cheek!

I have even taken out my driving licence and tried to show them but al I get is 'I don't need to see that Madam' said in a very polite tone of voice!

How Rude!

Oh sorry, yes I did know about the rule, I thought this was some new more aggressive rule!

If you haven't got a driving licence or a passport what kind of ID are you meant to have with you?

I was refused a bottle of vodka last year as I had dc with me

It was very embarrassing turning up to a cocktail party with no contribution to alcohol, bastarding Tesco.

and while I now it wasn't the Till Chap's fault I do believe next time I might make a fuss. Bloody ridiculous. I do not want to be made to feel cross and a bit embarrassed while buying a bloody bottle of wine.

The problem is there's no way of proving that you're NOT buying for a minor if you get accused of it. If you get asked for yourself, you can obviously prove it with your ID. I'd be annoyed too OP mostly because there's no way of proving your innocence in a situation like that.

And so completely pointless.

All I did was send the teenager out. So it's not like their rule would stop me buying the booze.

I cannot abide a pointless rule.