Aldi ID policy

Ciarah1504

Hi I am just wondering if anyone has any views on this.

Myself and my boyfriend went to out local aldi last night to purchase alcohol, when we approached the Till the girl asked us to I'd which was no problem I had my driver licence with me and I was paying.

She then stated to me that she could not serve me alcohol till she seen I'd from my boyfriend too incase i am giving alcohol to a underage person. Now I'm 21 and he is 20.

I worked in a shop for 5 years and have studied business law the past 2 years

Am I not right when I say if I buy alcohol and give it to a underage person it is my that will be charged for it not the store?

Also is it not my right to buy alcohol if I want to as a 21 year old adult?

I also read each of the policy's on the wall over the alcohol section and no where does it state the policy they said they have, and each policy on the wall states "the individual"

Anyone any views on this? Thanks

galwayjohn89

Its pretty standard in most shops. Happened to mew multiple times in Ireland, America, Canada and Germany.

You know for next time both have ID or just queue up seperately.

sidcon

Ciarah1504 wrote: »

Hi I am just wondering if anyone has any views on this.

Myself and my boyfriend went to out local aldi last night to purchase alcohol, when we approached the Till the girl asked us to I'd which was no problem I had my driver licence with me and I was paying.

She then stated to me that she could not serve me alcohol till she seen I'd from my boyfriend too incase i am giving alcohol to a underage person. Now I'm 21 and he is 20.

I worked in a shop for 5 years and have studied business law the past 2 years

Am I not right when I say if I buy alcohol and give it to a underage person it is my that will be charged for it not the store?

Also is it not my right to buy alcohol if I want to as a 21 year old adult?

I also read each of the policy's on the wall over the alcohol section and no where does it state the policy they said they have, and each policy on the wall states "the individual"

Anyone any views on this? Thanks

Most retailers have signed up to this and it's a case of second party sales which the till operator was correct in applying the procedure. While its a voluntary code, nearly all retailers follow it rather than been forced to do it by law.
http://www.rrai.ie/_fileupload/Training%2520Manuals/RRAI_Training_Manual%2520(2).pdf

foggy_lad

The law was changed so retail staff must refuse if they can reasonably suspect that alcohol may be offered to soneone underage. The staff did nothing wrong anyway as they are under no obligation to sell you anything at all.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

What Aldi did is absolutely spot on and in line with best practice,

Cheshire Cat

Dunnes, Lidl and Tesco do that, too. If I have my very tall 17 year old son with me I send him ahead to wait past the tills to avoid this.
I think it's a good idea. Too many just-about legals are buying for their underage friends.

It has only ever happened to me in Aldi when I lived in Ireland and I just told them where to stick it. I'm all for protecting teens from underage drinking, but the one on the checkout in this instance was being a total jobsworth. I didn't look anywhere near 18 and neither did my ex (he had his driver's licence showing that he was 24), we had one bottle of wine in a trolley stuffed with food, others in the queue told her she was being ridiculous but that made her even more adamant not to serve us. She kept saying she had the right to deny us without proof of age. Fine, but we had the right to refuse to shop there again. They lost a year's worth of custom from us (used to buy nearly everything there) because of an idiot with no common sense. I've worked in supermarkets and bars myself and I've never, ever had an issue with just using my brain and common sense. There's a clear difference between a couple in their twenties buying one bottle of wine with the weekly shop and a couple of teenage girls just buying crates of booze.

The idea of sending your teenage kids ahead of you so the checkout girl doesn't think you're trying to ply them with booze is ludicrous to me and would be ludicrous just about anywhere else in the world. If I'd stood behind my boyfriend and not talked to him, it would have been fine, but because we happened to know each other, I needed ID? It's ridiculous. Maybe I've been outside Ireland too long.

hardCopy

Lucca Fierce Sunglasses wrote: »

It has only ever happened to me in Aldi when I lived in Ireland and I just told them where to stick it. I'm all for protecting teens from underage drinking, but the one on the checkout in this instance was being a total jobsworth. I didn't look anywhere near 18 and neither did my ex (he had his driver's licence showing that he was 24), we had one bottle of wine in a trolley stuffed with food, others in the queue told her she was being ridiculous but that made her even more adamant not to serve us. She kept saying she had the right to deny us without proof of age. Fine, but we had the right to refuse to shop there again. They lost a year's worth of custom from us (used to buy nearly everything there) because of an idiot with no common sense. I've worked in supermarkets and bars myself and I've never, ever had an issue with just using my brain and common sense. There's a clear difference between a couple in their twenties buying one bottle of wine with the weekly shop and a couple of teenage girls just buying crates of booze.

