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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think checkout lady was being OTT about alcohol and child?

445 replies

Potkettlexx · 20/02/2020 15:02

In supermarket yesterday with DD 7. DD struggles at school so I let her help with shopping to get her used to the concept.

Bought some bread and small gift pack bottle baileys £5 for in-laws bday.

Got DD to scan the gift box and the bread and press the correct buttons etc... (dd Aldo has some sensory and coordination difficulties so again it helps this doing practical things)

DD wanted to pay with my card so I told her what buttons to press and gave her the card to tap on card reader. Dd didn’t really understand so I just gently took it from her and tapped my card myself.

Before I took over, dd was trying and the woman supervising the self service tills piled up ‘ohh you’ll have to be the one that pats with the card’ or something to that affect.

I was thinking.... for real?!

I get that they need to be very careful when selling alcohol....

I get that a 15 year old can look 18....

I get that an 18 year old could be potentially buying it for younger friends....

I get that they could be disciplined if they were willingly selling alcohol to under 18’s....

But for goodness sake, surely common sense would say she really didn’t need to say that under the circumstances.

After all, the reason the sale of alcohol is forbidden to under 18’s is incase they drink it and quite right.

That’s not the same as the this situation. It was clearly evident I was the one ‘buying it’ and giving my consent. Does she honestly think I was planning on giving it to my 7 year old?! 🙄

OP posts:
FlamingoAndJohn · 20/02/2020 18:14

Do you seriously think they would sending a member of your family to test whether you are ID accurately.

You said ‘went to school with’.
It’s quite possible that you wouldn’t know that the person you went to school with worked in the shop until you got to the counter.

Quartz2208 · 20/02/2020 18:14

@Potkettlexx using a partners card is different yes. The laws of Licensing are very clearly and definitively covered in the Licensing Act 2003. It is very clear about underage buying alcohol.

Now what is also very clear (and prh47bridge who I think is a solicitor sums up very well) is that the act of scanning a credit card completes the purchase. i.e. she would be buying it.

What would be jobsworth if she then refused to let YOU buy it because your 7 year old is there. Which is taking it too far. Stopping your 7 year old buying alcohol is perfectly reasonable.

morrisseysquif · 20/02/2020 18:15

You could have been a secret shopper. It is her job and livelihood if she were to get into trouble so YABU.

TheTrollFairy · 20/02/2020 18:16

The woman did the right thing. She didn’t know you aren’t a mystery shopper and the fine is a PERSONAL fine.
I probably would have done the same. I used to ID people all the time when I worked in a pub because it just isn’t worth the risk

Cherrysherbet · 20/02/2020 18:17

The lady was very fair with you. She could have refused to serve you the alcohol at all, as a child tried to purchase it first.
I work on the checkouts, and we have to stick to the rules. We go by the ‘challenge 25’, and are meant to ask anyone who looks under 25 for I.D. If we don’t, and get caught by one if the officials doing an undercover check, then we get a £1000 on the spot fine......and the sack.

I don’t care how much your dd needs to practice shopping, I’m not losing my job for you, sorry.

Enko · 20/02/2020 18:17

@Woodchuck99

They will still be relations and acquaintances of people.

The link as far as I recall says " tend to use" I know some over 18s are also used.

My issue with all of this is it still comes down to the fact that the cashier can financially loose out here. So why are so many of you against this? Would you willingly do something at your work that could get you a fine? Put you on a disciplinary at work and likely ensure you did not get a pay rise that year? Simply because you didn't agree with it?

AlexCrowe84 · 20/02/2020 18:18

OP - what age do you think should be the cut off for children being allowed to use their parents bank card to pay for alcohol?
What about if it was coins/cash being handed over?
Does it matter whether it’s self scan, or a cashier?

You're being unreasonable and ridiculous.

FlamingoAndJohn · 20/02/2020 18:18

What is disappointing though is that I started buying alcohol in pubs when I was as 14.
Never in my whole life have I been IDd.

woodchuck99 · 20/02/2020 18:19

You said ‘went to school with’.
It’s quite possible that you wouldn’t know that the person you went to school with worked in the shop until you got to the counter.

Yes but if you wanted to test whether someone could adequately assess age it wouldn't be much good sending in a person they know so at that point the test would be void and they would have to sending one else.
Regardless the link given by previous poster about test purchases not only says that the tester will be underage but that usually they will also look underage. There is nothing about sending in people who were over 18 but could be under 25.

