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Tesco alcohol policy

El Guapo!

What's the deal with Tesco and their alcohol policy?!
I fancied a few bottles of Tiger beer out the back garden in the sun so I drove to tesco to get some a few minutes ago.
I got a little bit of shopping while I was there and the woman behind the counter scanned it all in and then asked me for I.D for the drink. I haven't been asked for I.D in a long time and said that I had none on me. She then said, "Well, our policy is age 25!" I said "Ok that's grand 'cause I'm 26". She wasn't too pleased and still insisted on I.D.
I ran to the car to get my licence but I hadn't got it. Ran back in and explained that I forgot it but she wouldn't give me the bottles.
Now, its no big deal because its Tescos loss and I just went around the corner and gave my money to Molloys instead. But what's the story with that policy?! It's ridiculous. I'd understand if I looked young but I don't. The legal age for drinking is 18. I clearly don't look 17. I haven't looked 17 since I was 12.

In before "cool story bro".

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numnumcake

Was in Tesco a few months back buying some groceries and a bottle of wine to have with a meal that night. I went to the self service checkout and the assistant came over to ask me for ID. I had my passport on me but it was a month out of date, I didn't think it would matter but she refused to serve me. I asked to see the manager but he came out with all that's our policy BS. I got an age card after that so it wouldn't happen again.

I'm only 19 so I carry it with me always but I can understand how it annoying it is if your 26 because your not going to even think to bring ID with you.

jaffacakesyum

El Guapo! wrote: »

And up until what age should someone be expected to carry around I.D? 30? 40? 76?!
And why should I, who's 26, be expected to apply for and pay for an age card?

It's common sense. If someone looks 17, then ask them for I.D.
Don't make up some random age like 25 just because your idiot inbred staff can't tell if someone is clearly over the age of 18.
Ill gladly give my money to another place that uses a bit of common sense instead.

Fine, do. It's not my perogative. I just think it's stupid complaining about it - there's a policy in Tesco: If you look under 25, you will be asked to show ID. You're 26, not 60. The person at the till doesn't make up the rules so why are you complaining that somebody is just doing their job?

Maybe there's other policies in other places where you will only be asked if you look under 18 or 21 or whatever.

rxan90

Something like this happened to me in Aldi in Blessington. Went in with my 17 year old brother (I am 22), to try and buy two bottles of wine for my mam and her friend that evening and some other small things. The guy at the till refuses to serve me as my brother is with me and he doesn't have ID. I try to argue with him, what does it matter if he is with me, *I* am the one who is buying the drink, not him, but he wouldn't budge. So eventually I am so angry I just give up and say "Fine never mind", told them to keep everything and walked out. Then I had to bring in my 50 year old mother to buy what she wanted. Absolutely ridiculous attitude to have.

LOI Stats

It is an inconvenience when you are caught without ID.

It is far more than an inconvenience to an employee who is being tested by their employer to see if they are following company policy or not. It is even more serious to be caught by the guards selling to someone they have sent in themselves.

Once you hit a certain age, the age of younger people becomes harder and harder to guess, women especially, but it still applies to both. When I was first year in college, some people asked me if I was in final year or doing a masters. Around the same time, I was asked if I had done my Junior Cert yet.

I have no experience of it myself, but the guards could well pick someone that looks considerably older than what they are, which is fair enough to be honest. If they're not 18, they're not 18.

Feathers

Deleted User wrote: »

We get people whingeing all the time when a group comes in and one of them doesn't have id, as a result none of them get served. Cue tantrums etc. Most shops would rather lose your business than risk getting prosecuted and closed.

The shop can't get prosectued for it though because you don't sell alcohol to a group, you sell it to an individual — either the person buying it has ID or they don't, who they're with doesn't come into it legally.

P_1

Yeah I've never got the logic behind refusing someone the sale of alcohol just because someone who they are talking to doesn't have ID

rxan90

What the shop assistant said to me in my case (he also was the deputy manager or something) that he thought me and my brother were friends, not related and that he thought I was buying it for him ... again, if he applies this logic to my case, what's to stop him doing the same thing to anyone with anyone underage alongside them eg parents and small kids etc

El Guapo!

jaffacakesyum wrote: »

Fine, do. It's not my perogative. I just think it's stupid complaining about it - there's a policy in Tesco: If you look under 25, you will be asked to show ID. You're 26, not 60. The person at the till doesn't make up the rules so why are you complaining that somebody is just doing their job?

Maybe there's other policies in other places where you will only be asked if you look under 18 or 21 or whatever.

I've no problem with a shop covering their own arses and being extra careful, but it becomes a joke when I walk in getting some shopping and 6 bottles and sporting a beard and I get asked for I.D.
I wouldn't mind if I looked young but I really don't look 17!
Whatever about store policy, but you have to admit, a bit of common sense wouldn't go astray.

Feathers

rxan90 wrote: »

Then I had to bring in my 50 year old mother to buy what she wanted. Absolutely ridiculous attitude to have.