The idea of sending your teenage kids ahead of you so the checkout girl doesn't think you're trying to ply them with booze is ludicrous to me and would be ludicrous just about anywhere else in the world. If I'd stood behind my boyfriend and not talked to him, it would have been fine, but because we happened to know each other, I needed ID? It's ridiculous. Maybe I've been outside Ireland too long.

It's happened to me in the States as well, it's not just an Irish thing.

Layinghen

Gosh I would love if someone asked me for id when buying booze. I keep telling them I have id and can produce it if they want. They smile kindly at me, must be the grey hair and the fact I remind them of their Mother (if not their Grandmother):(

Ciarah1504

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

Dunnes, Lidl and Tesco do that, too. If I have my very tall 17 year old son with me I send him ahead to wait past the tills to avoid this.
I think it's a good idea. Too many just-about legals are buying for their underage friends.

It never happens to me anywhere not dunnes tesco or lidl!!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Ciarah1504 wrote: »

It never happens to me anywhere not dunnes tesco or lidl!!

Well they should have. And if you PM me the locations I will personally raise the issue with them!

Tar.Aldarion

It's only ever happened to me in aldi, nowhere else, ever. Although tesco did a funny one one time and refused a friend of my Jack daniels bbq sauce as they had no id.

wmpdd3

Even the cops use this one, one person will be 19 and will have ID but their friend will have no ID.

I'm glad you found the supermarket courteous when they enforced the law. That makes all the difference.


'I worked in a shop for 5 years and have studied business law the past 2 years'


That's a bit worrying, have you received no training at all on the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008. ( the one that brought in the new opening times for off licences)

http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/bills28/bills/2008/3208/document1.htm

The RRAI was set up after this and their training would have covered all this. All staff where I work are trained on this before they even see a till.

Your employer should have informed you that if you break the law and are instrument in the sale of alcohol to a minor, you could end up with a criminal record.

kc90

This is fairly standard, happens in tesco too. They have a right to refuse, so just take it as a lesson learned, if you're with someone without id, don't go to the checkout together.

sandin

Threads with same question seem to appear every couple of weeks.

GET OVER IT.

A store can set its own policy on alcohol sales or sales of any other product once they implement the minimum conditions laid down by law.

If Aldi / tesco / dunnes want to only serve alcohol to over 50's - they can do so, once they apply the rules to all of their customers. If you don't like it, buy elsewhere.

If 2 people appear together - unles one is the legal guardian of the other, then it is seen as a joint purchase and both can be asked to produce ID.

In the USA they will ask for ID no matter what age you look - and if you can't produce it, tough luck, even if you are obviously 50+ (I can assure you, that unless you are exceptionnally drunk and from another planet, I would not pass for under 40, let alone under 30!)

Aglomerado

Layinghen wrote: »

Gosh I would love if someone asked me for id when buying booze. I keep telling them I have id and can produce it if they want. They smile kindly at me, must be the grey hair and the fact I remind them of their Mother (if not their Grandmother):(

I used to be flattered by Aldi staff asking me if I was over 18 when buying beer. But it's store policy (I once saw something flashing up on the till to prompt them to ask- something like DOB before (eg) 06/05/1995?) and they have to ask everyone.

They generally take my word for it when I say that I am over 18 and don't ask for ID. The grey hairs are proof enough!

GerardKeating

hardCopy wrote: »

It's happened to me in the States as well, it's not just an Irish thing.

My mother was refused Alchol in Florida once, because she did not have ID, she was in her early seventies at the time.

