Staff taking ID rules for alcohol too far?

[lovetpwonder]

And even funnier? The person refusing it went to school me, her granddaughter, and I couldn't buy it because the person with me (the 70 year old), didn't have ID

Are people for real?

I said to her "You're joking?!" She said, straight face, not a hint of a smile to suggest she was having us on "I know your age, I remember I went to school with you. I don't need your ID. But I can't be sure of hers so I need some proof of age"

We didn't even bother to persist, one because there was hardly any staff there and two because we couldn't contain our laughter.

What is wrong with people?!

As not to drip feed, some stores have a peculiar policy where you cannot purchase the alcohol if the person with you doesn't have ID. Which makes no sense, what if my DS was with me? He wouldn't have ID (he's a baby).

Where do they draw the line?

If you supply alcohol to someone under age who is accompanying you then the shop can be heavily fined.

Supermarkets can't take the risk of employees using discretion so they set a blanket rule and it's a disciplinary if they don't follow it.

Indignation ensues.

Did you even bother to read the OP malmi?

@malmi The person with her was 70???

It's not just the supermarket who will be fined, the cashier could face a personal fine (£500 I believe) and possible prosecution. They would also lose their job.

I know it's frustrating but the pressure on the cashiers is massive and I think through fear of what might happen if they get it wrong they become overly-cautious.

That’s mental.
I worked p/t in retail until 18 months ago and my rules were:
If a child is under 14 with an adult over 30ish don’t ID them, it’s probably a parent and child and they’re more than likely not buying for a child.
If it’s an adult and a 14-18 looking year old and the adult is buying a Bacardi breezer or lambrini or something equally grim and teenage partyish I would ID the YP
If it’s an under 26 and a 13-18 yo I will ID
If it’s an adult and a 14-18 looking year old and the adult is buying a bottle of prosecco/ champagne/ Rioja I think we can assume that it’s not for the YP so I wouldn’t ID

It’s really tough. I tended to judge on if a teen was picking it out.

Was it a young cashier who refused sale.
I remember on shift just before 7:30 (lottery cut off) rushing down to grab my ticket. The new young cashier wouldn’t sell it to me despite me being his supervisor and me being on shift and me definitely being over 16, and holding the premesis alchohol liscence. 🤷‍♀️😩

Yes I read it.

The shop can't afford to let staff use their discretion, so they tell them it's 'no ID no sale', no exceptions (unless you personally know the person, maybe).

If that's the rule the shop sets then she has to stick by it.

A shop I worked in had an ask 25 rule, they sent a 24 year old in who the assistant didnt ask for ID and she got a warning for breaking shop policy.

Might seem stupid to you but I would rather follow the rules, however daft, and keep my job in this climate.

Apologies I misread. OP, did you have ID? Was it just your grandparent who didn't?

Assistant told OP she didn't need to see her ID as she remembered her from school. But asked for ID from the evidently older other person with her.

Mrs I had ID but she wasn't interested in my ID. She wanted to ID my Nan

Same happened to me rescently.

In B&Q trying to buy a plunger, mr muscle sink unblocker, sink wire thing and some caustic soda.now it doesnt take a genius to work out I had a blocked sink...!!

Would not sell it to me as didnt have Id. Said they Id everyone regardless of age as store policy at that branch. Would not sell it to me.

I mean am I missing something here? Is it me being nieve but its bloody sink unblocker!?! What else could I be doing with it.

Wouldn't mind I am nearly 30....

Oh it wasnt an ask 25 or some such. They said it was everyone for restricted products

I'm seriously failing at reading tonight 😣 must be the heat.

That sounds a bit ridiculous. You ID the person making the purchase, unless you see money being exchanged beforehand.

I had the same with my mum years. I was 19 with ID. My mum in her 40s didn't have ID. My Mum was buying. They refused the sale because she couldn't prove her age.

The law is 18. She clearly wasn't under 18 or even borderline. In my opinion the cashier was being a pain.

My grandad was ID'd for a bottle of scotch in America once when he was over 70. The guy said 'have you got id' and me Grandad said 'My face is my ID- can't you see these wrinkles??'

That’s mental! I’ve been a supermarket cashier and did sometimes threaten to ID my older regular customers but it was joke we both enjoyed. It’s a boring as fuck job, maybe the cashier wanted some entertainment? Or maybe they’re a bit dim. I had a woman in Asda try refuse me alcohol once as her sticker on her checkout said Think 25. I was 24 and had ID, she genuinely thought that the legal age was 25! Idiot.

@notquiteagandt I think you can make a bomb with caustic soda.....still I don’t think there’s a national law about having to provide ID before buying it.

What annoys me about supermarkets selling alcohol is that they’re also not allowed to sell to someone inebriated but have no qualms about doing so. I’ve complained to nearly every local supermarket about selling to someone I’d asked them not to, and they didn’t give a fig.

They sent a 24 year old in who the assistant didn't ask for ID and she got a warning

But the assistant could easily say she was following policy - ie the customer looked 25 to her

This is why the Think 25 thing is so stupid; it's subjective.

It's stupid. If someone is going to but for someone who might get refused, they'd just stay outside.

I never ever get IDed and I'm a lot younger than 70

That's ridiculous.
That's not following policy; that's being petty and stupid.

If a shop has been caught before, the policy sometimes becomes ID everybody regardless of age, could this apply here?

If the shop had failed a test purchase then they might be on lockdown which means IDing EVERYBODY for any age restricted product - although that means you should have been asked too.

In the U.K.? That’s just petty. Let’s not be ridiculous, someone of 70 is clearly over 18. Your old school mate was being a twat and I would complain to the manager.

I saw a woman being ID'd to buy a beer at a baseball game in America. She was frail enough to be using a wheelchair and wearing a badge proudly announcing it was her 90th birthday.