To be baffled by Morrison's ID policy

[Babyfacemortified]

I am really at a loss to understand what I have just experienced. Very minor in the scheme of things but I have been left with a lingering uncomfortable feeling.

I made an unplanned stop at my local Morrison's store for a bottle of wine and didn't have my purse with me, just my bank card. So I didn't have any ID with me but I am 33 years old and was dressed for work in business wear so it never crossed my mind that I would be asked for it, even with challenge 25 as I am 8 years over that but to my amazement, I was asked. In many ways, very flattering. This isn't the part that annoyed and bewildered me....

I previously worked in that store for 5 years (starting 16 years ago) and am still on good terms with many of the staff, including management. It's a small town so I still chat to my former colleagues when I see them and keep in touch on Facebook. I didn't have ID, so was refused the sale. This is fine as for whatever reason, the checkout assistant was not confident that I was old enough to buu alcohol.

I asked whether a different member of staff on another checkout could serve me as they would know for a certain fact that I am old enough but was told rhat no, that is not possible and the assistant refused to let me take the wine to another checkout or call a supervisor.

The people behind me in the queue were really nice, as they could obviously tell I am clearly well over 18 (and 25, unfortunately) but I still felt really embarrassed not to mention disappointed at having to leave the lovely Malbec I had been looking forward to!

On the way out, I spotted a supervisor I used to work with and explained the issue to her, told her I realised it was totally my own fault for not having ID but I really did fancy a glass of wine and had a friend coming the following day so could do with something in to offer, so could she aerve me on her checkout but she also refused. She said that although she knew my age, it would be against the law for her to serve me now that her colleague had questioned my age!

Surely this is madness? I absolutely respect the right of the first checkout assistant to refuse if she isn't satisfied that I am old enough, as the consequences of serving someone under 18 can be very serious, but if another checkout assistant and supervisor knew that I was in my 30s they can't be prohibited from serving alcohol can they?

Name changed as very outing.

It may not be law as such but we are regularly tested to ensure we are following our think 21 policy. We get shouted at and sworn at regularly for doing our jobs. The amount of times I've explained that we are think 21 everywhere else is think 25 and if you really are 23 then you are going to get asked for id wherever you go so taking it so personally.

I dont work for morrisons but id'ing people is a big part of my job. I dont care if it pisses you off. Try being threatened with diciplinaries for failing tests . And yes staff have had disciplinary meetings.

We have better things to do than have to call the police on aggressive 20 year olds who refuse to leave until we serve them...

It isn't a difficult thing to carry ID so show some respect. These operators are not beneath you, they are simply doing their job regardless of how silly you find it

HAJ86 There are many reasons not to have ID none of them include disrespecting retail workers.

The OP’s point is that Morrison’s staff knew she was over eighteen and still refused to serve her. Not because it’s illegal - as it clearly isn’t - but because of intransigence and sticking to policy.

I've worked on checkouts in 4 of the big supermarket chains (although over 10 years ago now) and in every one of them checkout operators were told during training that if they were caught selling alcohol to underage customers they could be personally fined (at least £1000 iirc), disciplined or dismissed.

As an 18 year old this was terrifying and made worse by it being a first job and switching from doing what you are told by adults all the time in school up till that point, to having to challenge them on their age and potentially refuse a sale. I am disgusted by PP who said they like to humiliate the operator by demanding a lengthy explanation and holding up the queue as petty revenge. Once I was a little older and more confident I would point out to those sorts of customer they were being abusive, I was following company policy and if they did not calm down/comply then I would refuse to serve them any further and request security to remove them from the store. People are just doing their job, there is no need to be 'that' customer.

I don’t think shop assistants are below me at all but the policy is stupid. I got turned down for calpol a year ago when had ran out to the 24 hrs supermarket in a panic as we had run out at dd was ill. Just grabbed some cash and ran. 2am I’m stressed and have baby vomit spots on me and some idiot won’t give me calpol as I look under 25 (I was 31

Also don’t get the bit about ID img everyone in the party. Good friend dosent drink so why would she carry ID? But a few times I haven’t been served as she hasn’t got ID. She had a work I’d but that not approved apparently- she wanted an apple juice! The rule makes non drinkers have to also carry I’d so they can prove there old enough to buy something they don’t want

They do it as a respect thing for the operator. The operator needs to know that they have the support of the team. So the managers will back up the staff regardless. You are free to go get your ID then come back. As I have had to be in this position please realise it is a difficult thing for an operator to have to do. On more than one occasion the staff end up getting a lot of verbal abuse and even sometimes threats. They need to know managers will not overturn their challenge. So regarding the matter of whether the manager knows you or not, they too are doing their job and supporting their staff.

DD2 has never been asked for ID. She is just 18. I think that a lot of cashiers don’t seem to understand that you don’t have to be over 25, you only have to be 18. There is also the issue that you can drink alcohol over the age of 5 at home.

Re ID, I have an Eastern European ID card and driving licence. If the check out person doesn’t understand this language, then they are going to be none the wiser as to what they are being shown.

It may not be law as such ?
Wtf? It is either the law or not.

She said that although she knew my age, it would be against the law for her to serve me now that her colleague had questioned my age!

This bit. Once you've been asked for ID you have to provide it, even if another knows you're over.
Sucks, but there it is.