ResearchWill

Ciarah1504 wrote: »

Hi I am just wondering if anyone has any views on this.

Myself and my boyfriend went to out local aldi last night to purchase alcohol, when we approached the Till the girl asked us to I'd which was no problem I had my driver licence with me and I was paying.

She then stated to me that she could not serve me alcohol till she seen I'd from my boyfriend too incase i am giving alcohol to a underage person. Now I'm 21 and he is 20.

I worked in a shop for 5 years and have studied business law the past 2 years

Am I not right when I say if I buy alcohol and give it to a underage person it is my that will be charged for it not the store?

Also is it not my right to buy alcohol if I want to as a 21 year old adult?

I also read each of the policy's on the wall over the alcohol section and no where does it state the policy they said they have, and each policy on the wall states "the individual"

Anyone any views on this? Thanks

Section 31(1) (a) of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1988.

“The holder of any licence shall not –
(a) sell or deliver or permit any person to sell or deliver intoxicating liquor to a person under the age of 18 years,
(b) sell or deliver or permit any person to sell or deliver intoxicating liquor to any person for consumption on his licensed premises by a person under the age of 18 years,

(c) permit a person under the age of 18 years to consume intoxicating liquor on his licensed premises, or

(d) permit any person to supply a person under the age of 18 years with intoxicating liquor on his licensed premises.”

keithclancy

sandin wrote: »

Threads with same question seem to appear every couple of weeks.

GET OVER IT.

A store can set its own policy on alcohol sales or sales of any other product once they implement the minimum conditions laid down by law.

If Aldi / tesco / dunnes want to only serve alcohol to over 50's - they can do so, once they apply the rules to all of their customers. If you don't like it, buy elsewhere.

If 2 people appear together - unles one is the legal guardian of the other, then it is seen as a joint purchase and both can be asked to produce ID.

In the USA they will ask for ID no matter what age you look - and if you can't produce it, tough luck, even if you are obviously 50+ (I can assure you, that unless you are exceptionnally drunk and from another planet, I would not pass for under 40, let alone under 30!)

It would be better in this case if they asked everyone for ID rather than it being on the basis of what the person at the till thinks is the age of the person.

Its not being asked for ID that's the problem, its that its not a uniform experience across the board.

I do not carry my passport around with me as it is a valuable document and is supposed to be used to cross borders, not for inspection by a shop.

My Driving license is a driving license.

Ireland needs a National Identity card which can be used for Identification in your own country and other countries within the European Union.

It should not be a case of, "should I bring my passport with me to Tescos"

You either have to bring it or you don't, i.e. ask everyone for ID and not do it on the basis of whether you have grey hair and a few wrinkles.

Riskymove

GerardKeating wrote: »

My mother was refused Alchol in Florida once, because she did not have ID, she was in her early seventies at the time.

well the issue here is not that ID is required, it is the idea that just becuase there are underage people with you that you cannot be sold alcohol

taken to an extreme, an adult should not be sold alcohol if they have underage people with them. So for example, a family doing weekly shop should be not allowed buy alcohol and so on

the other issue I see with the OP is that the person with the OP was not a minor. While it is shop policy to sell only to 21 or whatever, that is not the law when it comes to "underage". So it should only be in the case of people under 18 that this "delivering to underage" should apply - Aldi have no right to refuse to sell someone alcohol on the basis they might give it to someone else over 18

wmpdd3

taken to an extreme, an adult should not be sold alcohol if they have underage people with them. So for example, a family doing weekly shop should be not allowed buy alcohol and so on

If they are the legal guardians of the under age persons with them then they dont need ID for them, just for themselves.

The day will come whenever person buying alcohol will need ID. Even with these measures, kids are still getting their drink. I would like to see ID necessary for entry to pubs and for sales in off licences.

wmpdd3

taken to an extreme, an adult should not be sold alcohol if they have underage people with them. So for example, a family doing weekly shop should be not allowed buy alcohol and so on

If they are the legal guardians of the under age persons with them then they dont need ID for them, just for themselves.

