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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:
Hoppinggreen · 02/07/2023 16:53

She did a lot more yelling grabbing and stomping than I have ever seen a Supermarket worker do.

Rooroobear · 02/07/2023 16:54

Obviously we can’t sell them to under 16 but if an adult is buying it even though we know if for an under 16 it is allowed and can’t be classed as a proxy sale.

Florenz · 02/07/2023 17:00

If the supermarket says it is a proxy sale, it is a proxy sale.

Againstmachine · 02/07/2023 17:03

Missingmyusername · 02/07/2023 16:51

She isn’t allowed to do this.

Show quote history

She actually can no supermarket has to sell you anything at all and can refuse entry or service.

Rooroobear · 02/07/2023 17:04

It is not illegal to sell energy drinks to under 16s…..it is guidance. E energy drinks are allowed to be sold to someone over 16 even if you know if for an under 16. It cannot be classed as a proxy sale.

GreenWheat · 02/07/2023 17:06

It's like the farrago of buying alcohol when you happen to have a teenager with you. Personally I think they should just stick to not allowing under 18s to buy it, rather than policing what happens afterwards as it's just as easy to give it to a minor who isn't with you as one who is. Same with Prime energy, but I think that's 16 rather than 18. My DS12 collects Prime (as opposed to drinking it) so I have bought the cans for his collection. Send them out of the shop before you get to the checkout and meet them outside. As I say, the whole thing is a bit silly.

Oblomov23 · 02/07/2023 17:07

The 11 year old did not die. That's false. They suffered a cardiac arrest and had to have their stomach pumped. Over a drink with the caffeine equivalent of 2 coffees.

Isengard · 02/07/2023 17:11

StopStartStop · 02/07/2023 12:35

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

What a sad pastime. I hope they find a more fulfilling way to spend their time soon.

GoodChat · 02/07/2023 17:15

@Missingmyusername it's literally her job to do it

GreenWheat · 02/07/2023 17:16

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…

I take it you have not witnessed the Prime fad first hand 😂😂😂

Oblomov23 · 02/07/2023 17:18

@NameChange245
That is false. 11 year old didn't die. And even if they, which they didn't, it would be most unusual for a drink with that amount of caffeine to cause such a medical episode. Plus why blame the drink?

Oblomov23 · 02/07/2023 17:20

I don't have a problem with the old craze that is prime drinks. The newer style cans with caffeine, is a newer craze.

VisionsOfSplendour · 02/07/2023 17:21

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…

In your research into the noise levels in asda you must not have visited my local one, it would be perfectly feasible for an assistant to overhear conversations, it's not large, it doesn't play loud music, you can easily hear people's conversations, especially excited children at loud volume

Troll hunting is pathetic, if you don't believe the OP report the post

VisionsOfSplendour · 02/07/2023 17:24

OutsidInInsideOut · 02/07/2023 16:26

They're allowed to stop the sale. Especially as she overheard you say they were dcs

I was in BM once. Picked up some alcohol which waw actually for a friend . Ds 16 was with me. I had loads of shopping. But because he was with me they wouldn't sell it. 'in case it was for him'

That's pretty universally known isn't it?

It doesn't happen to everyone but shops are perfectly entitled to not sell you things

Stressfordays · 02/07/2023 17:25

Why would you buy that for young kids? My lads saw the cans today in morrisons and I just said no, they're bad for you. Theyre allowed the hydration bottles but I draw the line at giving my kids energy drinks. Theyre hyper enough as it is. She explained its not for kids and you kicked off instead of realising they were age restricted.

StaunchMomma · 02/07/2023 17:39

Yes, they can drink the bottles but the cans are ridiculously high in caffeine so for over 16s only.

A child died a few months back from drinking a can of Prime so I do think it's good that they're being cautious.

Oblomov23 · 02/07/2023 17:44

@StaunchMomma
Who died? Please link.

Megifer · 02/07/2023 17:59

BoohooWoohoo · 02/07/2023 12:44

Shop staff can't sell energy drinks to under 16s or to someone who will supply them to an under 16. If you'd been trading standards and someone had sold them to you then they would be in trouble.

Given its not illegal to sell energy drinks to under 16s I very much doubt Trading Standards would care.

DownNative · 02/07/2023 18:02

Rooroobear · 02/07/2023 17:04

It is not illegal to sell energy drinks to under 16s…..it is guidance. E energy drinks are allowed to be sold to someone over 16 even if you know if for an under 16. It cannot be classed as a proxy sale.

It's company policy and an employee can be disciplined for not following company policy.

It's not illegal to deliver alcohol before 10am in Scotland, but our company policy is to NOT do so. Failure to follow policy is a disciplinary issue.

The Asda employee was 100% correct to refuse the proxy sale. As far as a company policy is concerned, it is a proxy sale.

sleepyscientist · 02/07/2023 18:15

GreenWheat · 02/07/2023 17:06

It's like the farrago of buying alcohol when you happen to have a teenager with you. Personally I think they should just stick to not allowing under 18s to buy it, rather than policing what happens afterwards as it's just as easy to give it to a minor who isn't with you as one who is. Same with Prime energy, but I think that's 16 rather than 18. My DS12 collects Prime (as opposed to drinking it) so I have bought the cans for his collection. Send them out of the shop before you get to the checkout and meet them outside. As I say, the whole thing is a bit silly.

This it's a pain and doesn't stop kids getting hold of it. DS is too young yet to steal booze, but give it a few years and if he really wanted we have a fully stocked bar in the games room with spirits, wine, cider and larger. We had parties when younger and we're just told to leave the good stuff alone. Meant we went to uni knowing our limits and it not being some mystical thing we could now suddenly have.

I've always thought that the restrictions on alcohol compared to 20 years ago is pushing kids towards harder substances which are now easier for them to get hold of than a bottle of white lightening that invariably ends up vomited all over the park.

It also doesn't stop kids getting hold of energy drinks, we have a few in the fridge pretty sure he's had one before and I know he's had the prime cans before as his grandparents bought them. They also still sell kids cold coffees so it's not about the caffeine

StarchySturgess1 · 02/07/2023 18:22

primecrime · 02/07/2023 12:20

Right! I didn't realise there was a difference. Thanks!

...why don't you know what your child is drinking?

Rooroobear · 02/07/2023 18:24

It is not a proxy sale!! Yes it’s policy to not sell to under 16 but there is no policy to say you can’t sell to someone over 16 knowing they’re giving it to an under 16. You cannot proxy sale something that is not illegal!! It can’t be compared to alcohol or cigarette sales as they ARE illegal to sell
to under 18s

Northernsouloldies · 02/07/2023 18:28

StopStartStop · 02/07/2023 12:35

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

Oooo and what are they going to do with this information??. Have you any idea the way supermarket staff are abused at work by entitled members of the public. Your neighbour sounds like a 🤪.

Northernsouloldies · 02/07/2023 18:28

StopStartStop · 02/07/2023 12:35

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

Oooo and what are they going to do with this information??. Have you any idea the way supermarket staff are abused at work by entitled members of the public. Your neighbour sounds like a 🤪.

Missingmyusername · 02/07/2023 18:30

Againstmachine · 02/07/2023 17:03

She actually can no supermarket has to sell you anything at all and can refuse entry or service.

Show quote history

Perhaps if you own it or if the customer is truly obnoxious. I’ve worked in a shop and the customer is king.
I highly doubt the manager would support this.

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