Enko · 20/02/2020 18:22

@woodchuck99

& my question about you taking a personal fine at your work?

FlamingoAndJohn · 20/02/2020 18:23

Yes but if you wanted to test whether someone could adequately assess age it wouldn't be much good sending in a person they know so at that point the test would be void and they would have to sending one else.

If you are the mystery shopper there is a chance that you wouldn’t know that Tim who you used to sit next to in Maths but have since forgotten works in Aldi.

itsgettingweird · 20/02/2020 18:25

I don't think it's the alcohol thing alone.

I found out once it's actually fraud for someone else to you your card - even with persmission and you present.

(I use to send teen ds into shop for milk and bread with contactless card!)

PointlessAddict · 20/02/2020 18:26

Is Challenge 25 the law?

I thought it wasn’t, but don’t profess to be up to date on these things. So someone could lose their job or maybe there could be licensing implications if they don’t comply, but that someone wouldn’t be prosecuted for selling to someone over 18 but under 25 without seeing ID.

woodchuck99 · 20/02/2020 18:27

The link as far as I recall says " tend to use" I know some over 18s are also used.

No the link says that they use people who are underage.

lyralalala · 20/02/2020 18:28

Yes but if you wanted to test whether someone could adequately assess age it wouldn't be much good sending in a person they know so at that point the test would be void and they would have to sending one else.

Trading Standards here would disagree. One of my DDs has done test purchases locally precisely because there can be a more lax attitude to young people that are known. Especially to young servers

Confuddledtown · 20/02/2020 18:29

Back when I was a student and working in Asda, it was drilled into us that if we ever under any circumstances allowed the sale of alcohol to an under 18, we would be personally responsible for the £80 fine (shop would also get a separate fine) and would lose our jobs. It was heavily tested by mystery shoppers and you could be very easily caught out. They would often test in different ways that seemed completely fine and innocent. That is how strict the law is. Why on earth should they risk their livelihood and £80 fines so your daughter can tap a card? Get over yourself.

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 20/02/2020 18:29

It’s ridiculous but it’s not the fault of the cashier, who is forbidden to use common sense.

lyralalala · 20/02/2020 18:30

@PointlessAddict It’s not the law, but to have a license you must have a policy for age checking. So if you tell the licensing people that your policy is to Challenge 25 and then don’t bother your license could be in trouble

SpillTheTea · 20/02/2020 18:32

Why would they let a child tap the card when buying alcohol? It's against the law, so surely that's common sense? What an overreaction.

woodchuck99 · 20/02/2020 18:34

Trading Standards here would disagree. One of my DDs has done test purchases locally precisely because there can be a more lax attitude to young people that are known. Especially to young servers

So what is your DD testing? Is she over 18?

maddiemookins16mum · 20/02/2020 18:38

You ‘get’ all the rules etc but yet you don’t ‘get’ YABU.

Redda · 20/02/2020 18:39

Haven't read the whole thread but I was in Lidl yesterday and bought shopping including a bottle of Prosecco, my DS 17 was with me and helped me pack, he said he would carry the 2 bags (I have a back problem) and the checkout lady said he couldn't carry the bag with the bottle in Hmm I carried it myself and didn't comment but thought that was a bit ott.

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 20/02/2020 18:41

Well, I’m 47, and a few weeks ago I was not allowed to purchase a bottle of wine.

I was so proud.

I have told everyone I know. The expressions of surprise are... unflattering. Most people seem to be intimating that my visage is anything other than youthful.

Not really the point of the thread, but I wanted to share.

WalkingDeadTrainee · 20/02/2020 18:45

God is this still going?
Imagine if people spend this much energy on actual things which need changing🙄

Sale of alcohol to under 18s
It is the law. It is there to keep underaged safer. It is a good law.

Challenge 25 is a safety measure for the shops. Some 17 and 16 year olds look considerably older. It is not a law, but it is one of the conditions of a licence for places selling alcohol. Fail it and you can and will lose the licence. It may be annoying, but it is a good measure.

It's not hard to understand unless someone is bit like Maccies milkshake.

cologne4711 · 20/02/2020 18:45

We go by the ‘challenge 25’, and are meant to ask anyone who looks under 25 for I.D. If we don’t, and get caught by one if the officials doing an undercover check, then we get a £1000 on the spot fine......and the sack

But presumably only if the person sent in as a "honey trap" is under 18? You can't be fined for selling alcohol to someone under 25 who you thought looked over 25. It's not on the spot either, you'd have to be convicted.