The day will come whenever person buying alcohol will need ID. Even with these measures, kids are still getting their drink. I would like to see ID necessary for entry to pubs and for sales in off licences.

foggy_lad

wmpdd3 wrote: »

If they are the legal guardians of the under age persons with them then they dont need ID for them, just for themselves.

The day will come whenever person buying alcohol will need ID. Even with these measures, kids are still getting their drink. I would like to see ID necessary for entry to pubs and for sales in off licences.

so the kids dont need id but the parents will need proof that they are the legal guardians before they will be served.

bigbudda

keithclancy wrote: »

It would be better in this case if they asked everyone for ID rather than it being on the basis of what the person at the till thinks is the age of the person.

Its not being asked for ID that's the problem, its that its not a uniform experience across the board.



I do not carry my passport around with me as it is a valuable document and is supposed to be used to cross borders, not for inspection by a shop.

My Driving license is a driving license.

Ireland needs a National Identity card which can be used for Identification in your own country and other countries within the European Union.

It should not be a case of, "should I bring my passport with me to Tescos"

You either have to bring it or you don't, i.e. ask everyone for ID and not do it on the basis of whether you have grey hair and a few wrinkles.

The Garda Age Card costs about ten quid, fits in the wallet easy and is accepted by all retailers. In fact some only take the Age Card, I think Lidl or Dunnes is one them.

witnessmenow

GerardKeating wrote: »

My mother was refused Alchol in Florida once, because she did not have ID, she was in her early seventies at the time.

Wasn't as bad as this, but I was in Massachusetts with my Dad and my brother a good while back (I was about 12, my brother was 15, Dad about 35) we went out for dinner and he ordered a bottle of bud and was Ideed (how do you spell that!?)

EDIT: Actually also, in Canada I walked into a shop with my brother and he went up to the counter to buy a six pack (I was looking at something else in the shop, and the shop keeper insisted that I went up to be Ideed as well. I was 18 at the time (which was the legal age in Alberta) but the shopkeeper could tell my age from my ID. All their Ids state the date they turn 18 as well as the DOB so no maths involved. spent 5 minutes convincing this person I was 18 (she though i was 17) even though I had no interest in buying the beer.

keithclancy

bigbudda wrote: »

The Garda Age Card costs about ten quid, fits in the wallet easy and is accepted by all retailers. In fact some only take the Age Card, I think Lidl or Dunnes is one them.

You need an Irish Address to get it .. useless for me.

mtjm

The age card is €10, I decided to buy a new one as old one is over 12 years old, I an odd time get asked for ID, I'm 38 I carry it 99% of the time, I don't mind at all don't know why people moan some much just thankfully your not in america otherwise you'd probabley be banned from the shop by kicking up a fuss

keithclancy

mtjm wrote: »

The age card is €10, I decided to buy a new one as old one is over 12 years old, I an odd time get asked for ID, I'm 38 I carry it 99% of the time, I don't mind at all don't know why people moan some much just thankfully your not in america otherwise you'd probabley be banned from the shop by kicking up a fuss

Well for one, people without an Irish Address cannot get one, so I'm supposed to carry my Irish passport with me every time I go to visit Ireland ?

People that are not from Ireland and live in Ireland think its absolutely crazy that you have to buy a card for ten euros just to prove your age to purchase alcohol, which you may or may not need depending on the mood of the person behind the till when they already have an identification card that you can use as official identification for the Police/Government/Customs/Border Control throughout the European Union.

Age card is a Joke.

daRobot

Mikaela Defeated Wristwatch wrote: »

Well they should have. And if you PM me the locations I will personally raise the issue with them!

Keep fighting the good fight....

wmpdd3

keithclancy wrote: »

Well for one, people without an Irish Address cannot get one, so I'm supposed to carry my Irish passport with me every time I go to visit Ireland ?

People that are not from Ireland and live in Ireland think its absolutely crazy that you have to buy a card for ten euros just to prove your age to purchase alcohol, which you may or may not need depending on the mood of the person behind the till when they already have an identification card that you can use as official identification for the Police/Government/Customs/Border Control throughout the European Union.

Age card is a Joke.

