To think 'think 25' is getting silly

[ChopSuey2]

I'm in my 30s. I might look late 20s on a good day but there is no chance I look early 20s. It seems like 'think 25' has now become 'is there any chance they could be 25?' when the whole point is making sure under 18s (or 16s, depending on the product) aren't being sold things illegally. You might think someone could be 25 but very clearly not under 18. If that's the case, why do they have to ID?

I usually carry ID so it's not a big issue but it seems ridiculous I get IDed more in my mid 30s than I did at 15!

AIBU to thinks shops should trust their workers to have some common sense and only ID people who there is actually a chance could be under 18 (people who genuinely look under 25).

This used to bother me too until this year when:

1. I’m 38 and the assistant presses the button showing I’m “very clearly 100% definitely over the age of 25”. I used to complain about getting ID’d - alas now I don’t and would love to
2. my eldest daughter is a little baby but I can see how children grow up very quickly - much quicker than their actual age wojld seem to indicate

I got ID'd for some plastic knives the other day. I'm 32! I was completely incredulous because of course I hadn't brought my driving license on my quick trip to Tesco for plastic cutlery. Honestly if I wanted to kill someone I'd have more luck with my bare hands than £1 plastic picnic knives.

I hear you Op.
had to drop my toddler at the childminder to go to a meeting
My glasses broke that morning so popped into Tesco with toddler in had to get some super glue quickly.

REFUSED. They damn well refused to seek me it. Spent three hours in a meeting with PowerPoints and pretending to take notes like everyone else but I couldn't bloody see

Ha! yes, it annoys me so much!!!

Im 40 now and dont get IDd often, but if I do, it really annoys me.

Like.. sure, maybe I look like Im in my 20s... but definitely NOT like Im 18!!!

Yabu. It can hard to tell someone's age sometimes, especially with things like botox fillers etc and it's always better to be safe and ask for ID than not. Staff get reprimanded if they fail a think 25 audit. I have been ID'd a few times recently for redbull when I was wearing my wedding ring and had my 2 kids with me which seems silly but I look young so it's to be expected.

Yep, Think 25 is meant to ensure staff catch those of us, and I was not one, who look 18 when we're much younger. A few of my male contemporaries had bulked out and got facial hair etc at 16+ and never had trouble being served. I'd have been 'whistled out' of my parent's Sunday drink place at my smooth cheeked 18 were I not with them.

OTOH my DD has a female friend who'd have passed as an adult at 14/15. Not only was she a near six foot blue eyed blonde with adult sized boobs and figure but she'd the voice AND social veneer of a young adult. Probably a product of upbringing and (private) education as a service brat.

ISTR in Texas the line was ask 40 - was concerned I'd be refused drink at 55!!

You are not wrong!

I'm 34, I look 34 (at least 😫)

I went to Butlins a few months ago and got ID'd buying dp a beer. I didn't have it on me as I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be ID'd in any resort in the UK! Not a huge issue but it is irritating. Plus I had been looking forward to having a good sniff of that beer (pregnancy cravings are not fun haha).

Used to, when I was in my 30s...

Once my brother, who is 2.5 years younger than me, had to buy my beer because they didn't believe I was legal! (I don't have ID habitually because I don't drive)

I got ID’d twice in Sainsbury’s last year. I am 44.
I didn’t mind 😂 My best mistaken age was 17 - six weeks ago..although I do think it’s mainly people don’t look properly then that I look super young (because I don’t).

I agree it does seem to have turned into a you must be 25 to purchase these items in some places. I understand the worry of getting it wrong and stress of possible fines ot job loss but even some shop staff on previous threads about the topic seem wooly on what the intention of the policy is and say they ID anyone who looks under 30.

I was behind a women at the checkout queue the other day and she was ID'd buying what looked to be a big standard shop, I think she has some wine but it turned out that she was 54, fifty fucking four! She was good natured about it but realistically although didn't look 54 neither did she look under 18 and I genuinely couldn't see why she needed to prove her age. No one in their 50s looks under 18.

If the worker gets it wrong though, it's them that get into trouble too. It's better for them to be over cautious.

