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Original poster

To think my son aged 15 shouldnt be ID'd to buy....

91 replies

Marble179 · 02/10/2018 08:58

Alcohol Free Kopperberg?!!!

Whenever we had BBQs this summer or went to a party, my son now gets alcohol-free Kopperberg. He has been allowed some of the fall stuff in a small amount but is happy with the alcohol free and not in a rush to drink alcohol. I often had the same as him as it feels like a treat but without alcohol.

He has to have an adult buy it for him in the shop. The shop assistants insist on this even though we have pointed out that it is alcohol free.

Is anyone aware on the law on this and if that is correct? It's just a fizzy fruit drink in a glass bottle!

OP posts:
MaryBoBary · 02/10/2018 09:34

@Birdsgottafly but if it is not illegal then that’s exactly what it does mean - a 5 year old can legally drink alcohol at home. I’m surprised no one else finds this shocking. What on earth is the need for a 5 year old to have a sip of beer?! I’m a very relaxed parent but this is really worrying to me.

Tartsamazeballs · 02/10/2018 09:34

Doesn't make much sense though does it. Low alcohol (0.05-0.12%) is about the same levels as natural alcohols found in fruit juice (0-0.1%)

bigKiteFlying · 02/10/2018 09:36

I'm in my 40s certainly look it have been ID for red bull and vanilla essence by different shops at different times. Pure fluke I had any ID on me.

As PP have said Alcohol Free doesn’t mean it doesn't have trace amount and the under 25 shop scheme is well known about - so I'm a bit surprised at the surprise.

LemonysSnicket · 02/10/2018 09:39

I've been IDd for red bull and nail glue ... I'm 23 😂

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 02/10/2018 09:41

I turned 30 last month, a week before my birthday I went and tried to buy some paracetamol, I was asked for my ID Hmm I didn't have any so he took it off me and didn't allow me to buy it.

It doesn't surprise me at all that they didn't allow your son to buy that however I don't think that's right.

treaclesoda · 02/10/2018 09:42

I was asked for ID a few years ago buying a child's toy kitchen utensil set. It was made for children, aimed at children (obviously, seeing as it was a toy) but I had to prove I was over 21 to buy it because, apparently, the blunt blades on the toy food processor and the blunt blade on the toy knife constituted a hazardous weapon.

NobodysChild · 02/10/2018 09:42

My son is 27 and stands at 6'2 and is well built. Anyone with any common sense can see he's over 25, yet he cannot buy a can of 25p energy drink without I.d. The world has gone mad.

treaclesoda · 02/10/2018 09:44

And my 12 year old wasn't allowed to buy a tube of Pritt stick that she needed for school because apparently it's an over 18 product too. That one really amazed me because I don't think I've ever needed Pritt stick since leaving school.

Nacreous · 02/10/2018 09:47

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/17/section/191

Max is exactly right. Licensing Act 2003, Pt 9, Section 191.

Specifically excludes anything with alcohol content

Jenniferlyndley · 02/10/2018 09:47

I get id'd for Becks blue all the time and I'm in my 30s. The server in Tescos said it's not just about the minimal alcohol content, it's because it's packaged and advertised like an alcoholic drink so could in some way be seen to be encouraging drinking. Like a gateway drug!! I can just see all the kids down the park with their alcohol free beers!

bigKiteFlying · 02/10/2018 09:49

DD1 at 12 wasn't allowed to buy a craft kit because it had a dull scraping blade - I was hovering nearby they call me over explained.

I said nothing but oh okay - and told DD1 we'd keep looking get something else.

Then said if you send her and other children just outside the door and come back over and pay for it yourself - that's fine.

I know the staff were trying to be helpful - but it did feel bloody stupid - me taking the cash off DD1 - her birthday money- and paying for her to hand it over as soon as we left the shop.

BumDisease · 02/10/2018 09:57

"The shop assistants insist on this even though we have pointed out that it is alcohol free"

They don't need you to "point out" anything.

YouCantTourniquetTheTaint · 02/10/2018 10:01

The issue is that the consequences of selling something to someone who is underage is passed on to the person serving.

