Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to know why Tesco won't sell me alcohol when I'm with my teenage daughter

373 replies

MrsSchadenfreude · 10/12/2017 17:31

Given that it is perfectly legal for me to give her a glass of wine to drink at home (and has been since she was 5)? Was told in Tesco today that I couldn't buy wine as DD1 was with me. DD1 is 19 but had no ID on her, as we had just nipped out for a few bits. Cashier finally called a manager, who gave me the Spanish Inquisition, and finally said "OK, I trust that you aren't going to give any to your daughter." ConfusedHmm

It's not like I was buying WKD - I had a bottle of Champagne and one of an expensive Bordeaux!

OP posts:
RunningOutOfCharge · 10/12/2017 18:13

Shops van sell to whom they like.....rules or policy.... it doesn't matter

They don't have to serve anyone. Customers come second with retail staff over this,and it's tough. Nobody wants a criminal record, huge fine and job loss( which is what they would get if found to have served anyone underage)

Sparklesocks · 10/12/2017 18:13

I hate that rule. Understand the position they’re in but surely they can show discretion. I (30) was in Tesco with my sister (26) recently and she popped out across the road to go to the chemist while I’ll bought the wine. The cashier said they wouldn’t sell it to me as I might have been buying it for the young woman they saw me talking to before she left the shop!! Absolutely ridic.

notacooldad · 10/12/2017 18:16

No back story at all - she hadn't been in on her own. beforehand. Woman on checkout said "We've been told we can't sell alcohol to anyone with a teenager with them."
I would be ringing up to see if this is Tesco's nationwide policy because it certainly isn't implemented nationally or if it has just been made up by the duty manager as there is no consistency. I've regularly bought booze for parties and BBQs and had my teenage lads with me.

RunningOutOfCharge · 10/12/2017 18:17

I had to ID a lady wearing the full burka with just her eyes ( behind glasses) visible

In that case I had to use my common sense..... her hands told me she was of age. I had no right to ask her to remove her headwear so had to make an on the spot decision but I worried over it for days

MargaretCavendish · 10/12/2017 18:17

The "knowingly" bit is when Mummy hands over the cash for a trollyload of vodka and red bull while eager teens rub their hands in glee.

I think it would be very, very hard to successfully get a licence removed under these circumstances, since you're necessarily talking about making decisions on circumstantial evidence. And the idea that shops should be making subjective judgements on whether a particular brand is 'for teens' or 'for adults' is both pretty bizarre and pretty spurious - why are you stocking products that will apparently only appeal to the underage?!

Turnocks34 · 10/12/2017 18:18

Think it's incase you give the alcohol to her. Silly policy. I, at the age of 28, and 7 months pregnant once went to Tesco with my nana, and they refused to serve her a bottle of wine as I'd forgotten my I'd. I do not look under 25, let alone 18.

PinkyBlunder · 10/12/2017 18:18

They did this to me and DH whilst o was very pregnant. I didn’t have ID, he did. Cashier made a awfully big deal out of not selling him the alcohol (think it was a tiny bottle of cider from memory) because I had no ID. I asked her why, she said it was because she couldn’t be sure he wasn’t going to give it to me. I asked her if the same rule would apply if I had a toddler in the the trolley but had ID. I didn’t get an answer. So I said, so unless you’re buying alcohol on your own with ID, you can expect not to get served alcohol. No reply. I asked her how likely she thought it was that my 35 (ish) year old husband was going to give an obviously (ring!) married, underage, heavily pregnant woman a tiny bottle of cider. That with the fact she’d not only seen his driving licence but his police warrant card which was also in his wallet... could be possible she said.

By this time the queue had got so long her manager who was behind her and heard the whole stupid exchange butted in to tell her to sell us the alcohol Grin

She was so defiant and looked a complete prat. It’s a stupid rule.

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 10/12/2017 18:20

Was the burka wearer buying booze, Running? Confused

OP posts:
mumto2teenagers · 10/12/2017 18:25

I have never had a problem buying alcohol in Tesco when I am with my teenage daughters. The rule just seems absolutely crazy.

omBreROSE · 10/12/2017 18:26

It *is a nationwide policy.
All Tesco stores should be implementing it as
it is in the training , heavily emphasised.

