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Original poster

Buying Prime in Asda

108 replies

primecrime · 02/07/2023 12:15

I was in Asda today with my 12 year old ds and his friend of the same age. They spotted cans of prime that they'd never had before and got all excited.

They chose two flavours and put them in the trolley talking excitedly about trying them later.

As we were near the till a check out lady said firmly to us, you can't buy those.

I asked why. She said because they are for children, I've heard them talking about drinking them.

I explained that I was buying them (aged 45) not them.

She said again, you can't buy them for children and pointed to the challenge 25 sign.

I said ok, I'll just buy them for me to drink all of them. She then reached over, grabbed them out of my trolley and marched off with them.

I followed her and asked why she was taking them. She said it was just her job and I was breaking the law.

I left without them, confused and perplexed.

I had no idea that Prime was restricted in this way. Does anyone know the rules about buying Prime? I felt like a criminal as well as a bad parent.

OP posts:
BoohooWoohoo · 02/07/2023 12:46

The way she spoke to you was unprofessional. I've worked in a supermarket and wouldn't talk to a problematic customer like that. (Not saying that you are problematic but you sometimes get drunks, druggies, shoplifters...)

BoohooWoohoo · 02/07/2023 12:47

Like a pp I would have told the boys to wait in the car or outside and buy the drinks assuming that you allow your child to drink energy drinks.

Hecate01 · 02/07/2023 12:49

If she heard them talking about it then she can't sell it because it's classed as a proxy sale.

SoShallINever · 02/07/2023 12:53

StopStartStop · 02/07/2023 12:35

A neighbour of mine is collating examples of rudeness of Asda staff. There are so many...

Really? The staff in our local Asda and Waitrose and Aldi are absolutely lovely.
Sainsbury's on the other hand. 😐

AnObserverInThisDarkWorld · 02/07/2023 12:54

It sounds like you were rude back and trying to her to break the law.

Age restrictions on products mean if its been clear that the underage person will have access to it then they can't sell the item.

Would you have said the same to her if it was alcohol?

She confiscated the item because you then made it clear you would try and break the rules/wanted her to break the law.

She'd explained she couldn't sell to you because of age...

kitsuneghost · 02/07/2023 12:58

She told you she couldn't sell them to you and you then challenged her. No wonder she got annoyed at you.

You didn't even just ask why. You started with the whole they're not buying them, I'm buying them, it's me that will drink them speel which you know to be a lie.

qwedtask · 02/07/2023 13:01

She told you you couldn't buy them as they weren't suitable for children (which was correct.)

So you obviously lied to her face about you drinking them - which she knew was a lie.

And she took them off you, because it was clear you were going to give them to a child despite being told they weren't suitable for children.

There is only one person who behaved inappropriately here, and it wasn't the supermarket employee.

HermioneWeasley · 02/07/2023 13:15

You behaved ridiculously telling her you were going to buy them and drink them when that was clearly a lie. No wonder she was exasperated with you.

MegaClutterSlut · 02/07/2023 13:21

I would've refused you too. There are age restrictions for a reason. The employee could've got in trouble if she allowed the sale knowing its for the dc. You were the one in the wrong especially after lying about it too

fgsstopbs · 02/07/2023 13:24

I bought some yesterday and had my children with me and the cashier never said anything. I'd put it a complaint, shouldn't be in a customer facing role with an attitude like that. The delivery could of been better.

Oblomov23 · 02/07/2023 13:28

I would've turned round, marched back to the aisle they were and picked up another 2. If questioned again I would've asked to see the manager, said they were for my consumption, and the lady had misheard. I wouldn't have stood for such bollocks.

kitsuneghost · 02/07/2023 13:34

Oblomov23 · 02/07/2023 13:28

I would've turned round, marched back to the aisle they were and picked up another 2. If questioned again I would've asked to see the manager, said they were for my consumption, and the lady had misheard. I wouldn't have stood for such bollocks.

You would really lay blame on the employee?
Entitled much.

Iwantmyoldnameback · 02/07/2023 13:41

kitsuneghost · 02/07/2023 13:34

You would really lay blame on the employee?
Entitled much.

Show quote history

To say nothing of telling a barefaced lie.
Classy.

Calmdown14 · 02/07/2023 13:43

So she prevented you overloading your own child and another in your care from overloading them with caffeine as you are mad with her?

She may have been rude but it sounds like you were too.

If you didn't know, you should and the fact you were still prepared to give them to the kids even after she challenged you should surely have had you wondering if you'd missed something.

If you'd given my child two tins of energy drink while looking after him I'd be raging

SayHi · 02/07/2023 13:49

I wouldn’t be buying my 12 y/o child an energy drink full of sugar and caffeine anyway.

I think you were wrong to follow her like you did.

When I worked in a shop I refused to sell cigarettes to someone because I heard them talking to someone under age and agreeing to buy it for them.
I got a lot of abuse over it but I’m not going to lose my job because some kid wants to smoke.

She was doing her job.

diddl · 02/07/2023 14:11

I left without them, confused and perplexed.

😂😂😂😂😂😂

ProfessorXtra · 02/07/2023 14:15

Jesus wept. You wanted to buy a product that was banned for children, for your child and his friend?

and you are pissed off that despite you lying to buy the banned for children product, she wouldn’t sell you them?

and one of these children wasn’t yours but it’s still not your fault because ‘you didn’t know’. But even when she pointed out why she want selling them to you, you just continued to lie. Never thought of asking why they can’t sell them to kids or to adults on behalf of kids? That didn’t tip you off?

GodSaveTheClean · 02/07/2023 14:19

Why would you give a child, particularly one that isn’t yours, a canned drink that you know very little about?

Why would you lie about being the one to drink it?

Yabu.

OnAWobblyFence · 02/07/2023 14:20

Yeah, that happened. 12-year-olds “taking excitedly” about a can of energy drink. Loud enough for a person on the checkouts to hear, above all the other noise in Asda.

Sure…

Oblomov23 · 02/07/2023 14:24

The new cans have age restriction of 18 due to caffeine? What about A'level students who drink coffee then?

ChickpeaPie · 02/07/2023 14:25

yabu for being willing to give your son and his mate energy drinks that could kill them

liveforsummer · 02/07/2023 14:25

Those are the actual energy drinks and not suitable for children. The cashier knew they were for your dc so did the right thing in the circumstance. Sorry you don't like it.

SayHi · 02/07/2023 14:32

Oblomov23 · 02/07/2023 14:24

The new cans have age restriction of 18 due to caffeine? What about A'level students who drink coffee then?

A 16+ year old is way different to a 12 year old.

And an energy drink has at least double the caffeine of a cup of coffee and loads of sugar.

GoodChat · 02/07/2023 14:32

She had to take them from your trolley because you refused to accept they were age restricted products and she knew you were buying them for children.

If you had acknowledged your error and put them back when she first explained she wouldn't have had to take action that you claim embarrassed you.

Florenz · 02/07/2023 14:36

OP would you buy a bottle of whisky for your children?