Any ID card should do in my opinion. But we have examples of over 50 different cards in the office and every time we get a new one we have to delay you while we check the card's security features. Asking for an age card just keeps the queues shorter.

which you may or may not need depending on the mood of the person behind the till

Much easier to just ask everyone buying alcohol for ID, because your attitude is quite possibly widely held.

DarkJager

Stopped shopping in Aldi for this very reason, some pimply young fella asking me for ID when I look old enough to be his father. Ridiculous lack of common sense in their shops.

goz83

I'm nearly 30. I bought alcohol from dunnes without incident from age 15 to 18 without ever being asked for ID. On my 18th birthday, by chance, the lady asked me for ID. I told her I had only purchased a bottle of Jameson the night before from her, but she asked for ID. I showed her my provisional license and her face was priceless

In the case of the OP, I would have told the staff member that if I wasn't allowed buy alcohol with valid ID, I wouldn't be buying anything there again and I would have walked out, leaving all my shopping on the belt/trolley. Who are they to refuse alcohol and draw conclusions that I might be buying for a minor? Cheeky feckers! If I have my 10 year old son with me, do I need to bring his birth cert to prove I am his legal guardian?

wmpdd3

http://www.limerickpost.ie/index.php/navigation-mainmenu-30/local-news/4298-test-purchase-leads-to-two-day-closure-and-500-fine-for-retailer.html

A TOPAZ filling station in Limerick has been ordered to close its off-licence sales for a period of two days after a test purchase made by an underage girl on behalf of An Garda Siochana, revealed that the shop assistant never asked for ID. Ard Services, with a registered address at Deansgrange Road, Dublin, the company responsible for 113 Topaz sites nationwide, 108 of which are licenced to sell intoxicating liquor, was before the court answering a summons charge after gardai detected the underage purchase on January 21, 2011.
Evidence was given that Sgt McMahon, attached to Mayorstone Garda Station, arranged with an underage minor to purchase six bottles of Heineken at the Caherdavin depot of Topaz, on the Ennis Road.
The youth was to meet at a pre- arranged venue and the purchase that was observed by Sergeant McMahon.
The court heard that the female store assistant failed to follow the in-house or legal procedures in asking for identification to verify that the purchaser was of age.
The defence counsel addressed Judge Aingeal Ni Chonduin, stating that she represented Ard Services and was entering a plea of guilty to the charges contrary to section 31 (2) and (3) of the Intoxicating liquor act 1988 as amended.

I have been training staff for years and 99% would never even consider breaking the law and stealing from their employer and are still afraid to ask for ID because for some reason in this country it is seen as 'being cheeky'.

If they do not follow the law and serve alcohol to a minor the employee gets a criminal conviction. They are in the same boat as a employee that steals from the employer.

I'd have no issue putting back your shopping, its my job.
The store is not going to break the law just to keep a customer.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

goz83

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Give it a couple more years and they will be supervising you drinking it!

Basq

Funniest one I've had lately is being ID'd in Aldi buying Panadol. Told the girl I wouldn't show her ID, and just left. Last time I checked, the legal age for buying paracetemol was 16. I'm 29 FFS... kinda regret not asking to see a manager but was fuming over the whole thing.

Del2005

goz83 wrote: »

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Give it a couple more years and they will be supervising you drinking it!

They already have these in place. Maybe it's the owners of these supervised places that are making the law that require shops to ID everyone who's standing beside the person buying alcohol, but I've seen plenty of underage people drinking in these supervised places.

Getting asked for ID when with someone buying alcohol isn't an Irish thing. It happens in all countries with strict licenceing laws. We where refused a sale in the US of several hundred $s worth of beer because one guy forgot his ID. Next place we left him in the car.

It's just not worth the retailers while to risk selling alcohol if there are 2, or more people, buying it and 1 doesn't have ID as they could loose at least 2 days business if it's a controlled purchase, or they are reported, as well as a big fine.

Magnetics

My auntie had the same problem in Aldi but this example is a bit more extreme!

