Challenge 25 ID policy.

[Wayland1]

Hello,

What do you think of the policy that requires shops to ask for ID from anybody who looks like they are under the age of 25 when they buy age-restricted products?

It's stupid because all people have to do to get around it is to just put the money on the counter and walk out with the item they are buying. But the notices are still nonetheless very unpleasant to have to look at.

What do you think?

It’s sensible, honestly. I work at a further education college (generally 16+), many of the girls coming to us straight out of school are so well made up and coiffed expensive looking hair, they could easily pass for twenties up!
It’s probably been researched somewhere that an 18 year old is unlikely to look older than 25 unless they’ve had a very hard paper round, so they’ve set that as a guideline.
At almost 40 I’m rarely asked now, but was always a bit flattered when they did! ;)

I don't understand why you think they're unpleasant to look at. It's just a warning sign. Nothing more. It's hardly offensive is it?!

A lot of the ones I see word it as “if you are lucky enough to look under 25, please don’t be offended...”

A load of baloney of course but arguably better than

”ATTENTION, WIZENED HAGS!

Don’t be offended if we don’t ask for ID only it would be obvious to a blind man the last time you saw 40 was on a speed sign”

Maybe OP would prefer that? ¯\(ツ)/¯

YABU. It's a cautious policy to reduce the chance of an employee

And a shop is under no obligation to sell an item to you. If you "put the money on the counter and walk out" the shop's security guard is entirely within their rights to detain you for theft, or/and in the case of alcohol for buying it underage.

the chance of an employee making an error in their judgement, I was going to say.

the only thing which offends me is when you see the employee hit the "customer is CLEARLY over 25" button!

Omg a 100% YABU!

Are you still on a NYE come down OP? You're not making much sense.

I constantly get id'd I'm almost 30, I will be with my baby son and a whole trolly of boring house stuff like bleach and one bottle of wine and they constantly ask! 🙄 I honestly don't look less than 25.... Maybe late 20s. Try to see it as a compliment rather than irritation

Have you been drinking OP?

"It's stupid because all people have to do to get around it is to just put the money on the counter and walk out with the item they are buying."

So you just throw the money down and run out? And you think that works and is legal?

Meant to say it's not "unpleasant" that's a very odd description

Unpleasant? Wtf...
I was id’d buying crackers of all things the other day (not the cheese kind!)
Just the norm of shopping these days ,doesn’t bother me

I’m 33 and often get asked for ID. Doesn’t bother me. They’re just doing their jobs.

The employee could get an on the spot £90 fine if they sell alcohol to someone under 18.
Trading Standards send test purchasers in to check shops are following procedure. I can see why they would rather ask if in any doubt at all.

This thread makes zero sense.

The only thing that bothers me is I got id checked on the till for a U rated movie and she actually scrutinised me a, im 44 b, its U! but I laughed it off it was Christmas she was clearly stressed out and didnt notice what I had bought 🤣

'Unpleasant to look at' has really tickled me.

Not as unpleasant to look at as a group of 14 year olds throwing up in the corner of the car park because they've managed to get their hands on half a dozen two litre bottles of cider though, are they?

What a strange thread

Have you just moved to Britain or something?

You are talking utter bollocks.

It is a sensible policy, and no, you can't just leave your money on the counter and waltz out of the shop with your restricted item. You will be stopped if you try it, they are within their rights to decline the sale if they ask for your ID and you don't cooperate.

Personally I think it’s annoying. I recently got asked for ID to buy a bottle of gin. I’m 37 and was with my 17 year old son (who thought it was most amusing) I did not have any ID and even after I challenged it, I was still refused.

For the record, I do look younger than 37 but definitely 25 or below.

The till prompts the warning as soon as the item is scanned. Crackers, Paracetamol, knives,lottery etc. Cashiers have to answer the question before they can scan anything else.

Eh?!

Technically @Nicolanomore24 they could have refused to sell it you as you were with a minor and could have been buying it for him.
The rules surrounding that are more annoying than anything else.

I don't understand the issue?

I carry ID with me wherever I go because of things like this.
I got IDd buying some Nurofen Plus earlier today, they're behind the counter - I couldn't put the money on the counter and walk off.

Technically @Nicolanomore24 they could have refused to sell it you as you were with a minor and could have been buying it for him.

So if she was in with her 8 year old or 18 month old would they have refused her the sale then?

This is the point that I think things enter the twilight zone. The mere presence of a minor in the company of someone who has demonstrated they are an adult should not preclude the sale of an age-restricted item.

Plenty of people take their kids on the weekly shop with them. Should they not be able to shove a bottle of plonk into the shopping trolley with them lest they ‘supply’ it to their child? Such a policy would disproportionately target women in any case, since one still sees more women doing the grocery shopping with kids in tow than you do men.