QuitMoaning · 10/12/2017 18:26

I don’t understand it either. I can go to a restaurant and buy beer or wine for a teenager who is eating there with me completely openly.

I can also give my teenager beer and wine at home before they are 18, completely legally.

(He is now 19and at uni so I think he probably has the odd glass of sherry now)

LemonysSnicket · 10/12/2017 18:27

When I was 20 and buying wine with mum, the cashier said ‘I hope you’re paying cos I’m not serving her’ with a laugh like I was clearly underage. Whipped out my ID and he looked suitably chagrined. Apparently he thought I was 15 ...

Emilybrontescorsett · 10/12/2017 18:29

I've been asked in shops if the alcohol is for me when I've had my teenagers with me.

LemonysSnicket · 10/12/2017 18:29

They also refused to serve my 25 yo brother ... who has over 100 tattoos ....

omBreROSE · 10/12/2017 18:30

Remember it is at the discretion of whoever is serving you.
As l have teens myself ( older too) it is quite easy to see if they are 18 or above. The ‘think 25’ campaign is in place however, and that must be recognised. Especially for the sake of the retail worker.

notacooldad · 10/12/2017 18:31

It is a nationwide policy.*
All Tesco stores should be implementing it as
it is in the training , heavily emphasised.

Fair enough but not once have we been stopped. I've been Tesco metro across the road from me, Tesco express and 'the big' Tesco all year with my lads and paid for packs of lager as well as bottles for them to take to parties as well as them being with me when I've bought my Whiskey as part of the shopping.
DS2 looks about 14.

becotide · 10/12/2017 18:32

It's not that they "struggle to think independently and apply common sense", how fucking patronising.

Are you honestly unaware that shop staff receive a LARGE PERSONAL FINE if they accidentally sell alcohol to an under eighteen?

Think about their wages, and therefore their life circumstances, and think about how likely they are to take that risk in the face of a LIFE WRECKING fine. Come on, think independently and apply some fucking common sense

stereophonically · 10/12/2017 18:33

My DH wasn't allowed to buy bucks fizz on xmas eve because I was with him! I was 26 at the time and didn't look young imo. We queued for 20mins, for bloody bucks fizz! We were so angry! He had id!

omBreROSE · 10/12/2017 18:34

Also...we should remember that some of the cashiers are underage themselves. They won’t find it easy to differentiate between say 15-18-25.
I sometimes cover the tills, and am places next to a teen. This helps cover them, but... they will always need a manager/older colleague.

Roomba · 10/12/2017 18:35

My ex had this when he was 35 - ASDA refused to sell him wine because I was there with him. I was also 35 but didn't have any ID on me! So he could have been buying it for me. God knows what she thought he was as he clearly wasn't old enough looking to be my Dad, and we had our small child with us. Manager backed up the checkout person, so we went to Bargain Booze instead.

Squirrels765 · 10/12/2017 18:35

I was in savers last week, picked up a £1 mini bottle of wine as a stocking filler for DD age 20 (she wasn't there)
DD age 14 was with me, the cashier said "I need to see id"
I replied "my id? I'm 41"
She said "no, her Id" and pointed at DD
I said she doesn't have id she's 14 and its not for her, don't worry I'll leave it,
She then scanned it through and let me buy it! I was confused!

omBreROSE · 10/12/2017 18:36

Thank you becotide
Exactly.
We are quite capable of thinking for ourselves. The law says otherwise.
Same with the scratch cards/ lottery and fags.

hula008 · 10/12/2017 18:36

Legally I could give my 7 year old alcohol in the home

This is where the distinction comes in. It is legal to give your 7 year old child some alcohol at home if you choose, however it is illegal to buy alcohol for someone under the age of 18.

The law is somewhat difficult to understand and as such is easily misinterpreted by both customers and checkout assistants. To ensure that they aren’t at risk of breaking the law, checkout assistants won’t serve the customer if there is any doubt.

ThisisaNC · 10/12/2017 18:36

Was 32 in Asda with baby of friend in buggy. Was refused three bottles of cider as I didn't have ID for me. Person on next till with teens was served wine without a second thought.

omBreROSE · 10/12/2017 18:38

nota then that/those colleague/ colleagues is:are taking a massive risk really. Smile

Swipe left for the next trending thread