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| Photo: Colognid |
It is common knowledge that the legal drinking age in the UK is 18. This legislation also states that an individual knowingly purchasing alcohol on behalf of someone under the age of 18 is breaking the law.
However, what does the law say in regards to purchasing alcohol from a supermarket, intended for personal consumption, whilst your children are present at the time of purchase? (For instance, whilst on your weekly food shop with your children?)
There appears to be an increasing culture of what the Daily Mail described as "over-zealous supermarket staff" refusing the purchase of alcohol to parents accompanied by their own children. But, is "over-zealous" a fair description? Are they not, in fact, just following the law?
"Workers have been told not to serve adults accompanied by children in the latest crack-down on underage drinking..." the Daily Mail report says.
"However, diligent shop staff are applying the letter of the law and refusing to serve parents who are on weekly shopping trips with their children".
Diane Binns, 52 from Lincoln was met with a similar refusal to be sold alcohol in her local supermarket earlier this week.
"It seems absurd that a parent should be refused alcohol whilst in the company of their children. I see it as a judgement on my character and I find that very offensive".
Mrs Binns was refused the sale of a bottle of Rosé wine whilst in the company of her two children (20 and 18), because neither of them had their ID with them when challenged.
A Morrisons spokesperson said: "We have a strict 'Challenge 25' agenda which we uphold throughout our stores"."We don't have an issue in regards to parents shopping with children; it's legal to do that, we do have a an issue with alcohol being passed from adults to underage children and it is our policy to refuse purchase if we suspect evidence of this".
The Challenge 25 slogan is "No Proof of Age - No Sale!"
This an identical policy to that of TESCO who say: "We are doing lots of work to try to stop under-age people from being able to get hold of alcohol and one of the biggest problems has become adults buying for people who are under-age."
"If our staff suspect that people are buying for people who are under the age of 18 then we do not serve them."
ASDA have also implemented a Challenge 25 programme which they say "...help[s] colleagues stay on the right side of the law."
It seems that whilst this may appear to be a hindrance to the customer, these policies are in place in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003.
The Challenge 25 scheme, first launched in 2004/5, comes with the full backing of local authorities including the Police and local councils and is something we are all going to have to get used to and be prepared for.
By Benjamin Yates
Sources:
Picture 1: http://www.flickr.com/people/colognid/
Picture 2: http://www.liftoff-festival.com/p/rules.html
\"We don't have an issue in regards to parents shopping with children; it's legal to do that, we do have a an issue with alcohol being passed from adults to underage children and it is our policy to refuse purchase if we suspect evidence of this\".
ReplyDelete"refuse purchase if we suspect evidence"
WHAT TRAINING ARE THE CASHIERS GIVEN TO MAKE THE REFUSAL JUDGEMENT CALL.
I SUSPECT NONE!
GIVE A DONKEY SOME POWER AND IT WILL TURN INTO AN ASS. THESE SUPERMARKETS NEED TO RE-THINK THEIR STRATEGY. I SPENT ABOUT £300 A WEEK AT MORRISONS AND VOTED WITH MY FEET WHEN MY WIFE HAD A PROBLEM WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY OUT 19 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO DID NOT HAVE ID.
I MIGHT ADD THAT THERE HARDLINE ATTITUDE IS NOT OUTLINED ON THEIR WEBSITE UNDER THEIR ALCOHOL POLICY.
BELOW IS THE ONLY MENTION OF ID:
"We are clear to our customers that alcohol is a product for adults. Our priority is to ensure that customers have the information they need to drink responsibly and that sales are only made to those over the age of 18. To help ensure this our staff will ask anyone attempting to buy alcohol who looks under 25 to provide recognised proof of age documentation."
NO MENTION OF ACCOMPANYING MINORS.
IT IS DISGRACEFUL THAT PARENTS IN THERE 40'S AND 50'S WHO LOOK AND ACT RESPONSIBLY ARE SUBJECTED TO RIDICULOUS QUESTIONS FROM UNTRAINED 18 YEAR CASHIERS. IT IS A FURTHER EMBARRASSMENT TO THE LIKES OF MORRISONS THAT AN INTELLIGENT 40 -50 YEAR MIDDLE MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE COMES ALONG AND BACKS UP THE STUPIDITY OF AN 18 YEAR CASHIER WHO REALLY HAS NO CLUE.
IN THIS DAY AND AGE PARENTS TIME IS AT A PREMIUM AND 9 TIMES OUT OF 10 THE KIDS HAVE TO ACCOMPANY THEIR PARENTS ON SHOPPING DAYS, ITS NOT A CONSPIRACY ITS ORDINARY LIFE.
DOESN'T ANY OF THE THOUSANDS WHO WORK FOR MORRISONS GO SHOPPING WITH THEIR KIDS ?????
NO WONDER THIS COUNTRY IS BECOMING THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD