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?

I got ID'd in a corner shop for tobacco. My dad was with me and got really annoyed as the guy asking me for ID looked really young. He said "are you old enough to be selling them?".
Not in a bad way, he's very jovial.
Didn't bother me at all, although I'm 36 this month so was very flattered.

I had to get my dad to get some for me once as they refused to serve me in waitrose as I forgot my ID. Felt like a naughty schoolgirl. He didn't mind as I was 32 at the time

I think it's totally sensible. If it stops people that are underage buying things they shouldn't have. It's annoying when you are caught out without ID and you are obviously of age but it's for a greater good.

They aren't tracking you with the information, the cashier looks at the ID, the sob and picture. It's not like they are logging your boose against your name and keeping tally!

We consider it an important principle that we don’t have to justify our existence to the state if we’re just going about our business. It’s why the concept of ID cards is disliked here. It isn’t backwards, It’s an important aspect of living in a free country that I suspect we’ll lose soon.

And yet you have CCTV more than anywhere else I've ever been and increasing demands to show ID wherever you go. If you don't drive and you don't work somewhere with photo ID and you don't have a passport (none of which are legal requirements) then you're pretty much buggered.

I get that the banks have rules - but what would they do if you wanted to buy, say, a 2nd hand car for your DC for a 1,000 the seller wants cash and you don't have photo ID?

Hate it with passion. Because some staff go on a power trip, then smirk at you "Oh, you should take it as a compliment". Or when doing grocery shopping, and kids tag along, i'm suddenly not allowed a wine or a dvd.

It's the cost of suitable id that's another problem dn had to get a passport she didn't need as she wasn't planning travelling abroad when she turned 18 so she could go out with her mates. Nearly 80.00 is a lot, can't have a driving licence due to eyesight

It's the cost of suitable id that's another problem
AND its not very sensible to carry a passport around to places like nightclubs.

I don't mind being IDd (I'm now 29 and although it's now relatively rare, I do sometimes still get asked - ego boost!) if it means that kids can't get hold of alcohol and put themselves in danger.

I think everyone should carry their ID with them. You KNOW there's always the chance you'll be asked (even if you're 40+, I know people who have been asked at ridiculous ages!!) and if you can't produce ID they can't sell it to you, so just carry it. It's a card. Not difficult. Your driving license is ideal, and if you can't drive, just get a provisional, which works just the same.

Hello, thanks for all the responses. I know that not everyone agrees with me and that there are different perspectives on this issue. But thanks anyhow.

It's not that no one agrees with you, more that no one understands you ....

It would be better if there was an Id card available to anybody who qualified for a reasonable price that could be used as proof of age, the only things that are accepted are not primarily for that purpose, passports for travelling and driving licences obviously for driving

It's a card. Not difficult
No, it isn't simple. Already been explained. Cost and availability. Not everyone drives, not everyone is a citizen.

Where did the massive moral panic about underage drinking start? Is this another import from the USA?

Where did the massive moral panic about underage drinking start? Is this another import from the USA?

Sounds like. Well, with alcohol i can almost understand. But films/games, or plastic cutlery, or cold meds? Its bonkers. With knives its also ridiculous. Everybody has some at home, and not locked in the safe.

Life is too short to get worked up about this

Life is too short to have to hang around waiting for people to ok your purchase.

I've never actually had a problem with being asked for ID, but I do think the supermarkets should ensure that at least one till (and the cigarette/lottery counter) is staffed by someone over 18, and that everyone else wears a badge to say they are under 18 and therefore you will have to wait for a supervisor.

I do think the Think 25 policy needs to be implemented with a little more common sense (does anyone remember the story of the 19 year old who wasn't allowed to buy paracetamol because she didn't have ID, but they wouldn't sell it to her father, either).

A provisional driving licence still costs 34.00 its basically a tax because I'm sure there are very few people who go through life not buying alcohol gong into a pub or club or buying a knife or a dvd or computer game with a certificate of age restriction.

Apparently the Tesco near my son's college won't accept college ID (with date of birth and photo, and you have to present birth certificate/passport to the college on enrolment) for purchases of Red Bull (not that I think he's tried to buy it, but other students have).Not sure what they will accept, most people don't want to carry their passport around with them in case they lose them. I suppose some of them have provisional (or full) licences.

I think I'd just laugh if someone asked me for ID, as I am nearly 48 and sadly look it

What's annoying about it, is that shop assistants apply the rule if there's the slightest possibility you could pass for 25 - so in my late 30s, with a clearly 7-8 year old child in tow, I would get IDed in supermarkets when buying wine along with the food shop. Until I passed my driving test at 38, I didn't have photo ID other than a passport.

The idea behind the guidance is that is you assess someone as looking 25, it's actually possible that they are an older looking 17 year old, so there's a risk of conducting an underage sale. It wasn't intended for a situation where if you think someone (on a good day) could just scrape in at looking 25 they need to be IDed to prove they are over 25. Yes, I might have just passed for 25; no way would I have passed for 17!

With the rise in knife crime I am glad kids can't just rock up.and buy kitchen knives willy nilly.
The paracetamol thing may be annoying but it's not up to the cashier the till only authorises 2 items containing paracetamol as per the rules.

With the rise in knife crime I am glad kids can't just rock up.and buy kitchen knives willy nilly.

Because they could never just take one from the knife rack in the kitchen ?

At least I know they won't be supplied with them in the heat of the moment from any shop now.

Surely that's better than saying "oh well they can get them at home, so if a kid falls out with mates and over reacts and looks to buy a knife in the nearest shop, you might as well sell them any knife they want."?

I prefer there wasn't that option available to them but that's just me.

What's annoying about it, is that shop assistants apply the rule if there's the slightest possibility you could pass for 25 - so in my late 30s, with a clearly 7-8 year old child in tow, I would get IDed in supermarkets when buying wine along with the food shop. Until I passed my driving test at 38, I didn't have photo ID other than a passport.

This! Or they assume that you are going to give it to the child even if you have an ID.

It's dumb. As a teen it never stopped me from getting an one of my older mates to go in for me.

Because they could never just take one from the knife rack in the kitchen?

Obviously they could.

At least I know they won't be supplied with them in the heat of the moment from any shop now. Surely that's better than saying "oh well they can get them at home, so if a kid falls out with mates and over reacts and looks to buy a knife in the nearest shop, you might as well sell them any knife they want."?

You forgot to tell us how many times this has been reported though.

If there was an epidemic of kids getting into an argument, and then running to the nearest Lakeland to tool up, I could agree with the sentiments and logic.

But in the absence of any reports, it sounds a little like farting in your garden to keep elephants out on the basis you've never seen an elephant in your garden after farting.

Are you going to answer some of these questions @Wayland1.

Where is this place you can just leave the money?