She was doing her weekly shop and happened to have 2 bottles of red wine and 6 cans of beer for her husband in the trolley. Half her groceries had been scanned through by the the sales assistant and she was asked did her 14 year old son, who was helping with the shopping, have ID. Bear in mind that my auntie is in her mid forties and my cousin looks 15 at an absolute push! She didn't even ask for the manager, she just walked out and left her shopping there because she was so angry that the assistant wouldn't sell her the alcohol

We all slag her about it now but jesus christ what a ridiculous situation to be put in! Common sense has to prevail is circumstances like these but I think the floor managers want robots on the tills, and drill it into their heads that everyone is a possible law breaker

Del2005

Magnetics wrote: »

My auntie had the same problem in Aldi but this example is a bit more extreme!

She was doing her weekly shop and happened to have 2 bottles of red wine and 6 cans of beer for her husband in the trolley. Half her groceries had been scanned through by the the sales assistant and she was asked did her 14 year old son, who was helping with the shopping, have ID. Bear in mind that my auntie is in her mid forties and my cousin looks 15 at an absolute push! She didn't even ask for the manager, she just walked out and left her shopping there because she was so angry that the assistant wouldn't sell her the alcohol

It's not just Aldi, or Ireland, any country which has strict liquor laws has the same policies. A friend in the US can't bring her 10 year to the shops when they want to buy booze.

Magnetics wrote: »

Common sense has to prevail is circumstances like these but I think the floor managers want robots on the tills, and drill it into their heads that everyone is a possible law breaker

Common sense has nothing to do with it. The shops risk being closed if they sell to someone under age and controlled purchases are regularly used. So a store manager has to weight up the benefits of allowing a person buy alcohol accompanied by someone without ID v's holding onto their and the staffs jobs.

Magnetics

Del2005 wrote: »

Common sense has nothing to do with it. The shops risk being closed if they sell to someone under age and controlled purchases are regularly used. So a store manager has to weight up the benefits of allowing a person buy alcohol accompanied by someone without ID v's holding onto their and the staffs jobs.

Jesus if someone behind the till can't differentiate between a 19 year old young fella going in and buying 2 slabs of beer for his mates and a woman in her mid forties doing the family shop and buying a bottle of wine, I have very little hope for humanity. Common sense has everything to do with it

UrbanSea

Sometimes it can be so frustrating. Was in Dunnes with a girl I know last year and she was buying a bottle of vodka and I was at the till with her. The one asked me for I.D, I told her without getting annoyed that it wasn't me buying it but she said she had to. Showed her my licence but she said they didn't take licences so she couldn't take it.

Went to Tesco across the road and I hung back. Tesco wouldn't accept her passport because it was three months out of date, but took my licence.


Have heard Aldi are the most frustrating. Me and two friends went there about three months ago for beer. Each of us had a packet of cans and the one said we'd have to all show her id. We did but she wouldn't take the Northern fella's driver's licence and none of us could get it then. Annoying

Corruptedmorals

I had to be trained in the Dunnes alcohol policy over and over again, despite never once working in the supermarket or actually selling alcohol, but just in case someone from head office asked me about it. They are TERRIFIED of selling underage so the policy gets stricter and stricter, not just the think 25 bit, but staff are also supposed to be vigilant of underagers hanging around outside, or in the carpark (neither of which are visible at all from the supermarket of the store in question).

It's really the Gardai pushing for tighter laws. Oh, you ID'd whoever the Gardai sent in, but not the person with them? They make it worth the store's priority because it WILL get shut down for a few days, fined and have to reapply for a license. And the store make it worth the cashier's while by writing it into their contracts that it is automatic dismissal. They also run the risk of a criminal conviction too. But what does that matter if you're offended at being asked? I think you'll find people want to keep their jobs. And it's not the store's fault, they want to sell to you! It is the Gardai really pushing the alcohol policy. 'Think 25' is stupid but it's just there to remove the margin of error. Not everybody is brilliant at guessing ages and not everybody looks their age. And I find it funny when people say 'But I bought drink off you yesterday/last week!'. How memorable a transaction was that amongst hundreds? You'll only be remembered in a supermarket if you're a complete freak. I used to have customers come back 5 minutes later and say 'Back again!'..I'd have completely forgotten them.

womandriver

Was asked for ID In Aldi one evening, produced my passport from my handbag as I had been in the UK the previous week. Was told they don't accept passports as a form of ID, age cards only. I've never had an age card, never thought I'd need one when I have a valid passport (plus I'm well in to my twenties). Argued it with the manager but to no avail, somehow a passport which is sufficient for boarder control is not sufficient to buy a bottle wine in Aldi. Ended up going to tesco instead. Thought it was a bit ridiculous.

