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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:
Undercoverworker06 · 20/02/2020 15:20

Supermarket worker here. Yep, I'd do the same, it's not worth your job. We get the random checks from Trading Standards and you're in trouble if you fail it.
On a similar theme, I refused a scratch card sale yesterday, as I heard the granddaughter ask her grandma to buy her a lottery card. When I asked grandma if she was going to give it to her granddaughter and she said yes, I had to refuse it as she was only about 10. Even when the grandma said she'd buy it for herself, I still refused as I know she was going to give it to her granddaughter. We have to be so careful.

Potkettlexx · 20/02/2020 15:21

This reply has been deleted

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recordbox · 20/02/2020 15:21

OTT??

It's the law.

It’s along the lines of asking a 50 year d for ID.

No, it's not

cologne4711 · 20/02/2020 15:21

Do you honestly think someone would have the time or money to take the lady to court

No they wouldn't OP. But clearly the supermarkets put the fear of God into their staff. I suppose it's a good thing in one way and your daughter was very clearly under age. Imagine the headlines if the shop assistant had let her buy it "TESCO lets 7 year old buy bottle of wine" but more lurid than I can come up with!

The think 25 thing is the ludicrous part of the policy. Law says 18 but you have to look 25. which is an incredibly subjective thing anyway.

Willow2017 · 20/02/2020 15:21

And that’s all very well saying the technically dd bought the alcohol, but for anything to go ‘wrong’, I would have to give her it to drink.

Nope you can do what you want in your own home but in the shop we cannot be letting minors pay for alcohol, handle alcohol nor an adult blatently buy it for them. Its already wrong for you to allow your DD to attempt to buy it. Thats all that matters to us, the store and the Licensing Body.

Do you honestly think someone would have the time or money to take the lady to court?
Think you will find that the Licensing Body have a fair bit of money, enough to take assistant and store to court any day they chose. and they do.

WalkingDeadTrainee · 20/02/2020 15:22

It's simply NOT ridiculous and it's NOT OTT.

Was there an alcohol being purchased?
Yes
Was the one physically paying under 18?
Yes.
= Problem

The law isn't actually even crazy. It's very simple. Shop cannot sell to under 18s. Imagine how would already complicated legislation look if they put all possible exceptions in.

And she didn't feel the need to say it. She was supposed to say it.

BaolFan · 20/02/2020 15:22

Feel free to lobby your MP for a change in the law then.

The penalties for shop staff selling - or allowing the sale - of restricted items to those who are under age, are really severe.

You have no idea whether she was being observed by a mystery shopper or one of her own managers. She's doing her job.

FakeFraudSquad · 20/02/2020 15:22

Feels she has to say it?

No. She is legally bound as part of her job to make sure you are complying with the law.

Do you realise how entitled you sound?

The law is the law. It doesn’t stop being the law when you decide to let your child play shop.

It wasn’t an unreasonable or impolite request. She was doing her job and abiding by the law. Simple as that.

simonisnotme · 20/02/2020 15:22

yes it may be OTT
but she could lose her job and get a fine
my DD got ID looked at in asda she was 29 and i was with her

Original poster
Potkettlexx · 20/02/2020 15:22

@Undercoverworker06

But again that’s different as you knew she was going to give her granddaughter it. I wasn’t going to give my dd it

OP posts:
HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 20/02/2020 15:23

Next time let Dd scan all the shopping and then pay, then you do the alcohol separately.

They are just doing there job, you could have been a mystery shopper etc.

I was having an unusual childfree evening so was buying myself one of those tiny bottles of wine, I got Id'd didn't have any on me as don't normally buy alcohol. I know most of the staff in the shop who could vouch for me but this person was new. The funny thing is my mum was upstairs in the offices as she is the legal and compliance manager (responsible for making people ID people etc) and I'm 35 and definitely don't look too young! But once they ID you no one else in the store can sell you alcohol.

polkadotpj · 20/02/2020 15:23

It's the same with petrol. My son wanted to fill our car (while I supervised) but got told off over the tannoy - I was a bit 🙄but these things are regulated so I had to comply.

JuniperBeer · 20/02/2020 15:23

No. No I'm really not. You're embarrassed you got called out on something in a shop. Something that you shouldn't have done. That's all.
Sounds like the staff member handled it really well and was polite. It's the law. Why do you think you're above it?

You've learnt something today that's all.

cologne4711 · 20/02/2020 15:23

At least they actually let you buy it in the end. Some staff are so badly trained that they would say you were obviously buying it for your 7 year old and not let you have it at all!

codenameduchess · 20/02/2020 15:25

Shops get randomly checked and if found to be selling alcohol to under 18s the shop assistant as well as the shop can be prosecuted and fined.

By allowing your 7 year old to scan the items and tap the card she as essentially purchasing an age restricted product and so breaking the law. It doesn't matter how you see it, if there is someone there checking the shop they can take action, another shopper could see it and report, the store manager or another employee could report.

Your attitude is very entitled, the law is the law. Let your dd help when you aren't buying alcohol.

FlamingoAndJohn · 20/02/2020 15:25

She can drink it all she wants at home.

The staff member was completely correct to stop her from paying.

cologne4711 · 20/02/2020 15:25

It's the same with petrol. My son wanted to fill our car (while I supervised) but got told off over the tannoy - I was a bit 🙄but these things are regulated so I had to comply

I didn't actually know there was an age limit for putting petrol in until I read it on here a few weeks ago! Not that I ever asked my ds to do it before he was 16 or did it myself (back then it wasn't always self-serve anyway). I guess it make sense for it to be 16.

Original poster
Potkettlexx · 20/02/2020 15:25

It’s absolutely ludicrous

OP posts:
Willow2017 · 20/02/2020 15:26

I just find it ridiculous that another customer would complain about it.

Complaints have to be followed up especially when it comes to restricted items.
But the customer next to you at self scan could be a, mystery shopper or an agent from the Licensing body, I have had both in my first 6 months of working in a supermarket.

I am not losing my job for anyone .

Kay1341 · 20/02/2020 15:26

The licensing board frequently sends out secret shoppers to test if shops follow the law when selling alcohol. When I was at Tesco we were told that an checkout personnel could be fined up to £5000, but the manager of the shop could also be fined up to £20000 for persistent sales of alcohol to underage people. It's not something shops take lightly.

PristineCondition · 20/02/2020 15:27

Im a shop worker on minimum wage.we don't refuse you for fun, I can't afford the fine or to be sacked. We get we secret shoppers and checks. our managers monitor us also

I'll do as the law,shop policy and manager say because I need my job.

TitianaTitsling · 20/02/2020 15:27

Do you honestly think someone would have the time or money to take the lady to court?. It's not a random individual that chooses to do this... Its the law...

BookWitch · 20/02/2020 15:28

I'm surprised they let you have it. Similar has happened to me, and now I am so careful, yesterday in Lidl, I made DD18 (! - yes she is legal but she didn't have ID on her) wait by the car while I paid for the wine.

The assistant could have lost her job OP, you have to let this one go.

marns · 20/02/2020 15:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cookiemonster5 · 20/02/2020 15:29

It doesn't matter who was supervising the transaction. The law is the law.

It's the same as not allowing under 16s to pump fuel. They obviously didn't drive there and the adult could be standing next to them but it's illegal for them to put fuel in a vehicle so the pump is cut off at the desk.

Your daughter can help any other time but she cannot buy alcohol and that's what she was attempting to do.