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).

And you don't have every right to buy wine

Shops can decide who they sell to and what they sell to you

@IBetGordonRamsayDoesntHaveTheseProblems You know you can show the stored photo of the ID for your phone and that's acceptable right? meaning no one is asking you to bring an entire handback (the horror) to the shop to buy your desperately needed wine.

you clearly feel entitled to waste my time. Why is that? Well my dear, because you clearly feel more entitled to risk my job for your essential, age restricted purchase. So, pray tell, why is your wine more important than my job? (and also the license of the store which you're in)

ah bugger - lost my point by autocorrecting Handbag to Handback! FFS!

The worst one was 14 year old ds being scrutinised for his prescription his age is ON his prescription even if he had left school he would get it free because he is under 16

Madness

I'm (way, way) over 18, and have therefore got the right to buy wine (assuming I'm not drunk and disorderly, seeing as there are other rules around that).

Imagine thinking you have the right to decide which 30-something adults are allowed to drink based on their personal appearance. Shops cannot decide who they sell to on the basis of a protected characteristic. In my case, being short seems to be the core reason I get IDd, and I am short because of a disability, which is a protected characteristic.

You know how dwarf men invariably grow a beard to reduce the frequency with which they get mistaken for a child? I'd have taken that option a long time ago if I were male.

I think the reason it annoys me is the illogical nature of it.

If you personally know someone is over 18, why should you have to jump through all these stupid hoops?

If you’re buying non-alcoholic wind, why the hell should you need ID????

Does this bullshit stop underage drinking? No, it does not. 🙄🙄🙄

And this really is the root of the issue isn't it? People do not like being 'challenged' by someone they see as there to serve them.

That and the "I've had appalling customer service! I'm a victim! It's a tragedy!" Mentality. Those who seem to love the attention and chance to have a go at anyone serving them and keep them firmly in their place.

Well, it boils down to the fact that I'm more concerned about losing my job and other stronger concequences if I get caught flouting a law or licencing condition than a customer getting all irate with me because I've asked for ID so they can have a glass of Merlot with their dinner.

Non-alcoholic wine not wind 😂

Please can you provide a source for a photo of ID being acceptable - I have tried that in the past and got nowhere. Apparently I could have photoshopped it.

A 30-something attempting to buy wine is not risking your job or your licence.

@IBetGordonRamsayDoesntHaveTheseProblems it is if I don't know you are 30 and have asked you to provide ID. I am a personal license holder, it's my name above the door in a premises, so therefore any one of my staff not being on the ball with this stuff risks my license and my job.

You know what would make the whole situation easier - other than having your ID on you of course - not acting all high and mighty and better than the person serving you, it isn't a personal vendetta - they don't have a photo of you behind the till and they aren't picking on you, Just accept that they have asked the question and you don't have it, oh well, and just get on with your day.

Could be worse. My mum and dad had to show ID to buy alcohol when they lived in the US. They were in their 50s. It would be more of a pain if they brought that law in.

I'm in my mid-30s and i've only stopped being asked for ID recently. There are still odd days when they do ask. Especially when it's early in the morning and i don't have any makeup on to go buy cigarettes.

Photos of ID are not acceptable.

And if a licencing officer or police officer decides that the person looks under 25 (and yes it's subjective that's the whole issue) even though I've decided they don't, and your licence says you employ challenge 25, then yes, they can decide the licence conditions have been broken which puts the licence at risk and therefore the job of the person who broke it, because what employer is going to keep you on when you've had sanctions applied to the licence and gotten them a nice big fine? Even if (again, for those who have no idea what they're talking about and can't be bothered to do a bit of research) the law hasn't been broken.

.—(1) The premises licence holder or club premises certificate holder must ensure that an age verification policy is adopted in respect of the premises in relation to the sale or supply of alcohol.

(2) The designated premises supervisor in relation to the premises licence must ensure that the supply of alcohol at the premises is carried on in accordance with the age verification policy.

(3) The policy must require individuals who appear to the responsible person to be under 18 years of age (or such older age as may be specified in the policy) to produce on request, before being served alcohol, identification bearing their photograph, date of birth and either—

(a)a holographic mark, or
(b)an ultraviolet feature."

Taken from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2014/9780111116906

I'm 43 and i was asked for ID at Christmas.