LowKeyReturn

womandriver wrote: »

Was asked for ID In Aldi one evening, produced my passport from my handbag as I had been in the UK the previous week. Was told they don't accept passports as a form of ID, age cards only. I've never had an age card, never thought I'd need one when I have a valid passport (plus I'm well in to my twenties). Argued it with the manager but to no avail, somehow a passport which is sufficient for boarder control is not sufficient to buy a bottle wine in Aldi. Ended up going to tesco instead. Thought it was a bit ridiculous.

There is no defence of due diligence (i.e. asked for ID) except a Garda Age card. If they don't ask for that, if they do make a mistake and sell alcohol to a minor, they are going to get fined even if they produced an Irish passport issued by Michael D himself.

Passport shouldn't be out and about with you, it has a particular purpose you alluded to in your post.

womandriver

LowKeyReturn wrote: »

There is no defence of due diligence (i.e. asked for ID) except a Garda Age card. If they don't ask for that, if they do make a mistake and sell alcohol to a minor, they are going to get fined even if they produced an Irish passport issued by Michael D himself.

Passport shouldn't be out and about with you, it has a particular purpose you alluded to in your post.

Since when is a Garda age card the only acceptable form of ID? To my knowledge they are not mandatory so how does one identify themselves without one?

I worked for many years in a shop which sold alcohol during my college years and we were never made aware that passports or driver license were not acceptable. This was a large chain who took the matter of selling alcohol to minors very seriously and we were regularly reminded of the importance of being vigilant. I seriously doubt they it would have escaped their attention if we were not upholding the law by accepting passports and driver licences. Also to my knowledge never failed a spot check.

And I think I clearly stated why I had my passport with me but thanks for your guidance ....

LowKeyReturn

womandriver wrote: »

Since when is a Garda age card the only acceptable form of ID? To my knowledge they are not mandatory so how does one identify themselves without one?

And I think I clearly stated why I had my passport with me but thanks for your guidance ....

Since the amending statutory instrument to one of the licensing acts which there is not a hope in hell in me finding. There was a thread on this is the Legal Discussions forum, or it might have been here, about 9 months ago. It's not the only form of ID, it'd the only form of ID that provides a defence of due diligence against a prosecution.

A retail legal department would be well versed in it. A German retailer, might if one was to resort to stereotypes, be tighter on compliance than a UK / Irish one.

womandriver

LowKeyReturn wrote: »

Since the amending statutory instrument to one of the licensing acts which there is not a hope in hell in me finding. There was a thread on this is the Legal Discussions forum, or it might have been here, about 9 months ago. It's not the only form of ID, it'd the only form of ID that provides a defence of due diligence against a prosecution.

A retail legal department would be well versed in it. A German retailer, might if one was to resort to stereotypes, be tighter on compliance than a UK / Irish one.

From the Citizens info website:

National Age Card
The Gardai (Irish police force) operate the National Age Card scheme. These Cards are proof that the cardholder is 18 or over, they are not identity cards. The Card shows the name of the holder, their date of birth, a photograph and a security feature, such as a hologram. You can order your Card online at agecard.ie. It costs €10.
Anyone found guilty of forging or altering the details on an official Age Card can be liable on summary conviction to a class C fine or to a prison term not exceeding 12 months or to both. Licence holders that allow people between 18-21 years on their premises without appropriate identification can face a fine. (Appropriate identification includes a National Age Card, a passport, a driving licence, or a identitiy card issued by an EU member state).
Page updated: 7 March 2012

LowKeyReturn

I surprise even myself!

