Temperance at Tesco

Man walks into a Tesco, takes a six-pack to the counter and tries to pay. That's where the joke begins. Dominic Zenden, a 45-year-old spiritualist medium, was told by the cashier that he couldn't purchase the beer in case he gave some to his 15-year-old daughter, who was with him. Even after he assured the cashier the Budweiser was for him, she refused to ring it up.

A Tesco spokesperson said:

“We are doing lots of work to try to stop under18s getting alcohol, and one of the biggest problems has become adults buying for people who are underage. If our staff suspect that people are doing so, then we do not serve them. Obviously there is an element of common sense involved in making that judgment. It is not a blanket ban."

It's been a while since I was underage, but as I recall, usually the "adult" buying for under18s tended to be a skinny 19-year-old buying wine coolers for a carload of friends in the packing lot, not a father purchasing the King of Beers to drink at home. I think drinking the watery, flaccid-tasting Budweiser brand in general should be banned, but that doesn't allow me to intercede either.

Underage and binge drinking is a problem. But do we actually have so few ideas about constructive ways to curb it that we'll target parents legally buying alcohol when shopping with their children? It's as silly as prosecuting parents who allow their child a drink at home. This isn't about a retailer taking a stand in a public health issue. It's the same kind of impulse that leads waiters to refuse to serve a glass of wine to a pregnant woman. It's pure busybody-ness.

Comments

[Shannon]

On a similar but not exactly the same point... I work in a DIY store where we sell age restricted products, eg knives, screwdrivers, solvents and spray paints. I understand in this particular case the law was taken a bit to literally, however I can understand the cashier acting as they did.

Somebody said earlier that the £5k penalty surely can't apply to the cashier personally and I can say YES IT DOES.

We get apprentices coming into our store for tools and if, for example, it happens to be a 17 year old wanting to buy a screwdriver for his college course, we are unable to sell it. Its not worth the PERSONAL fine and however ludicrous the laws on this and alcohol may be at times, I can't blame the cashier. Trading standards regularly make spot checks and its just not worth the hassle. You recieve the fine, but also lose your job and may face further criminal prosecution.

I agree that it is a silly situation, but I sympathise with the cashier - in the same way you wouldn't serve someone just for saying they are of legal age, how was she to know he was telling the truth about it being for him? Oh and as for the point about not driving etc so not having ID, any photographic ID is acceptable providing it had your name and DOB, therefore a young person's ID card is just fine.

[Rachel]

which a lot of venues will not accept as it is easy to fake.

i once asked a bouncer, who had asked for me for ID (aged 26) and I did not have my passport with me and my driving licence had been stolen previously, what they would accept other than driving licence or passport. He replied nothing else would do, so I asked what one was supposed to do if one couldn't drive or didn't holiday outside the UK. He replied that they didn't want those sorts of people in the nightclub.

[Gipsy]

For this purpose, there is something called a young person's ID card.

[Sho]

How do you prove your age in the UK if you don't have a driving licence or passport?

[Rhinoskin]

I used to be a checkout manager for morrisons and I once asked a customer who I thought looked under 21 (as per training and company policy) for ID to buy some alcohol. At this point she produced the only ID she had on her, a Police Warrant card.

The law is quite clear tha tit is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone who you suspect will supply it to a minor, but we always needed more evidence than just accompaniment in order to refuse a sale to a parent with a teenage child. If the young person was seen to select the product from the shelf then we would ask the person who selected it for ID. Often conversations would be overheard by another member of staff and this would lead to a request for ID. We would always request ID from all members of a group who were selecting and purchasing together if any of them, in our opinion, were under 21.

It is also an offence for anyon eto sell alcohol to someone who is already "under the influence" whatever this means in practice and how you are meant to know. This can lead to a potentially more volatile and explosive situation.

The law needs some clarification but I would guarantee that there is more to this story than the father is letting on.

The maximum penalty for contravening most licensing laws anr a personal fine for the cashier of upto £5000, a fine for the licensee (usually the store general manager) of upto £20,000 and a company fine of upto £20,000. Add to this the possible loss of the license to sell alcohol and the loss of the job of the cashier and the store manager, the reason for refusals are all to clear.

[Neil]

I was in a Tesco's branch in Sheffield yesterday and saw a mother and child shopping together.

The child was gleefully carrying around a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV in his 11 year old (at a push) hands.

This game is an 18. It involves copious amounts of gratuitous violence, the objectification of women and more swear words than you can shake a stick at. Even the dreaded 'C' word features prominently.

