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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that the rules are RIDICULOUS and infantilising?

398 replies

OhBling · 09/07/2023 18:37

Was just in a Co Op buying a few bits. DS negotiated with me that I'd buy him a Monster, and he'd drink half (they are such huge tins it drives me mad)....

... the man in co op would not sell it to me because I was going to give it to a child.

FFS. I'm an adult. He is my child. I can decide what he can and can't have. And caffeine is NOT illegal for children.

I'm also fully aware that lots of people will say I AM BU because no child should ever drink anything except fresh water, preferably from your local stream.... But I'm extremely annoyed. These rules are ridiculous.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Frankola · 10/07/2023 21:04

No way would I be giving energy drinks like this to a 13 year old.

Nevermind that though. This is the law for retailers. That poor bloke has a job to do (and keep). He was following the requirements for his job.

TheBellsToll · 10/07/2023 21:07

I wouldn’t give my child one of these shit drinks in a million years.

The rules are not strict enough imo. Feckless parents thinking it’s ok is a big part of the problem.

DemBonesDemBones · 10/07/2023 21:08

@Beety3ly but you were getting it for her?

Sallyh87 · 10/07/2023 21:16

I wouldn’t claim to be that on top of diet etc with parenting, but seriously Monster?!

Fascinate · 10/07/2023 21:19

Picture from an old NASA study of spiders given drugs. The worst one is caffeine. The other drugs at least have some resemblance to a normal web.

To think that the rules are RIDICULOUS and infantilising?
Cerealkillerontheloose · 10/07/2023 21:25

MonkeypuzzleClimber · 10/07/2023 01:08

Two weeks ago you said “DS has just turned 12”. Maybe the caffeine makes him age fast 🤔

Show quote history

Hahaha. Love it when posters uncover a lying OP!!

angelfacecuti75 · 10/07/2023 21:25

I am sure they brought out a law when i was 16 or so you couldn't consume it under 16.

Rewis · 10/07/2023 21:25

Most stores I've seen has a sign thay says they won't sell energy drinks to under 15 yo.

Cerealkillerontheloose · 10/07/2023 21:26

Codlingmoths · 10/07/2023 04:45

I think it would be really helpful for a study or article to explain if kids with adhd whose behaviour can benefit from caffeine are still subject to all the health negatives. It’s easy as a parent to go well it helps with this so then forget about all the downsides that are why many parents wouldn’t let their kids touch the stuff. If I were letting my kid have caffeine earlier than I would normally due to adhd (which I may be doing when my oldest is about 10,12) I’d make sure it was stuff that came with minimal levels of synthesised crap, and ideally not too much sugar. Buy a good coffee machine. Let them make a coffee.

Caffeine sure

monster. No way.

Rewis · 10/07/2023 21:27

Rewis · 10/07/2023 21:25

Most stores I've seen has a sign thay says they won't sell energy drinks to under 15 yo.

16 yo*

Cerealkillerontheloose · 10/07/2023 21:29

These drinks also mess with your hormones

so you’ve got huge amounts of caffeine. Sugar. Sweetners

plus not only does it have a detrimental effect on you’re physical and mental health it also messes up your hormones.

grinner83 · 10/07/2023 21:32

When I was 28 and my sister was 26, we went to Tesco and I did a big shop. I had a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old at the time, so I was buying lots of grown up stuff (nappies, healthy food to cook meals, bog roll etc etc - normal family stuff).

I also bought a bottle of wine. They IDed me. I was very flattered and showed them my driving licence. They then IDed my sister, she doesn't drive and wasn't buying anything, so didn't have her passport with her. They wouldn't sell me the wine because I might give it to my 26 yr old sister 😂 I was FUMING!

I could understand it if I had a teenager with me and was buying a box of alcopops and nothing else, but I was clearly doing a weekly family shop! And my sister and I do NOT look particularly young for our age. We've had a hard life 😆

Cerealkillerontheloose · 10/07/2023 21:32

GoodChat · 10/07/2023 18:00

So is he actually 13 @OhBling?

She won’t come back. 😂

BeverlyHa · 10/07/2023 21:33

This drink looks like something from the pit of hell. A child, minor, even a teen does not need this poison.

ImSoShiney · 10/07/2023 21:35

YABU.
You buying it for him is called a proxy sale and it's illegal. The cashier can loose their job and get an actual criminal record for selling/supplying age restricted products to an underage person.

changeme4this · 10/07/2023 21:37

When I worked in a hospitality office, we received notification from a supplier of ‘this type of drink’ to be aware of how many the bar was serving to adults and with what… it certainly has not so nice consequences.

would I buy a can for a growing mind and body? No.

would I let him have a sip? Sure as long as he had a good lunch/dinner first and it would be very rare for it to be repetitive.

ImSoShiney · 10/07/2023 21:39

Also, it doesn't matter how old he is, he needs to prove his age if he's challenged. Clearly he had no ID

grumpycow1 · 10/07/2023 21:41

I wouldn’t even buy one for an adult (half joking…) they are disgusting things to put in anyone’s body let alone a child. Sorry!

Dibbydoos · 10/07/2023 21:54

I agree OP thoufh I wouldn't give rinks like this to a pre-teen.

My 17yo sonzasked me if wanted some scissors I said yes. He popped them in tge basket he was carrying. The guy on the tille at dunelm refused to sell me tge scissors or gin chocolate cos it contained gin. I'm sure it didn't. I told him to stuff the £70 purchase where it don't shine and complained to head office who said they'd re-train based on pragmatism!

Maybe thats the issue. People has lost all common sense....

2Old2BABPpresenter · 10/07/2023 22:03

I saw a 22 year old volunteer get hospitalised last week due to heart palpitations after drinking two of these in one day. YABU OP, no caffeine is not illegal for kids but in that quantity it can do shit to their insides, I like glad you weren’t served.

ImSoShiney · 10/07/2023 22:04

Dibbydoos · 10/07/2023 21:54

I agree OP thoufh I wouldn't give rinks like this to a pre-teen.

My 17yo sonzasked me if wanted some scissors I said yes. He popped them in tge basket he was carrying. The guy on the tille at dunelm refused to sell me tge scissors or gin chocolate cos it contained gin. I'm sure it didn't. I told him to stuff the £70 purchase where it don't shine and complained to head office who said they'd re-train based on pragmatism!

Maybe thats the issue. People has lost all common sense....

The guy on the till was right to do so. Nothing will have come of your complaint. Noone will have been retrained. He literally did what he's trained to do.

ShirleyPhallus · 10/07/2023 22:07

Dibbydoos · 10/07/2023 21:54

I agree OP thoufh I wouldn't give rinks like this to a pre-teen.

My 17yo sonzasked me if wanted some scissors I said yes. He popped them in tge basket he was carrying. The guy on the tille at dunelm refused to sell me tge scissors or gin chocolate cos it contained gin. I'm sure it didn't. I told him to stuff the £70 purchase where it don't shine and complained to head office who said they'd re-train based on pragmatism!

Maybe thats the issue. People has lost all common sense....

Confused No you didn’t

DemBonesDemBones · 10/07/2023 22:11

@Dibbydoos I work in a supermarket. What the employee did sounds exactly what my (3 hour long, extremely boring) training told me to do in that situation. In fact, never mind not being 18, we need to ID if someone appears to be under 25. The on the spot fine and the interview under caution are on the employee. Why would we risk it?

piesforever · 10/07/2023 22:18

It's not a small amount like tea or coke! It can cause lifelong heart issues, I've seen it for myself!!!

Fluffmum · 10/07/2023 22:32

He’s doing his job