@Modestandatinybitsexy

Probably in flagged up as cutlery and it's an automatic response from the till to prompt you for ID. Yes of course you can tell the till you don't need it, or have seen it, but, these things are monitored and if you never challenge for ID, never refuse a sale because of lack of ID, always override the prompts, it's flagged up and the ledger of challenges and refused sales checked, if you are found to be not IDing people, you're told to, simple as that. Doesn't matter if every single person you have ever served is clearly old enough, the boxes aren't being ticked.

I used to always get asked for ID up until About 35. I’m 37 and 2 kids now. Haven’t been asked for a very long time...

But if people have it why dont you just bring it. You never know when you might need to go grab some emergency medicine or a may age restricted product . You ate all the same people after all who would report a shop keeper for your 17 yr old niece managing to buy cigarettes and lighter fluid.

Sometimes I think people do it on purpose

They have it but it's in the car
They have a photo of it on their phone

They live nearby and will bring it tomorrow

They know the managers sisters ex husbands dogs nephew so just call them.

They used to work here X number of years ago.

Just sodding bring it problem.solved. it's a small card that fits in wallets and tent pockets in bags . You arent being asked to carry an anvil around your neck on a massive chain

I got asked for ID in Asda the other day. It wasn't for alcohol but for an energy drink. Their policy was you had to be over 1 year old. I did look at them and asked if they really thought I was under 1. In fairness they double checked the screen then let it through so I'm assuming they just saw the prompt come up and assumed it was challenge 25. Either that or they got a clearer look at the crows lines around my eyes which is normally when cashiers stop asking me for ID.

Yes, that is quite common. It is to avoid shaming / undermining the member of staff who refused. The staff are asked to make a judgement call (that can have serious repercussions) so the policy is for other staff to back them up and not have people then trying other members of staff looking for a different result.

Frustrating, but just always carry ID in future.

Unfortunately retail staff aren’t the brightest of people.

I was asked for ID for a red bull in Tesco's last week. The cashier proceeded to tell me that I've got a very young face. That's really appreciated, but I'm 32 and quite clearly old enough to be drinking an energy drink. I think common sense isn't used in most of the cases.

Sorry badly that was a Kinda sarcastic quote rather than saying it's not law if that makes sense.

Age restrictions are obviously law as is having policies in place to ensure you dont serve underage people.

We can still lose our jobs for serving a 20 year old or in other cases a 24 year old if we clearly haven't followed the procedures of iding people who look under 21/25/30 or whatever your policy is

They really do send in people who are over 18 but under 21 in order to catch us out

*If you worked in the store than you should know that if you have been asked for ID and have been unable to produce it, then they cannot serve you.

While it might be stupid, ultimately its the person that serves you that gets the punishment and I would go without the bottle of wine if it makes sure that the sales assistant doesn't end up in jail with a
massive fine.*

This is nonsense though because the massive fine would only be levied if the OP subsequently turned out to be under 18 which the supervisor knew she wasn't. There was no risk at any point to anyone and they knew it.

I would be different if she didn't have ID and the supervisor didn't know her but in this instance the supervisor could demonstrate that their was no doubt about her age. There is no way anyone would have got a find for this and anyone who says otherwise is talking rubbish.

It's against the law to serve energy drinks to under 16s.
Those being questioned for a can of Red Bull must be particularly fresh faced
Maybe that's why you were questioned, can't ascertain whether over 16 or not

Of course the cashier wouldn't go to jail, that's nonsense; if anything, it would be a £90 penalty notice

*We can still lose our jobs for serving a 20 year old or in other cases a 24 year old if we clearly haven't followed the procedures of iding people who look under 21/25/30 or whatever your policy is

They really do send in people who are over 18 but under 21 in order to catch us out*

P.S. the store assistant is this scenario was 100% correct. She wasn't sure of the age and challenged appropriately. That's ok, that's her job.

It was the supervisor who did have evidence of the OPs age that was at fault.

But they don't send in people in their 30s, some of whom have DC who are old enough to buy alcohol do they?

I usually do have my driving licence with me, but not always because I often need it to enter secure sites and it sometimes get left in my work bag.

I'd also rather avoid carrying about to be honest because if my bag gets stolen, the thief has my house keys and my address, so obviously a security risk.

I fell foul of this policy aged 40. I was doing a shop and added a bottle of glenfiddich for my brother's birthday. They wouldn't sell me it or let me go to another check out as once you've been selected for ID they can't go back on it. The people behind me were saying no offence but I'm clearly over 25 and how silly it is. I'm all for preventing kids buying alcohol but this is overkill.

I got id'd buying alcohol free cider and beer at my local co op a couple of months ago. Had a 3mo non sleeping baby, felt like death - hence non alcoholic stuff because real stuff = zzzzzzzz. Oh and I'm 37.

Was very shocked to be checked in those circumstances... fortunately I had my driving licence in my wallet - but I might have gone to that shop with just cash if I'd put my wallet somewhere stupid... especially for a run out of Calpol dash...

Unfortunately retail staff aren’t the brightest of people.

Yeah, totally thick to follow company policies and avoid losing your job🙄

@Ringdonna RUDE! I worked at the coop and John Lewis while I was doing my PhD. I'm highly educated with a very good job! I would follow all the laws around ID! You can get an on the spot fine and even a prison sentence. You might want to watch the latest series of watchdog about not checking for ID on the sale of knives it outlines the law on all age restricted sales in a very simple way - you might understand it!