We were in the beer aisle as it happens, and watched as the mother stopped by the wines and started to read several bottles before making her choice. Pity she couldn't find the time to review her child's entertainment choices too.

Now, I'm ot anti GTA IV. Far from it, I bloody love it! But I am 27, and I can tell the difference between what's acceptable in a tongue in cheek video game and what is acceptable in real life. I worry about the impact of these games on young minds though.

And I also get very frustrated by companies such as Tesco's who jump on bandwagons like binge-drinking and come up with stupid, ill-thought out policies that result in situations as outlined above.

Has anyone pointed out that as the guardian of the child, the parent has the right to decide what he deems suitable for his child? Remember, you can drink in restaurants at 16.

It just staggers me that they have decided to act on the alcohol issue - where illegality is questionable - but not the video game one.

Silly me - video games cost £40!

[Sasha]

Something similar happened to me in Co-op. My boyfriend was buying beer and had shown his I.D. (we are both 22) when I walked up and asked him if he'd could pay for my 10p sweets for me as I had no money on me. The cashier refused point blank as she claimed that in buying me sweets he could just as easily be buying me the alcohol (I had no I.D. on me at the time). So, I had to put the sweets back. However, she still let him buy the alcohol! Madness!

[Martin]

Bonkers. I can see the point of this law and Tesco's application of it, EXCEPT when the alcohol is bought by a parent. 14-17's should be allowed alcohol when with their parents, either in shops or pubs. That way they might learn to enjoy alcohol in an adult setting rather than boozing on street corners.

Kids are drinking in their bedrooms before they go out. They are wasted before they hit the town. 30 years ago they would have been in the pub at 15 and acquiring the taste in the presence of adults, trying to act grown up so as not to be thrown out.

It's true, the more repressive it gets, the worse it gets. In the US, where it's even worse, the youngsters are all using drugs. Within Europe, self evidently the more relaxed nations have less of a problem.

Can't blame the check out staff though.

[Mark]

Quite frankly this issue stated here isn't about the worker that is involved, it is about the policy that Tesco enforces.

It is absolutely ridiculous to think that someone would have to place their children in care to buy something that is intoxicating.

The solution that they have placed seams a little too intrusive and just a bodge on a bigger problem that is facing the UK society today.

This all steams down to the government and their absurd ideas, which is just shifting the blame and making someone else (Tesco) look bad.

[Mark]

Quite frankly this issue stated here isn't about the worker that is involved, it is about the policy that Tesco enforces.

It is absolutely ridiculous to think that someone would have to place their children in care to buy something that is intoxicating.

The solution that they have placed seams a little too intrusive and just a bodge on a bigger problem that is facing the UK society today.

This all steams down to the government and their absurd ideas, which is just shifting the blame and making someone else (Tesco) look bad.

[Gipsy]

₤80 a week? Oh my. That is an eye opener.

[Barbara]

Perhaps the article should mention that if the cashier had sold beer to an adult for use by someone underage THE CASHIER would have been legally liable for a fine of £80. I work in a supermarket & thats a weeks wages I'm not risking that for anyone!

[Kim]

Well, the law says it is illegal for an adult to buy alcohol for someone under the age of 18.

Equally, it is illegal to sell alcohol to someone under the age of 18. The maximum penalty is £5k and your licence taken away. (I would seriously doubt that the penalty applies to individual checkout staff - perhaps someone can clarify.)

From my cursory Google, I can't see that it's illegal to sell alcohol to an adult you suspect of intending to pass it on to a child. I mean, how could you possibly know?

Is there anyone who knows what the law actually says?

[supermother]

But I don't think we know yet on this thread exactly what the law says. Do you have to think the alcohol is going to be drunk then and there by the child?

[Virginia]

I think whether the beers were for the daughter or not are anything to do with the cashier. The father was blaits over 18, so what's the issue? It's nothing to do with the cashier if the daughter is drinking or not, it's up to parents to decide, they know the kids and they govern their rules and boundaries. And if the kid rebels, who's a cashier to say so? Ridiculous, underage drinking is fine in moderation and responsibility. Understandably a lot of underage drinkers are idiots, but a lot are also fine with it.

[Bud]

Typical the Tesco monkey, was just upsetting another customer making pathetic statements as she was not able to do the transaction because of lack of training. Tesco is getting worse!!

[Paul]

You want to count yourself lucky...I work in Las Vegas, wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be....but I cannot CANNOT buy cigarettes or alcohol without ID...for pitty sake I'm 40 years of age...I'm going gray, slightly overwieght...the beer keeps me sane and the cigarettes keep me from strangling the idiots I have to work with.....