So if someone under 18 is sold a knife and that knife is used in the commission of a crime, the person who sold it could face charges. In addition to up to £5000 fines and job loss.

Anything age restricted such as alcohol, knives, solvents, even Red bull will carry an automatic check if the person looks under 21/25

Alcohol free cider and beer still contain alcohol although at minimal amounts. They won't be classified as soft drinks, and will be classified under alcoholic drinks in the till. It'll come up with a challenge 25 screen.

It's so vast with regards to challenge 25 because the consequences have been passed down to the retailer and then onto till staff.

In my area the council does checks. If they're failed, the person will lose their job and get fined. As what happened a couple of years ago in a store in London.

MissionItsPossible · 02/10/2018 10:04

@MaryBoBary

I read that too and wondered why an archaic law hasn’t been updated to reflect modern society

Cuddlykitten123 · 02/10/2018 10:07

It's a product that is coded to need an ID check and will flag on the till; if the shop assistant was seen or caught by a secret shopper ignoring the message the store and them personally could be fined. It's not personal.

ElainaElephant · 02/10/2018 10:07

@MaryBoBary

I wouldn't worry too much. That's been the law for a long time. It's not like people have been lobbying for 5 year olds to be able to have a g&t at the weekend.

If you have only just become aware of it, clearly it hasn't been an issue for you up till now. I don't see why suddenly knowing it will change anything.

slashlover · 02/10/2018 10:11

Shops can put restrictions on purchases, that's why some shops wouldn't sell energy drinks to under 16s before it became law. Most shops I've seen include low alcohol/alcohol free as age restricted products.

MrsStrowman · 02/10/2018 10:12

I got ID'd buying a corkscrew in Asda a couple of years ago, I was 32 and it's a corkscrew?! Apparently it's a sharp object...

YouCantTourniquetTheTaint · 02/10/2018 10:13

In France 5yolds will have watered down wine with meals.

I wonder if they have an issue with binge drinking over there as much as we have here?

JillyArmeeen · 02/10/2018 10:15

It will flag up on the till and they have to ask.
Its nothing personal.
I would just find another soft drink in a glass bottle to have as a treat and completely avoid this issue in future.
Never seen the point of alcohol free beers really and always find cider way too gassy anyway.

ladybee28 · 02/10/2018 10:16

What on earth is the need for a 5 year old to have a sip of beer?!

There's no 'need', but that's not how the law works - things aren't legal because they're 'necessary'.

It's not illegal for me to dance flamenco dressed as a hot dog in my local pharmacy, but that's not because there's a need for me to do it.

MrsStrowman · 02/10/2018 10:17

I do think it's sensible to ID for non alcoholic cider (add others have pointed out it's low shock not no alcohol), the bottles are the same as the regular stuff, so there could be a chance someone puts eight bottles on the counter, the cashier checks the first and enters times eight into the till the first two are non-alcoholic the rest are full alcohol, better safe than sorry. Also if he's only having them at home for social occasions only surely you'd get them when you/DP do the grocery shop?

TeacupDrama · 02/10/2018 10:22

Originally most medicines contained small amounts of alcohol but also so children can have foods with small amounts of alcohol like Christmas cake a truffle, pork cooked in cider beef in red wine etc.

schnubbins · 02/10/2018 10:23

I live in Germany and drinking beer and wine is legal at 16 .I have two sons aged 18 and 20 and find it way more sensible that drinking alcohol is out in the open and not something kids have to sneak around doing because they are going to do it.Of course there are always the few that abuse this but by and large it seems to work .Mine drink regularly now and have also come home pretty drunk in the last few years but there are plenty times that they will choose a coke or water over a beer also.

twoshedsjackson · 02/10/2018 10:25

My local convenience store was caught up in one of these checks; let off with a caution, but the purchase of a restricted item was set up as a "sting" operation. I have since heard them pointing out to a disgruntled customer whose son was not allowed to nip in for his mum's fags while she waited in the car, that she'd find it a greater inconvenience if, next time, he really did get closed down.
On another occasion, I was temporarily mildly chuffed when the checkout girl called over a supervisor when my supermarket shopping contained booze - but it turned out to be because of her age, not mine.

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