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Buying alcohol with a teenager in tow.

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Been out shopping today with my 17 year old daughter,the last shop we went in was to buy a couple of bottles of alcohol for tonight.When we got to the checkout the assistant asked if my daughter could prove she was 18,i said no because she is 17 but what has her age got to do with anything,she then said "I suspect you are buying the alcohol for her " i said well you are wrong,but she refused to serve me.I asked to speak to the manager who backed up the assistant.Does anyone think she was at all in the right,or do you think it was bloody stupid like i do.

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It is a stupid rule but unfortunately the assistants are forced to do it or risk a hefty fine. Personally I think that as long as the alcohol has been served to an over 18 the assistant's responsibility for it should end there and any prosecution should be on the person who bought it. My daughter has been denied alcohol when with her 17 yr old son - she asked if he should wait outside and was told 'no' because she still might pass it to him.

 

---------- Post added 31-12-2013 at 13:50 ----------

 

It wasnt Tesco was it?...

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-566340/Tesco-bans-parents-buying-alcohol-OWN-children.html

 

 

(Just realised the article is from years ago, sorry!)

 

She was in Asda on Walkley. She was also told that she couldn't purchase a scratch card whilst he was with her - even though 16 is the legal age !!:loopy:

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It is a stupid rule but unfortunately the assistants are forced to do it or risk a hefty fine. Personally I think that as long as the alcohol has been served to an over 18 the assistant's responsibility for it should end there and any prosecution should be on the person who bought it. My daughter has been denied alcohol when with her 17 yr old son - she asked if he should wait outside and was told 'no' because she still might pass it to him.

 

---------- Post added 31-12-2013 at 13:50 ----------

 

 

She was in Asda on Walkley. She was also told that she couldn't purchase a scratch card whilst he was with her - even though 16 is the legal age !!:loopy:

 

Totally agree with you.:)

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I understand why retailers have to be careful, but Gazza, even if you had fully intended to let your daughter have some alcohol, no-one would have been breaking any laws, you can give alcohol to a child as long as they are at least 5 years old.

 

So, what law is the shop trying to avoid breaking? Has anyone ever been fined for selling booze to someone who was accompanied by a minor?

 

As long as the person buying the drink is 18 or over, they have done their duty. That's all they can possibly be responsible for, and if they don't want to take on that responsibility then they shouldn't be selling alcohol at all.

 

For all they know an overage person could have a car full of kids outside. It still wouldn't be a problem, no law broken, or they could be planning to fill the baby's bottle with beer. Who knows, the checkout lass, the manager? Course not, it's not their business, all they should be doing is making sure the buyer is at least 18, not making assumptions about customers' behaviour and lifestyle.

Edited by Olive

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I understand why retailers have to be careful, but Gazza, even if you had fully intended to let your daughter have some alcohol, no-one would have been breaking any laws, you can give alcohol to a child as long as they are at least 5 years old.

 

So, what law is the shop trying to avoid breaking? Has anyone ever been fined for selling booze to someone who was accompanied by a minor?

 

As long as the person buying the drink is 18 or over, they have done their duty.

 

I asked that very question to the manager,his reply was that if the assistant SUSPECTED the alcohol could be for a person under 18 [which it wasnt] she would be breaking the law by serving me.:loopy:

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Retailers can reserve the right to:

refuse the sale of alcohol to an adult if they’re accompanied by a child and think the alcohol is being bought for the child.

 

From...https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/alcohol-and-the-law/buying-alcohol

 

The only time anything remotely similar happened to me was in my local Co-op. She served me with a bottle of wine with my son there, but told me he wasnt allowed to carry it out of the shop for me.

Edited by nikki-red

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Just be certain to ask the sales assistant for ID as well - it's not a good idea to enter a contract with a minor so you want to be sure they are over 16. :)

 

Works better if you do it at the petrol station as they cannot easily take the goods back. Yes it's petty but it gets the point over quite well when the manager has to schelp out to the petrol kiosk. My local supermarket has now taken the hint and they don't ask everyone for alcohol ID any more.

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I understand why retailers have to be careful, but Gazza, even if you had fully intended to let your daughter have some alcohol, no-one would have been breaking any laws, you can give alcohol to a child as long as they are at least 5 years old.

 

So, what law is the shop trying to avoid breaking? Has anyone ever been fined for selling booze to someone who was accompanied by a minor?

 

As long as the person buying the drink is 18 or over, they have done their duty.

 

Not if they believe the person was buying alcohol on behalf of the child, then that would be an offence.

 

A bit silly really, but they can face a hefty fine of up to £10k and 3 months suspension of their licence. Their discretion and they just choose not to take the risk if unsure.

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Not if they believe the person was buying alcohol on behalf of the child, then that would be an offence.

 

A bit silly really, but they can face a hefty fine of up to £10k and 3 months suspension of their licence. Their discretion and they just choose not to take the risk if unsure.

 

Ah, so it's the "on behalf of" that's the offence? Still, if the cashier asks the buyer, and the buyer tells them they are not buying "on behalf of" the child, then they've done their duty haven't they? I would have thought that it would be virtually impossible to be prosecuted for this offence if the shop has acted reasonably.

 

---------- Post added 31-12-2013 at 14:45 ----------

 

I asked that very question to the manager,his reply was that if the assistant SUSPECTED the alcohol could be for a person under 18 [which it wasnt] she would be breaking the law by serving me.:loopy:

 

How silly! So she "suspected", and you put her right. Therefore she'd done her bit. Did you ask the manager if they were accusing you of being a liar (which is what they were doing!)?

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Its an offence by the person doing the buying and also for the shop/ person doing the selling. It would also crop up when their licence came up for renewal.

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Ah, so it's the "on behalf of" that's the offence? Still, if the cashier asks the buyer, and the buyer tells them they are not buying "on behalf of" the child, then they've done their duty haven't they? I would have thought that it would be virtually impossible to be prosecuted for this offence if the shop has acted reasonably.

 

---------- Post added 31-12-2013 at 14:45 ----------

 

 

How silly! So she "suspected", and you put her right. Therefore she'd done her bit. Did you ask the manager if they were accusing you of being a liar (which is what they were doing!)?

No,but i should have because you are right,they were accusing me of that.:(

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