You should've brought in your 17 year old brother too & ask them why they're then letting your mam buy drink.

Not really sure why shops are so insistent on Age Cards though, it's not like the Gardaí are allowed to get kids produce fake ID. I remember reading something awhile ago on police operations in the States, will try to dig out a link — IIRC, off-licences that didn't care about selling to minors would just ask customers if they had ID; as soon as they said yes, they'd serve them (whether they had it or not), as anyone working for the police had to walk away if asked for some,

[Deleted User]

Feathers wrote: »

The shop can't get prosectued for it though because you don't sell alcohol to a group, you sell it to an individual — either the person buying it has ID or they don't, who they're with doesn't come into it legally.

Doesn't matter, this happened last week. A bunch of lads came in, one of them looked fairly young and had no id. He couldn't prove he was over 18, and the rest of the lads might have bought drink for him. Selling alcohol to someone you think might be buying drink for someone who might be underage is against store policy.
Like I said before the store would rather lose the business than risk selling to someone who might be underage. The person on the till is legally responsible. If you sell drink to a minor you will be immediately fired. The gards will prosecute you if they catch you selling to minors.

[Deleted User]

Feathers wrote: »

Not really sure why shops are so insistent on Age Cards though,

They are obliged to accept them because its issued by the Gardai. Driving licences are no longer accepted because they are easily faked.
Passports and the Garda id are the only forms of id accepted where I work.

bennyl10

Deleted User wrote: »

Doesn't matter, this happened last week. A bunch of lads came in, one of them looked fairly young and had no id. He couldn't prove he was over 18, and the rest of the lads might have bought drink for him. Selling alcohol to someone you think might be buying drink for someone who might be underage is against store policy.
Like I said before the store would rather lose the business than risk selling to someone who might be underage. The person on the till is legally responsible. If you sell drink to a minor you will be immediately fired. The gards will prosecute you if they catch you selling to minors.

BUT THATS NOT THE LAW HERE!
the law here is the purson purchasing the alcohol can be ID'd and if Tesco ID an accompanying person they can be prosecuted for it. Tesco in Arthurs Quay in Limerick have had to issue apologies for it in the past.

You're not selling to a minor, and you're CCTV can prove this. You are not liable once you ID the person who gives the money

Galwayguy35

Some people seem to take it very personally when asked, there was a young fella in front of me one evening in the off license who was asked and he nearly went mad.

Now to me he looked about 20 but the cashier was only doing his job.

I've never heard of anyone over 30 being asked though.

thunderdog

Dave0301 wrote: »

Similar thing happened to me in a Sainsbury in England. In after work one day, buying a few bits for dinner and 4 bottles of beer. No I.D. so no beer, I wouldn't mind but I was wearing a full suit and doing food shopping!

I guess that's all the rage amongst those unruly youngsters these days.

The suit and buying food method has been tried and tested

Polka_Dot

Had an odd experience in a pub last night. A good few of us went up to the bar at the same time to order drinks. The barman went off to fetch them and only after he'd pulled the pints/taken the lid off bottles/etc did he ask us for ID. We're all 18/19 so we had it to hand and none of us had a problem being served, but I found it very strange! It wasn't that it just occurred to him after either as we sort of ordered 2 at a time.

Cody Pomeray

Deleted User wrote: »

Doesn't matter, this happened last week. A bunch of lads came in, one of them looked fairly young and had no id. He couldn't prove he was over 18, and the rest of the lads might have bought drink for him. Selling alcohol to someone you think might be buying drink for someone who might be underage is against store policy.
Like I said before the store would rather lose the business than risk selling to someone who might be underage. The person on the till is legally responsible. If you sell drink to a minor you will be immediately fired. The gards will prosecute you if they catch you selling to minors.

That's a pretty dumb policy if it's true.

A minor is legally entitled to consume alcohol if granted the permission of a parent or guardian. The law declares he just isn't entitled to purchase it.

Does the store quiz parents on this when they're filling their Christmas trollies?

What a strange thing for a shop to do, to take patriarchal moral decisions over an adult's purchases....

stefan idiot jones

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Some people seem to take it very personally when asked, there was a young fella in front of me one evening in the off license who was asked and he nearly went mad.

Now to me he looked about 20 but the cashier was only doing his job.

I've never heard of anyone over 30 being asked though.

I'm in my forties (and look it), and yes, never been asked.

Reventon93

irish-stew wrote: »

I know the drivers licence can be easily faked, hopefully the new credit card style one will be widely accepted once more people have one.

I used it successfully in super valu lately

[Deleted User]

bennyl10 wrote: »

BUT THATS NOT THE LAW HERE!

It's company policy, I'm not going to risk my job over it.

Son Of A Vidic

Steve O wrote: »

UNEXPECTED ITEM IN BAGGING AREA

Man with three testicles found in Tesco?

hfallada

Use the check out machines. I have never got IDed at the machines. Even through I brought 6 bottles of wine once.

bennyl10

Deleted User wrote: »

It's company policy, I'm not going to risk my job over it.