I was stunned and thrilled, of course. The lady was in her 70s, so probably couldn't quite place how old i was, to be quite honest.

But I told her that she had made my day!

Try working in a busy store and see how easy it is, most staff have to wear earpieces now as well so got constant commentary going on in background as well as everything else. Give the staff a break if your kids were underage and managed to buy alcohol you would go beserk.
Staff are being tested everyday by mystery customers, if they get it wrong they are in a lot of trouble, just show you ID, it's no big deal.
Most staff where l work absolutely hate checkouts and self service because of this, and hopefully in time it will all be done online so this will no longer be an issue.

But it isn't "just getting on with my day" if I'm out with a group of friends and I'm being told that I can't enter premises. It's ending my day, and it's humiliating.

I'm not being high, mighty or thinking that I'm better than anyone else. I just want to be treated the same as everyone else my age.

Imagine being told you look like a child, despite your best efforts, and not being taken seriously in the workplace, or life more generally, as a result. Anyone who thinks it is a compliment has absolutely no idea - and I would gladly swap with anyone my age who is thrilled to be IDd.

I think you are taking it to personally tbh and if you are out with friends and know you get asked regularly surely taking a hand bag with id is less inconvenient?!

@IBetGordonRamsayDoesntHaveTheseProblems it happens a lot; more so when you deny serving someone funnily enough - then the grief starts ‘how old even are you?’ ‘I’m older than you are’ ‘you can’t be a manager you’re not even old enough to have left school’ (I’m 36) so I don’t need to imagine, but, the power lies with the person serving you - and if it happens often (as it does to me) you just get used to taking the ID 🤷🏻‍♀️ it’s really a non issue. The more aggrieved you get the more it ruins your day.

going for a day out with friends every one of us still takes ID with us and we’re all pushing quickly towards 40.

I absolutely hate the Challenge 25 I have to do at work( arcade ) but if the alarm goes off as people enter , I have to check. & if they appear under the age I am obligated to log it we can lose a license faster than get one A huge amount of common sense comes into play. The worst thing is when they take kids into the area & swear they didnt see the signs its 6ft high

As I said, I don't carry a wallet or a handbag. I carry a phone and keys - that's it. Not all women's clothes have pockets - today's outfit has zero.

If I know I'm going on a night out then I'll usually remember to take my driving licence out. However, if I bump into friends and we decide to have a quick pint, I wouldn't have ID with me. If I spot a special offer on my favourite wine in Tesco, I wouldn't have ID on me.

What some posters on this thread are saying is that I should either completely change what I wear every day, or I should remove all sense of spontaneity, all because you can't perform a key part of your job - assessing people's age visually - with competence.

YABU. I'm 33 and have no problem being asked for ID. Those poor people are just doing their jobs. People moaning about it are being precious.

@IBetGordonRamsayDoesntHaveTheseProblems This is the key pointer though because you can't perform a key part of your job - assessing people's age visually - with competence. it's not mine, or anyone else's, responsibility to prove your age - it is your own. If you choose to not carry with you the means to do so, it is no one else's fault.

Exactly!

It takes 30 seconds to show your ID.

If the staff member loses their job that would be appalling

If the store served an under age person with alcohol and they died or a knife and they stabbed someone, that would be appalling.

So a 30 second inconvenience against all this is no contest.

Can you tell me what the fines are for selling alcohol free beer to a parent who is accompanied by their child? Or disposable plastic knives? Or grenadine syrup? To give some of the madder examples in this thread alone.

Lots of people here who work in retail getting very defensive. I think most posters understand that your just applying the rules. We're criticising the rule, not people for following it.

What really pissed me off was when I was in mid twenties being in a shop with my mum in her mid forties. She tried to buy wine and they wouldn't sell it to her because I didn't have ID. I wasn't buying it. If I had been underage she should still be able to legally buy alcohol with me present. For one thing, its not actually illegal for an under 18 to drink in a private residence. We left the shop and then she went back in alone to buy it, no problem. So if I had been under 18 the exact same scenario would play out? What a massive waste of time. what if I'd been 12, or even younger, would they have refused to serve her then? Where is the line?

I don't mind too much but it can get irritating. I got ID'd in poundland trying to buy an iced coffee. Apparently it counts as an energy drink. I didn't know energy drinks were regulated (I've never tried to buy one) so it was very much news to me!