Plus, there are girls who are 16/17 who with make up on, look a lot older than they are.

It's even worse in the US.

My father was ID'd buying some wine. He was in his 70s at the time, complete with wrinkles and a head of white hair.

It's utter nonsense.

Please don’t blame the checkout staff: If you make a mistake and are caught selling alcohol to someone under age you can be cautioned, offered a £90 fixed penalty notice or given an unlimited fine by the Magistrates. That’s not the shop-it’s the person who is serving you.
The local authorities also send out secret shoppers regularly to check. It’s a tough enough job being on your feet all day/night, scanning targets, dealing with customers who are rude or agrressive etc. you can’t expect them to be experts at age recognition in a split second as well.

I’m 37 and was refused a red bull the other week. Worst bit is the woman sells them to me almost daily, it’s opposite my work. Even other shoppers chipped in and said she was being ridiculous. But no.

About a week later she sold me one without asking for ID. She clearly forgotten she’d asked me before. Soon as I paid I thanked her for not asking this time and the penny dropped. She looked so embarrassed. Serves her right for being such a jobsworth 😆

I get this too. There is no way in hell I look like I could be 17. I might pass for being in my 20's at a pinch. I usually carry ID and see it as a compliment.

It can be inconvenient on the odd occasion I'm caught without ID and it's a bit infantalizing to be stopped from buying something in my mid 30's. But I'm sure I'll miss it when it stops.

On balance, I don't mind it, and some people are worse at estimating age then others. They can get into trouble/ lose their job if they get it wrong so it doesn't bother me to have the occasional inconvenience.

The low paid worker is the one who gets in trouble if they get it wrong. Just carry your id in your wallet like an adult and you won’t have problems.

This is such a daft comment though and passes the problem onto the customer. In my example why should the 54 year ol women carry either her passport or a driver's licence (if she even drives) at all times just because someone might ID her?

If we're at the stage where everyone regardless of age needs to prove their age then it should be the government providing ID passes to everyone like other countries have. It should be necessary for someone to always carry ID just in case they nip to the shop for something which falls into an age restricted category.

other countries don’t do this. And most other places don’t have the same issues with alcohol that the UK does. 🤷‍♀️

@Bromptotoo

I hope people don't refer to my kids as that.

If I was earning minimum wage there's no way I'd risk a £5,000 fine and losing my job just for someone else's convenience.

Challenge 25 is brilliant and has been very successful in what it was put in place to achieve. I think the slight inconvenience for the occasional 30-something is outweighed by the difference it has made to underage drinking etc

I think it gives workers confidence to ask as otherwise when it was just under 18 people would be worried about offending.

Obviously there are some silly examples but they’re just a slight inconvenience and something to laugh about later. I remember being ID’ed for a lottery ticket when I was late twenties which I found funny as no way could I have passed for 15.

It's not the individual worker's fault, it's the system not allowing for them to exercise their common sense. In Spain they never ever ask for ID for buying alcohol or any other products, at least not to me through my twenties and into thirties. On the other hand they do constantly ask for ID for things like sending/receiving parcels and checking your supermarket loyalty card is really yours.. But at least here there is a national ID card system. It seems unreasonable in the UK where if you don't drive your only form of id is likely to be your passport.

I don’t understand this rule. In U.K. law, you can drink alcohol at home from the age of five so what are they trying to achieve? Tesco refused to sell me a bottle of wine as I had 24 year old DD with me and she didn’t have ID on her. She might not look 25 but she definitely doesn’t look under 18!

I get asked for ID more often than not and I don't mind- always have my license with me anyway- I wouldn't want to risk a fine if I worked the same job. They do a lot of mystery shoppers here too.
Age is a difficult one to judge. No way do I look 18 but in the right circumstances probably under 25 (I'm 32).
The thing I DO object to is the way some checkout staff stare/scrutinize my face for an age until they decide whether or not to ask me for ID- I usually offer at this point to save some awkwardness and they accept (I thought if there was any doubt they should just ask?). I've also had my license flung back at me with a "well you don't look it" and a huff before.