[Andrew Milner]

The condom notion merits a little more fleshing out. “So what flavour do you fancy, love?” Lucky I don’t reside in UK or my feet wouldn’t touch the ground on the way to the slammer.
Where’s your sense of humour, Infidels?

[Andrew Milner]

The condom notion merits a little more fleshing out. “So what flavour do you fancy, love?” Lucky I don’t reside in UK or my feet wouldn’t touch the ground on the way to the slammer.
Where’s your sense of humour, Infidels?

[tim]

frankly the man should sue tescos for refusing to serve him. we really do have some stupid laws in this country and now tescos does its best for some free advertising. if they truely want to do the right thing then stop selling alcohol ;) somehow i doubt that. tescos is driven by greed and the lack of quality of their own products is disgraceful. my cat wont eat their cat biscuits. their mayonaise is more like yoghurt. none of their own products are fit for consuming.

[RedDevil]

Hey, and another thing...

....what would Tesco do if a grown up tried to buy some condoms in the company of a 10 year old?

Only a thought, like...

[RedDevil]

Thank goodness that Tesco are now my self-appointed moral guardians and deliver me from all alcoholic evils.

Especially as I'm nearly 43.

A shop as the moral arbiter of 'right' and 'wrong'.

Truly, time to vacate the madhouse.

Ta-ra!

[clive]

I assume anyone buying beer for an underage drinker would leave the kid outside while they did it?

[Jennie]

I work for tesco but not all stores have this policy, my store doesn't. Given the choice I'd rather have someone get annoyed at not being able to buy alcohol than the 1000 fine, the trip to court and the criminal record that could follow. This policy is to protect children isn't it better to be safe than sorry?

[Rita Cocking]

I tried to buy a drink for myself and my 23 year old son,but was not permitted to buy one for my son,as he had no id on him.

[Jordan]

I work at Tesco on the checkouts and I am as of yet, to be informed of this policy.

Interesting none-the-less

[Terry Langley]

It is a reasonable assumption that no grown-up is going to drink Budweiser. Therefore the "beer" must have been for the kid.

THAT'S THE STUPIDEST THING I HAVE EVER READ!! PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE NOT A POLICEMAN/SOCIAL WORKER.

[Andy]

I don't see why this incident is even worth a mention. Tesco's policy is that if its employees suspect a customer of buying alcohol for underage drinkers, they shouldn't make the sale. They leave the judgment in each case up to the employees. The employee in this case clearly got it wrong - but it doesn't strike me as a particularly unreasonable policy in general.

[Kitta]

That should have been BUY, and no I haven't opened the bottle yet....

[Kitta]

I got asked for ID at Tescos the other day. After I got over the pure joy of been carded, I'm 35. I did think it was odd, as I was buying a bottle of Bubbley worth nearly £30, how many teens but that?

[Alice]

The low-paid cashier and the supermarket can suffer huge fines if they do not obey the letter of the law, even if the law appears ridiculous. The cashier can end up with a Police record.

[Rowena]

Tesco are totally missing the point. Parents are legally entilled to supply their children with alcohol within their own home (or other people's homes)

The reality is that the vast majority of problems caused by undergage drinking are not caused by parents giving their child the odd beer or glass of wine. In fact, if we adopted a more continental attitude, binge drinking by both adults and teengages might be reduced.

[Andy]

It's absolutely ridiculous that a man cannot go into a Tesco and buy some beer with his teenage daughter with him.
One would assume that if someone was buying beer for a minor they would not take them into shop, unless they were really stupid.
If Tesco want to be seen to be doing something about binge drinking or indeed under age drinking then surely they should stop all special offers on their alcohol (God forbid). But they won't do that because it would affect their profits as shoppers would seek a bargain elsewhere.
Tesco should come down from their moral high ground and realise that they are only a retailer and should thus get on with what they are here for - to serve the public in return for £billion profits.

[Student]

I agree supermother, that does sound like the reasonable interpretation of the law to me. I think a defined set of rules treating supermarkets differently from pubs/clubs would help in these cases. The checkout person should only have to check if the person buying is 18. If they then give it to someone else to drink its not the checkout person's responsibility. (Although selling a crate of alcopops to a 19 year old alongside 15 kids is obviously bad.)But whilst the threat of fines and punishment hangs in the air generally, things aren't going to change.

