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?

Haha, no I don't think so Lud. I worked in a different shop when GTA4 came out and the policy there was very much "If the parent says it's okay then it's okay." I was asked to recommend an "easy shooting game for a 5 year old" once I definitely judged parents who bought 18 games for their very young children (and I mean the children who came up to the counter saying "Yeah I can't wait to play this!" or talked about "My new game", not kids who happened to be with their parents even if they handed over the box) but I would have sold it if the parent looked over 18. Even older siblings buying 18s for their 12/13 year old siblings we sold to. It was far more relaxed. I think we had two returned by parents ever.

Letter, I think that's what the Tesco policy was supposed to be brought in for but it seems that some stores are implementing it oddly.

Ha ha, shame! It was most definitely for dh. Although ds has always had a penchant for game cases, he used to carry one at all times. It was only the cases, he wasn't bothered about the games. The amount of dodgy looks we've had when he's been running around with GTA's and CoD's, lol

I've never in my entire 46 years been asked for ID. My 19y DF was in Weybridge, but we were only looking for a pay phone.

Our local pubs knew we were all under age and the university bars and student pubs knew we were very unlikely not to be 18.

By the time this 25 nonsense came in I guess I looked over 25, so it's never been an issue.

Completely agree it is a really stupid rule but I must add, it is not a new rule. This has been going on for years!

I should add our local pubs knew we were all underage and happily served us. We had a lot of pubs in a very small town, they would (and some have now) have gone broke if they'd not served minors.

We had one policeman, who must have known and was never, ever, ever seen in Friday or Saturday nights.

I haven't been asked for Id for years. Sign is that a sign of getting old (38) like thinking policeman are getting younger....

It is legal for you to buy alcohol for your children.

It is not legal for a shop to sell you alcohol if they think you are buying it for someone under 18. Only time I've seen it enforced it was a posh "idiot" who was asking her son which beer he preferred in front of the cashier.

It is not illegal to sell Christmas Crackers to children and several local trading standards people have said so publicly, but Tescos still won't sell them. Just as when I was a kid a local shop wouldn't sell me a box of matches (I wanted to collect the cover).

I work for a big supermarket and I would of sold you it. It's only if the parents are idiotic and start practically shouting out they are buying it for their child I refuse (and i'm not being a jobsworth but we get mystery shopped a fair bit by set ups so I won't risk it)

Worked on checkouts for years and if you are unsure its just not worth the risk.Unfortunately you do get stupid people asking their 13 year old what alcopops would they like.Likewise you had a big glass window and you would often see older people coming in to buy for underage people.

So op it might not make sense to you but maybe that cashier was stung before.

I work on checkouts too

We don't have to give a reason beyond a one sentence ' sorry I won't process this sale'

We then can't 'backdown' .... We are told a manager will always support our decision and back us up regardless

And there is no complaints procedure for this! All we can do is refer to trading standards.....

I don't want a criminal record thanks. So I always err on the side if caution. If I got caught is be in big trouble and you even get refused entry to the states

I have a plan, should this ever happen to me again. It worked so well the first time

Took nephew to do a big shop when he went to Uni - bear in mind he had his SU card and I am his aunty (so obviously old). He had orders from his house mates (I had a car, so they all took advantage). We had 2 full trolleys which obviously included beer.

Checkout asked for ID and didn't believe nephews photo ID or SU card! I asked to speak to the manager, who agreed with his staff member.

So I walked away from the already rung through shop. I got as far as the door of my car (I think he thought it was a big bluff) when the manager caught up with me and apologised, looked again at nephews ID and took us back to the now neatly packed shopping, with some of that pesky alcohol comped.

It won't matter how much of a fuss you make, the challenge 25 rule empowers the staff to i.d you and no one can over rule their decision, hence the buck stops with them. They are the ones that get a warning, sacked and fined as well as the store, and test purchasers are sent in a lot to check they are challenging anyone that looks under 25.

I've seen stories of this in the press.

You need to contact the DM and practice your sad face.

I don't understand accepting bank cards for ID. I used to pinch my mums credit card when I was 13. Not to pay for ciggies but to use as ID.

As they don't have a photo on they could be anyone's.

Morrisons have accepted my nhs ID before.

Seriously!? I'd tell them to stuff the whole shopping in that case. I would literally leave them with a trolley or conveyor full.

I once got refused wine in tescos aged 24, with only my personal licence as ID as i'd been working, and had to leave my driving licence as a deposit for a cherry picker key.

I thought this a little ridiculous, as it clearly allows me to sell alcohol, and means if anything I have a better understanding of the rules than your average checkout colleague. Got manager, manager realised what it was, and allowed me to buy the wine.

Also, I swear the 'challenge' age just increases in line with how old I am, so i'll forever be ID'd for stuff.

I was in ASDA about 5 years ago with my ex-bf and we had been shopping for food and there was some booze in the trolley. He wasn't feeling too well so went back to the car while I finished off and paid. Anyway, I got to the till and the cashier asked for my ID. She then said she would need to see my boyfriend's ID!! Bear in mind he wasn't even at the till with me at the time, had she been stalking us or something?? Anyway, I called him and he had no ID so no alcohol. It still rankles now

We were both mid twenties btw.

Leaving a trolley /conveyor full of shopping is no trouble at all though. Really,it's no biggie.

Yup! It feels really Braveheart and anarchic too. I'd recommend it to anyone

:O we aren't allowed to accept debit cards! It HAS to have a photo and the pass logo. Debit cards aren't ID!

Ps lampy I love it if I'm Id'ed! It genuinley makes my day. I'm 27 though and it hasn't happened for over a year now. Think my time is up. :(

There does seem to be an increasingly rampant paranoia amongst checkout staff (around here at least). It's not just this recent 'leave your teenager at home' drive. I was IDed in Waitrose last week (two small beers in basket of food) I am 38 and do NOT look under 25. Is it national? Is it police pressure?