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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think this is ridiculous? B and M

151 replies

Icedlatte97 · 04/07/2023 23:55

I popped into B+M and did some shopping, including a little hand sanitiser that had a key ring thing on it to put on my car keys as I like to have one on me. It was clearly marketed as a children’s one with a motif on it.

I got to the check out and as the cashier scanned the hand sanitiser she said ‘I will need to see some ID for this, you have to be 16 to buy this’. I smiled and said I don’t have any on me but I’m 26’. I didn’t see it in a rude way or anything like that. She looked at me with her eyebrow raised and said ‘are you really’ and then smirked at me, it was like she didn’t believe me. Then she told me she can not sell it to me without ID. Aibu to think this is ridiculous? I have never been asked for ID for hand sanitiser before and thought it was condescending the way she spoke to me

OP posts:

MrsWombat · 05/07/2023 07:41

When I worked in retail 20 years ago, we definitely could not change our minds once we'd asked the customer for ID, even if common sense then kicked in and something make us realise they were almost certainly over 18. It was ID or nothing. Don't know if that's still a thing.

Beachhutnut · 05/07/2023 07:44

I have had to have the self check out helpers come to confirm that I am over 18 buying non alcoholic beer 🤔

MushMonster · 05/07/2023 07:46

I do think hand sanitiser should not be owned by children. Not the little ones. Maybe bellow 7 or 8?
Because there have been cases of them squirting it into their eyes or someone elses and most are flammable which is far too high a risk I would put on a 5 year old hands.
I suppose the one you were about to buy is 60-80% alcohol.

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 05/07/2023 07:48

When I worked in retail the till was set up so that if an age restricted item was scanned, the till stopped and flashed up a warning. If you did not enter Yes or No on the screen, then you could not carry on with the transaction. Retail staff can be personally fined for selling items to those underage.

Lots of items you think are fine are age restricted, alcohol free beer is one as it has a very miniscule amount of alcohol in it. Same with Christmas crackers as they are classed as fireworks.

hannahwaddinghamsbiceps · 05/07/2023 07:55

I have my supermarket shopping delivered, and you can make a donation to the food bank when you order your shopping. I do this often, and last week was told by the driver that it is an age restricted item and I should be asked for ID.
Yet they don't ask me for ID when I order wine??

GregoryFluff · 05/07/2023 07:59

hengelian · 05/07/2023 07:39

It's paracetamol - some places have a 16+ age restriction on it.

Show quote history

I know what it is
But it isn't automatically an age restricted item
There's no law on it like there is alcohol etc
If it flags, it's simply store policy, and most businesses don't restrict it

katepilar · 05/07/2023 08:13

It doesnt make any difference if the packaging has rainbows all over it. Its still a handsanitiser that contains alcocohol, so if there is age restrictions on handsanitisers if still applies on a rainbow one.

sayanythingelse · 05/07/2023 08:18

I got refused the sale of alcohol in B&M. Mid-30's with 2 children swinging off me.

I wouldn't have been too bothered but my BIL works there and they know me 😂

EightChalk · 05/07/2023 08:26

The recent increase in ID checking is really annoying. I know it's been like that in the US for ages, but almost everyone drives there so has a licence handy. Some other countries have official ID cards. I can't drive, and don't want to carry my passport everywhere. It's a right pain.

Dogscanteatonions · 05/07/2023 08:28

Our local b&m store absolutely delight and making things awkward for customers. I wasn't allowed to buy a gin gift set because I had my friends toddler with me. I'm 50 and I said I wasn't allowed to buy alcohol because I've got a child with me

Dogscanteatonions · 05/07/2023 08:28

They said I couldn't buy it that should have said

LaDeeDa123 · 05/07/2023 08:30

It’s ridiculous that everyone suffers because a few stupid people may want to misuse sanitiser gel. It’s like the tail wags the dog these days.

icelolly12 · 05/07/2023 08:31

It is ridiculous but I always have my driving licence with me so not a major issue.

NeedleFeltedFox · 05/07/2023 08:44

sayanythingelse · 05/07/2023 08:18

I got refused the sale of alcohol in B&M. Mid-30's with 2 children swinging off me.

I wouldn't have been too bothered but my BIL works there and they know me 😂

That doesn’t mean anything. If you look young enough to be ID and they’re seen to not check you then they’ll get in trouble just the same - its about what the staff are seen to do if they’re being checked at the time. Not if they know how old you are because they know you.

also you could have kids from 14 onwards - they’re definitely not proof of age 😂

Colliewobbler23 · 05/07/2023 08:48

I got ID-ed for buying plastic toy scissors as part of a plastic toy doctors set.

Colliewobbler23 · 05/07/2023 08:48

It was B&M too!

(I'm 36)

LaDeeDa123 · 05/07/2023 08:51

Good for you @icelolly12 but that doesn’t help most people.

hot2trotter · 05/07/2023 21:31

Shop assistant only doing her job. Or would you rather her be personally fined and potentially lose her job? Because that is what happens if they are caught out by a mystery shopper.

Tiredalwaystired · 05/07/2023 21:42

I work in a hospital. There have historically been problems with alcoholic patients stealing hand sanitiser, hence most are clipped in to units. It was a nightmare during covid as we got through so much there wasn’t time to clip them in. So many bottles disappeared.

FuckNuggets · 05/07/2023 21:51

sashh · 05/07/2023 06:07

The worst one I heard was someone trying to buy a DVD of a children's TV show. It had an age on it so they were asked for ID. The age on the DVD was something ridiculous like 5.

My dd who was 18 at the time was IDed for a video game in Asda. The age restriction said 3+. 🤨

Hunterrose · 05/07/2023 22:09

Im in my 30s and got IDd buying a pack of forks in Asda!

Hunterrose · 05/07/2023 22:13

Also i would rather get IDd than watch them push the "customer is clearly over 25 button" breaks my heart every time!

hengelian · 05/07/2023 22:13

GregoryFluff · 05/07/2023 07:59

I know what it is
But it isn't automatically an age restricted item
There's no law on it like there is alcohol etc
If it flags, it's simply store policy, and most businesses don't restrict it

Show quote history

You're being pedantic. It is age restricted in some stores, so children can't always buy it. My point was that just because something is marketed at children doesn't mean that children can automatically buy it. I wasn't arguing about legality.

Blinky21 · 05/07/2023 22:16

Some toothpastes (whitening) are age restricted now, the cashier at Sainsbury's was telling me all about it recently and how many products which are becoming restricted which weren't previously. I always carry ID, I've been ID-ed buying alcohol free beer before

Treecreature · 05/07/2023 22:30

I got id'd for a steel ruler once because it was deemed to have sharp edges.

Also, many moons ago I managed to get a stay in intensive care. The bed next to me was occupied by a man who had walked around the hospital drinking the hand sanitisers for the alcohol. He messed himself up something rotten doing that.

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