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).

I work in retail. If I have even an ounce of doubt about someone I ID them, it can be hard to tell and some people are better at it then others. You don’t do it to be annoying - If you make a mistake and sell something to someone underage at all it’s you that gets fined, not the business. So there’s a big element of personal responsibility and most low paid retail workers can’t afford to pay a fine easily!

Where are you all getting ID’d? I’m 35 and can’t remember the last time I got ID’d. They barely even look at me while furiously tapping the ‘over 25’ button 😩

Last time I bought alcohol it was at the self scan check out. The guy next to me had beeped first and showed his id agreeing that he looks very young. When the server came over he only needed to look at the bags under my eyes to agree that I definitely didn't! I was id'd up to mid 30's as i used to look young for my age, but having kids stopped that.

I don’t think the retail staff are at fault (unless they’re IDing a pensioner, which is patently ridiculous) - but the system is total bullshit. Does it stop underage drinking? No. Is it a pointless pain in the arse? Yes.

It’s a frustrating rule because it’s being misapplied. Not only are they often asking people who are obviously not in the right age category (though not me as I’ve looked ancient since well before I was 25) but it’s applied to bizarre products sometimes. My DH had this buying a wooden spoon at Tesco. What?

I'm 35 and have been told I look 19 before. I get ID constantly, even for paracetamol. I've also come across plenty of teenagers who look in their 20s. I guess challenge 25 just covers all bases.

I don’t see why being ID checked is such a big deal.
The law says you have to be 18 to buy alcohol. So the shops add on a few years (Challenge 25) to be on the safe side. And then the staff add on a few more years onto that to be on the safe side. You end up with people being challenged when they are twice the legal age, which is ridiculous.

it is beyond silly. Legal drinking age is 18. Harassing people for ID because there is a chance that a 30yo might look "under 25"?

I got IDd the day after my wedding for plastic knives. My parents were having an after-party and I went to pick up some bits and bobs. Came back with plastic forks but no plastic knives 🤣

I'm 43 and always get ID'd. I also used to go out every week when I was 16&17 and never got asked 🤣

I work in a supermarket. We get test purchases regularly and we'd rather upset a customer by asking for ID than risk a disciplinary / lose our job / get fined. It's annoying for us too but we're just doing what we need to do to keep our jobs!

It's think 25 because there are plenty of 16 year olds that look over 18 so they built in a buffer. It's surprisingly hard to quickly guess a person's age when the arrive at the check out so we do get it wrong from time to time

YANBU - was ID'd the other week, purchasing prosecco and some other party bits for DH birthday. Cashier at Asda asked to see my ID I actually thought she was joking, seeing as I'm 45, and don't look anywhere near under 35. Ridiculous

I’m 44 and still get ID’d! When I show some my driving licence, they look at me suspiciously like they don’t believe it! I have wrinkles around my eyes so I’m clearly older than 25! It drives me crazy. I want to look my age!

I've always hated being ID'd, it's not complimentary, it's bloody annoying.
However I understand why the staff have to do it so I'm always pleasant and have my ID to hand.

I got asked for ID back when we all had to wear masks in the supermarket. I didn't have any on me so I just pulled down my mask and said "here's my ID". He hit the button. I was 53.

I'm early 30s and have been ID'd twice in 2 years. I've always been told I look young for my age but maybe the age is creeping in! The issue is I get caught out now because it doesn't occur to me to have ID on me if I'm nipping out to buy a bottle of wine. That happened recently but I just went in the shop next door where I had no issues.

I was ID’d everywhere I went in America in my 30s.

I’ve been ID’d here in my 40s. I take it as a compliment 🤣

Challenge 25 is important because men often think girls are older than they are & white people can’t accurately tell the age of BAME kids. I remember when supermarkets first launched it, I was working at Tesco at the time, and white people used to just let obviously underaged BAME kids get cigarettes / alcohol because of stupid reasons like ‘facial hair’ or ‘curvy bodies’ - in truth they just weren’t looking closely enough.

I was in the jacuzzi at the gym the other week and the lifeguard came over and asked my friend if she was over 16. Ok we had swim caps and swimsuits on, but come on - she is a 39 year old mother of 2, not a child. Cheek - he didn't ask me!

This makes it even more absurd! As if a 44 year old could look like a 16 year old!

Im 40 and have been asked in supermarkets. I look young for my age but at least in my 30s! I know they have this challenge 25 thing but really?! Maybe I look like a 25 year old who’s had a hard life but in no universe could I ever be 17 😁

I'm covered in tattoos, in my 30's with 2 kids and still get I'D for paracetamol, deodorant, energy drinks, anything with glue in it. It's infuriating especially when it's my local shop and they've ID'd me 100 times before.
I used to work in a local bar, and served them sometimes!
I get the notion especially with vapes, smoking products and alcohol. But buying a can of deodorant just takes the absolute mick. I've even been asked for ID for calpol before.

Morrisons recently refused to sell me an energy drink, I was using the self checkout, the light came on for assistance as it does every time, The Morrisons assistant arrived at the same time as a security guy, the assistant cleared me, the security guard over ruled her and insisted on ID which I didn't have, so I had to leave the energy drink ... I'm in my 50's I look in my 50's 🤣

But since when do security have the right to veto sales?

I'm 40 and get I'D all the time. It's embarrassing and annoying.

I went to one of those trampoline parks with 2 friends, a male and female, both younger than me. Everyone had to fill in a form on an iPad at the reception. I went to grab an iPad and the woman said "you don't need to fill one in, one of the adults can just register you under theirs". I was about 32 at the time.