I was just making a point, if a customer brings it up, ye're entitled to serve them or they can get the guards evolved.
By company policy ye cant serve a mother or Father who happens to buy alcohol while shopping with there son/daughter

cd07

I went tesco to buy me mate a few beers for his birthday a few weeks back and when I got to the till the girl (who grew up in the same estate as me) asked me for ID I just kind of laughed as I thought she was taking the piss but then she says seriously that she needs ID. I said Im 32 and she just said no ID no beer!! I hadnt any with me so I just said feck it Ill get it elsewhere so I ask the girl for some scratchcards to throw in the birthday card and again she looks at me and says you need to be 18 to buy lotto cards too so no ID......!! I just said ya know what go **** yourself and I left

Nonoperational

IM0 wrote: »

its very simple really, dont buy beer in tescos

It'd be even simpler to have some ID with you.

Tweedle Dumb

Tesco Policy is think 25. anyone they think is under they ID. Its only the person buying the drink they are meant to ask, all they have to say is its for themselves not the person with them and they should accept that.

The old policy was ask everyone in the group but this was revised a few months back and obviously some stores dont keep up to date with their training.

And the cashier can be fined 3grand for underage selling and its a sackable offence.

Personal i think we should go the american way, everyone carry ID and everyone get asked when buying booze, even if they are ninety, that way no one can be offended etc

looking_around

irish-stew wrote: »

Who carries their passport everywhere considering the value of it, and who over the age of 20-21 applies for an age card.

I know the drivers licence can be easily faked, hopefully the new credit card style one will be widely accepted once more people have one.

You can't even get an age card if you're over 21. Age card is for 18's-21's only fcukers.
So yeah, I carry my passport every where (I don't drive)

El Guapo! wrote: »

And up until what age should someone be expected to carry around I.D? 30? 40? 76?!
And why should I, who's 26, be expected to apply for and pay for an age card?

Actually, there's a few 16/17 year olds who would pass for 20 odd, thats why they have the 25 mark.

__
At posters, however, My partner has never had any trouble with tesco when buying alcohol(he's over 30) and around someone who looks underage, raised a few eyebrows, but once they see he's buying, it's all fine.

Its not their business what you do with the alcohol after.

(I actually know people who were fined for buying alcohol for underage, shop was unaffected as 'they were not to know' though.)

Soby

Law has to be tough , as kids these days can looks years older than they are (hence why it's a think 25 policy as apposed to 21) , age card costs a tenner and fits in your wallet

LOI Stats

To add to my post above, I have encountered a few ridiculous situations that were of no advantage to anyone all the same.

I don't know what Tesco's policy is now, but I was asked for ID about 10 years ago in one and I handed over my passport. I was informed that only an age card or whatever you call them, was acceptable. I wasn't going to bother arguing, The nearby security guard came across, stood over me and alternated looking at me and looking at the door.

My other stuff was already put through and I was waiting for her to deposit the €/£ 20 note belonging to me that was in her hand, into the cash register and to give me my change.

She never used bad language, but she snapped at me quite rudely imo, "You're not getting the drink, don't you get it?"

"Can I have my change please?"

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" she said again, louder.

"I would like to pay for the bread and milk please. I think you may not understand yourself."

What must have looked like a manager came around the corner with a big box full of cigarette boxes to refill the machine beside the counter I was at.

I am usually the last person to complain about anything, but this one was being an idiot. I said excuse me to the manager. She heard me the second time I called her. I asked her if she had a moment. The checkout lady began talking over me, but the manager gave her a glare and asked her sternly to let me speak. I just explained that I didn't have the correct ID to buy alcohol and that I just wanted to get the change from my other items.

I said that the lady that served me might be in a bad mood, but maybe she should sulk silence in future. Yer wan went red and said "how dare you".

I said to the manager "You won't accept my passport as ID, that's fair enough, I never challenged that. I would have left already but I am waiting for change from the money that is in this lady's hand, which I handed over for the rest of my stuff."

The security guard had a bit of a bemused face on him then, like he had suddenly copped on what was going on and he wandered off again.

She handed me my change then. The drawer was in full view, there were plenty of loads 10s and 5s, but I got my change in 1s and 2s. (must have been after the euro changeover so)

I hadn't even come in for beer specifically, so I didn't care all that much. I just had to laugh to myself at the ridiculousness of it.

I have no idea what an age card looks like now, but they didn't look all that difficult to fake when I saw one last. Passports from different countries can vary quite a bit, but what are the chances someone would get their hands on a fake Irish passport, just to buy drink...

syklops

Duff wrote: »

Lidl is worse. They'd ask Gandalf for I.D in there.

Never been asked for ID in Lidl. Maybe its time I trim the old beard.

syklops

Soby wrote: »

Law has to be tough , as kids these days can looks years older than they are (hence why it's a think 25 policy as apposed to 21) , age card costs a tenner and fits in your wallet

And can be faked for less than a tenner.

Whats wrong with a passport?