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AIBU?

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Original poster

Morrisons refused to let DD pretend to pay for the shopping...

341 replies

AllTheseThingsThatIveDone · 15/06/2018 19:36

Because my shopping included a bottle of wine.

Often pop to my local Morrisons for small top up shops. Popped there this morning to buy a few bits, including a bottle of wine. DD aged 3 likes to 'help' me at the self service checkout, scanning the shopping, and then at the end I lift her up and she uses my debit card to make the contactless payment, or puts the coins in etc.

Today as I was about to lift DD up to pay, the lady overseeing the checkouts rushed over to stop me and said DD wasn't allowed to pay for the shopping. She said it wasn't allowed as then the alcohol could actually be for her, or the debit card could actually be hers. When I pointed out that DD is only 3, and the debit card was mine, and it was clearly me really paying for the shopping she said it didn't matter Hmm

AIBU or is this completely bonkers? I could totally understand this if I had an older teenager with me but it feels like there is no common sense anymore Confused

OP posts:
9amTrain · 15/06/2018 21:08

That is fucking ridiculous.

@Sirzy It stops being ok when they are actually able to go to the shop to independently buy and consume the alcohol themselves...

Ginismyfriendx · 15/06/2018 21:10

It seems bonkers but strictly speaking it’s still selling alcohol to a minor. Suppose the argument is where do you stop? 5? 8? 11? 13?
Just easier to say blanket ‘No under 18’s’
And as a side note being stuck in a queue behind parents who let toddler ‘help’ isn’t cute, it’s bloody annoying

funinthesun18 · 15/06/2018 21:11

Trading standards shouldn’t be using toddlers anyway. It’s not exactly an accurate respresentation of someone who may come in buy alcohol for themselves is it? It would be extremely unfair of them to use that scenario to try and catch someone out.

Fuckedoffat48b · 15/06/2018 21:11

Once when I was 17 (and about 11 months) I was snapped at for going to pick up a carrier bag of shopping with wine in it, that my parents had just bought. They said I couldn't even touch the plastic bag, alongside some very solemn head shaking. No good deed goes unpunished.

Though I do now wonder what they would have done if I had just grabbed the shopping and walked out?

MadisonAvenue · 15/06/2018 21:12

The80sweregreat as a child at junior school in the 70s I used to go to the corner shop for my Dad's cigarettes.

I was going to nightclubs at 15, if questioned it was just a matter of reeling off a memorised fake date of birth which made me 18 although one particular club was very easy to get into as I knew the bouncer - he was a PE teacher at my school. He'd shout down the corridor and ask if we'd had a good time the following Monday at school.
How things have changed!

9amTrain · 15/06/2018 21:12

@Ginismyfriendx The argument of not selling to a minor would be valid if it was the machine that detected the minor's age, except it was a human employee who could have used common sense that obviously a 3 year old was not actually buying alcohol.

The80sweregreat · 15/06/2018 21:15

Blanket ban makes sense but it makes life hard when you have the kids with you buying the shopping and they are too young to send away elsewhere or whatever. parents do buy alcohol for their underage teens - this won’t stop either.
Dunno what the answer is but it all adds to the stress of life.

londonrach · 15/06/2018 21:15

Op..the fine morrisons get and the staff of member troble she get its not worth it. Why on earth any mntters think its funny. That staff could have lost her job. Yabu. Yes dd buy it but buy the wine afterwards

Pebblespony · 15/06/2018 21:16

Not allowed to take betting slips from children either. Even when the parent was lifting them up to the counter. Felt like a bit of a killjoy.

Cheryl02 · 15/06/2018 21:17

It is madness but sadly it's how things are now.She would have got in trouble if she was seen by management or reported it's pathetic way over the top but do understand she's just covering her back and job.

The80sweregreat · 15/06/2018 21:18

Kids cant have fun anymore! No wonder they can’t wait to grow up and buy their own scratch cards and beer , with the relevant ID of course.

MrsJayy · 15/06/2018 21:20

They can't take lottery slips from kids or hand them the ticket years ago i let a dd chose numbers the assistant wouldn't take it i had to hand her it.

MaisyPops · 15/06/2018 21:20

I get why you think it is ridiculous.

But, the person making the payment is underage and they can only sell to people over 18. With jobs and licences at risk, I can see why they'll follow the law to the letter

Fuggit · 15/06/2018 21:23

*I don't understand why anyone thinks this is madness.

Under 18 is under 18. It can't be under 18 but ok if you are 3.
*
The law is very clear.

This ^^

Sprogletsmuvva · 15/06/2018 21:25

Trading standards shouldn’t be using toddlers anyway. It’s not exactly an accurate respresentation of someone who may come in buy alcohol for themselves is it?

Well exactly. The ‘mystery shopper ‘ exercises are surely supposed to be realistic. (Although my only professional experience of TS was that they didn’t ‘get ‘ a fairly basic element of the retail process, so would not be totally surprised.)

When I’ seen details of alcohol-/ fag age-related TS bollockings in the local papers, it’s always been along the lines of Raj’s Stores Corner Shop - I have never heard of one of the supermarkets or even chain offies being caught. When I was a teenager, which shops you could get served at was common knowledge and of this type - suggesting the message isn’t getting through to those shop staff , even after 30 years.

Surfingwhippet · 15/06/2018 21:26

The Jack Daniels bbq sauce actually contains Jack Daniels and the till where i work asks you to verify the customers age.

I have also refused to sell scratch cards because the child has chosen which ones to get

Bugjune · 15/06/2018 21:29

Common sense has officially left the building in 2018.

Cheryl02 · 15/06/2018 21:30

Bit harsh isn't it? 😮 Saying that I never buy them don't know the deal with them.

BibiThree · 15/06/2018 21:35

My 13yo daughter wasn't allowed to carry the pack of art pens I'd just bought her out of Hobbycraft because they were age restricted.

AlfredDaButtler · 15/06/2018 21:36

My mum was once told she wasn't allowed to buy wine with the shopping in Asda because I - at 17 - was with her and couldn't provide ID because she could have been buying it for me.

The80sweregreat · 15/06/2018 21:36

Art pens - age restricted! Heard it all now.

DieSchottin93 · 15/06/2018 21:36

When I worked in a small convenience store my supervisor stopped a young child, probably about 6 or 7, from handing over a lottery ticket to me (the one where you fill it in then put it through the machine). His dad had to hand it to me himself. The rules are super strict and to many customers they might seem OTT but it's really drummed into us and not worth the fallout if it turned out you were a test purchaser or something.

StillRowing · 15/06/2018 21:40

I was id’d today buying non alcoholic kopparberg! Didn’t have any so had to argue the fact that it said no alcohol and that I’m 29 meant I should have it

BibiThree · 15/06/2018 21:40

The pens use alcohol based ink.
She's not going to drink them!

TakeawayTakeMeAway · 15/06/2018 21:41

They said I couldn't even touch the plastic bag, alongside some very solemn head shaking.

I’m middle aged but that would just make me want to give the bag a little tickle with one finger, looking the cashier in the eye all the while Grin