31. Sale of intoxicating liquor to persons under the age of 18 years

(1) The holder of any licence shall not—

(a) sell or deliver or permit any person to sell or deliver intoxicating liquor to a person under the age of 18 years,

(b) sell or deliver or permit any person to sell or deliver intoxicating liquor to any person for consumption on his licensed premises by a person under the age of 18 years,

(c) permit a person under the age of 18 years to consume intoxicating liquor on his licensed premises, or

(d) permit any person to supply a person under the age of 18 years with intoxicating liquor on his licensed premises.

(2) The holder of a licence of any licensed premises shall not sell or deliver or permit any person to sell or deliver intoxicating liquor to any person for consumption off his licensed premises by a person under the age of 18 years in any place other than a private residence.

(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding—

(a) £300, in the case of a first offence, or

(b) £500, in the case of a second or any subsequent offence,

and the offence shall be deemed for the purposes of Part III (which relates to the endorsement of licences) of the Act of 1927 to be an offence to which that Part of that Act applies.

(4) In any proceedings against a person for a contravention of subsection (1) or (2) of this section, it shall be a defence for such person to prove that the person in respect of whom the charge is brought produced to him an age card relating to such person or that he had other reasonable grounds for believing that such person was over the age of 18 years, or, if the person is charged with permitting another person to sell or deliver intoxicating liquor contrary to the said subsection (1) or (2), to prove that an age card was produced by the person concerned to that other person or that that other person had other reasonable grounds for believing as aforesaid.

Age card is define by section 40;

40. Age cards

(1) The Minister may by regulations provide for the issue to a person of or over the age of 18 years, if so requested by the person and subject to his compliance with the regulations, of a card (in this Part referred to as “an age card”) specifying the age of the person.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, regulations under this section may make provision in relation to all or any of the following matters:

(a) the information as to his age and any other matters specified in the regulations to be furnished by a person (in this subsection referred to as “the applicant”) applying for the issue of an age card,

(b) a form of application for an age card,

(c) the charging and payment of fees in respect of the issue or replacement of an age card,

(d) the form of an age card and the particulars (which may include a photograph of the holder thereof) to be specified in an age card,

(e) the period of validity of an age card,

(f) the person by whom an age card shall be issued,

(g) any other matter in relation to which it is, in the opinion of the Minister, necessary or expedient to make provision.

Not the first time a retailer hasn't been aware of a provision. You just need look at the amount of people that win in the SmCC.

To be fair this was enacted in 1988 so would it be giving away you age to...

(I'm only joking - hopefully taken in the spirit intended - actually, to be fair, you did say you were in your twenties.)

EDIT: Bollocks the bit in bold has been amended - I hate west law - off to find the amending SI

Merch

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

Dunnes, Lidl and Tesco do that, too. If I have my very tall 17 year old son with me I send him ahead to wait past the tills to avoid this.
I think it's a good idea. Too many just-about legals are buying for their underage friends.

Been in a few tescos where people were being sold Alcohol, clearly not checked and in most cases just scanned through where it looked like they were underage, was going to bring it up with a manager but but I dont think it would go anywhere.

Lelantos

^^ no mention of a parent buying alcohol for an underage teen for private consumption in the home, which is legal.

LowKeyReturn

14.—(1) Section 31 (sale of intoxicating liquor to under-age persons) of the Act of 1988 is amended—

(a) in subsection (3), by the deletion of “, and the offence shall be deemed for the purposes of Part III (which relates to the endorsement of licences) of the Act of 1927 to be an offence to which that Part of the Act applies”, and

(b) by the substitution of the following for subsection (4)—

“(4) In any proceedings for a contravention of subsection (1) or (2) of this section, it shall be a defence for the defendant to prove that the person in respect of whom the charge is brought produced to him or her an age card relating to that person or, if the defendant is charged with permitting another person to sell or deliver intoxicating liquor contrary to either of those subsections, to prove that an age card relating to the person to whom the intoxicating liquor was sold or delivered was produced by that person to that other person.”.

Although interestingly (for me not for same people) the rest of the SI allows for "all due diligence" for any other scenario like a pub, club etc. Me thinks drafting error?