To hate "think 25" guidance

[FairiesAlwaysWearBlue]

Im 28 and look my age! I'm ten years over the legal drinking age and Waitrose wouldn't let me buy a bottle of cider!

Yes I know I should have had ID but I don't drive so no license and I don't often have my passport with me.

I was looking forward to my bottle of cider as a treat for working hard in the library earlier today.

Yes you should protect underage children from buying alcohol but IABU to be annoyed with "think 25" now means everyone needs to show ID?

Plus having a child with you doesn't mean you are it's parent
No, the argument is that you will give it (wine or scratchcard) to the child

Jesus, these people are doing a job. Get a grip. And some ID

But you don't need to be over 25, you only need to be over 18!!

World gone mad!

Ugh, some people are actually so dim! But yeh, most places will accept it :/ maybe take a passport if you're going to a club or something, but yeh a £15 card that you can just keep in your purse and don't need to worry about it expiring is good if you're just popping out for something without pre planning it haha

@C4Envelope yea I admitted up the thread I didn't realise how strict the fines were and personally for the employee selling it too. I get it, but it is annoying. "Think 25" isn't the law. I've not been able to get a provisional license and I totally refuse to carry my passport "just in case" I decide pop by the supermarket on my way home.

It's the circumstances which make it annoying not the employee themselves. She wasn't rude exactly but it was embarrassing for me. She shouted at me from a distance, so it wasn't polite customer service either.

@Buildmeupbuttercup89 I would if it was easier! I refuse to send my passport to DVLA so they won't give me a provisional. I went round in circles with them. I can't give up my passport for legit work reasons.

watfordmummy yeh ofc, they don't check your ID to see if you're 25+ but they check anyone who looks 'under 25' to see if they're 18 or over. The argument is that it's a lot harder for a 16/17 year old to look 25 than it is for them to look 18.

It used to be 'think 21' for products that had a 16 rating (lottery, tobacco a while ago, liquor chocolates, fuel) and 25 for 18 rated items. But that was complicated so it all became think 25 (to make it easier for cashiers). I don't know why 25 was choses, it could all be 21, but 25 is also easier to 'assess' I think.

I've left a full trolley of stuff in Asda when I didn't have ID on me.
I was 35 (and I looked it) because I had my 12 year old cousin with me and I might be supplying her with alcohol it was about £200 worth of food and alcohol for a family party as well.
I've actually stopped shopping at Asda as their customer service is shit.

I think on the balance of probabilities, it isn't likely that I had a child at 10/11/12/13 or however old they must think I am to not be able to collect scratchcard winnings (16) at 25.
I expect them to use common sense. I am clearly over 18.
The fact I had a child with me is just illustrative of the fact that I am clearly of age. And in this case the incessant "mummy mummy mummy" at the tills to me states she is my child. You can't exactly coach a 4/5 year old to do that.
Regardless, my main issue is that a) they further question me after I display my ID and b) why should I have to look over 25 to purchase something that is for 18+?

fairies I didn't need to send my passport for my provisional, just put the details into the online application and pay. That might be an option for you :)

I got asked the other day in Sainsburys. I said to the guy 'I have three kids and I turned 18 back in 1995. I'm guessing you weren't even born then, were you?' He laughed and said no he wasn't. I totally get that shop staff need to cover their backs, but a bit of common sense really doesn't go amiss.

I turned18 and moved to the states where the drinking age is 21, they pretty much ID everyone there, even white haired grannies. I got used to carrying it and still do now. I'm 50 and my hobbies include shafting the under 30's, ffs, not sure how asking someone to prove they're old enough to drink to protect their health is shafting them, but hey ho. I had to spend a fortune in fake ID, why should they get off lightly now. Bah!

Waitrose refused my passport before as it had expired!!! I hadn't got round to renewing and don't drive.

Left a trolly load of stuff (1 bottle of wine and £100 of shopping) stupid fuckers

Google suggest that 'challenge 25' is a lawful requirement of licensing in Scotland, so perhaps most retailers adopted it in England and Wales too?

Asda can be arsey about serving alcohol to an adult if another person is with them who is underage/has no ID.

I was always fairly accurate in my IDing, only a few times were people I asked over 25. But do you know how legit scary it is to rely on your common sense when the penalty for messing up is possibly prison time and a massive fine? The training is quite scaremongering and it definitely makes you anxious, especially on days when you're busy and things are hectic and you don't have a lot of time to think.

I'm 38 and got ID'd in Asda last year buying a bottle of wine going through the self service till. I'd sent my driving licence off to have the picture updated so had no photo ID and am not in the habit of carrying my passport around. I was incredulous. Asked the staff member if he really couldn't tell I am TWENTY YEARS OLDER than the legal drinking age, but he persisted in saying he couldn't sell me the bottle as I couldn't prove I'm over 25. I said I only need to prove I'm over 18. He said it's 25. I said the age limit is 18. He said I had to prove I'm 25. Gah!!! Eventually he called a manager over... who sold me the bottle of wine, pressing the button which said "do not check, customer clearly over 25"!!!

I got ID'd in Sainsburys by a cashier who I guess was in his seventies. I thought he was joking and laughed, but he insisted on seeing my driver's licence, then apologised when he read my date of birth. I could have kissed the man. I'm in my mid forties! I told him he'd made my day.

I suspect his eyesight was not the best, but am still dining out on this story!

Give it twenty years and your attitude will change OP.

I was ID'd on a work night out once (I was 30 at the time). I didn't have ID on me as don't have driving license or passport and hadn't been I'd before ever!
I work in a school and had my work ID with my photo on, my credit cards and my merlin annual pass that showed my picture and date of birth. Of course they were not accepted and I was upset and a little frustrated, but I just said 'ok then' and got a soft drink instead as I realised the bar staff were just doung their job.
Went back to the table my work mates were on (they were upstairs and the bar was downstairs so couldn't be seen from the bar) and told them about it. They thought it was hilarious and I got bought drinks all night so it does have its advantages sometimes! 😂😂

FairiesAlwaysWearBlue
Sorry, why can you not get a provisional?

I read some co ops refuse provisional licenses! That's a little ott

Worridmum I can assure you that the mandatory ID cards in Europe are not free....if you think they are, then please tell my local Gemeente, where I have just paid to renew mine.

ScaryTeacher They're still cheaper than UK ones and are accepted everywhere - I used to live in Spain and IIRC the ID card renewal cost is IIRC around €10 and a passport is around €25

I had to carry my UK passport everywhere as the ID card and passport are the only acceptable valid ID (though some places will let you use your Driving licence) and to replace a UK passport is about £75 ... I could lose 7 ID cards before I'm approaching the cost of replacing just one passport.

It's perfectly legal for a 16 year old to have a glass of wine at home, though, so IDing kids who are with their parents is basically accusing the parent of committing the crime of buying alcohol on behalf of someone underage.

I got ID'd every single time until I was about 35 and I loved it! Totally made my day! No big deal I just carried I'd. Can't understand why people get offended

Well I imagine it's the way they're asked. Friendly or matter of fact is fine, but being made to feel like you're committing a crime isn't on. I carry ID everywhere as I'm always asked, but have been offended by people who were rude about it.

Some people do act like it's a crime to be young. I don't even miss the Young Persons Railcard discount - that card was basically a signal for people to treat me like a criminal.