[supermother]

From that quote from the section it sounds like it has to be delivered on the premises to the child for example father buying pint at bar and taking to table to give to 13 year old son. If there is no delivery to the child in the shop I would have thought that section is not breached and also let's remember it is lawful in the UK to give alcohol at home to any child who is 5 and over and indeed many of us know it's more senseible to introduce it younger (although few do at 5 and I'm not sure what age you let them loose on the communion wine in church) so it's not forbidden fruit.

[John]

It is not the Cashier's job to decide if the Father is going to give alcohol to his daughter. The Father is the legally responsable adult in charge of a minor and if he,gives alcohol to his child,he is breaking the law and should be prosecuted,not the member of staff selling the alcohol to a legally responsable adult

[Sho]

Fear of an undercover member of the police saying "you sold me beer when I had a kid with me, you're nicked, sonny"?

It's a bit of a Daily Mail story, though isn't it? I'm surprised somebody hasn't blamed EU regulations yet. Or have I missed that part?

In view of the massive profits supermarkets are making, probably a lot of it on beer/wine/spirits it is not to be expected that they stop selling it any time soon.

What is needed is a clear policy, to be implemented accross the board - and not by individual cashiers worried about losing their job.

Drinking and the problems it causes in our society (not just in the UK) is something we all need to address.

[Student]

Frontline workers are warned that if they sell alcohol to adults whom they suspect may supply it to underage persons then they may recieve huge fines. And it is true! Looking at the Licensing Act 2003 (sect. 151):

(www.statutelaw.gov.uk/)

"A person who works on the premises ...commits an offence if he knowingly allows anybody else to deliver to an individual aged under 18 alcohol sold on relevant premises. "(edited)

So if a checkout operator thinks the adult may give the alcohol to a child and they still sell it, they break the law, and risk a fine of up to £5000!

Given the current climate of binge drinking surely it is right that these checks are in place. And no-one is "targeting parents" either. And if I want to shop at 7am then why not? Some of the other posts here are far more reactionary and I suggest we all get a sense of perspective! One person inconvenienced is not shocking news.

[elizabeth schumann]

Jacob, your dad should have been checking your homework rather than buying you beer. You can't even spell "knew"!!! I wouldn't give you a job selling beer!!

[Derrick]

The Cashier isn't to blame, if you were faced with the prospect of police undercover work, to try to catch cashiers out, which results in a personal fine and immediate dismissal, you might be strict too.

[David Jones]

Tesco's do this quite a lot. They should have a clear procedure if they want to go ahead and enforce such policies. As it stands, too much discretion is left to the Cashier, most of whom are prepared to enforce blanket bans, having been left with little common sense over the years.

[Carolyn]

Well done for Tesco! At last someone is actually doing something to stop youngsters from drinking.

I was at a birthday party a few days ago, and sitting next to me, there was a 12 year-old drinking beer. Nobody said anything, I asked how old he was, but other than that, nobody seemed to care or to want to stop it. It is about time we make everybody's bussiness if our youngsters are drinking way too early

[Mike Asacret]

Gypsy
'Tesco hasn't told its staff not to sell to parents in case they give alcohol to their kids.'
Im afraid that is exactly what has happened. But if it hasn't, then it's staff have developed a very strange way of checking for any underage drinkers!
I wonder if this stupidity has spread to other stores yet?
On the plus side I won't have to take my children shopping, and will save a fortune on water that is far more expensive than some of their 'Value' beer, and exotic breakfast cereals!
MA

[Charles]

Spiritualist medium, LOL

[tom watson]

I'm sure it's legal to consume alcohol under 18, when your parent is present?

...Or is that just in your own home?

The law is that confusing, with that many loopholes, who can blame the £5/hour worker for covering her back?

[Doug]

Sounds like this Dominic Zenden owes the Tesco's cashier an apology. It is a reasonable assumption that no grown-up is going to drink Budweiser. Therefore the "beer" must have been for the kid. Dominic needs to wake up to him self and get some taste. Even Heineken is more drinkable...

[Mark Walker]

alcohol should only be availeble from a pub or direct from a bewery! and not so cheap as it is now. this country is a bloody joke with all this stupid hipocritical burocracy!

[Mark Walker]

alcohol should only be availeble from a pub or direct from a bewery! and not so cheap as it is now. this country is a bloody joke with all this stupid hipocritical burocracy!

[M]

Is this law new or has it always been this way? When was it passed and why are these employees not protected? I can see that in the eyes of the law, the cashier is the ultimate agent and is therefore responsible, but has this law been tested in court?

As others have pointed out on this thread, other companies are not approaching it the same way; Are their employees not liable in the same way, is it down to interpretation or are other companies just more prepared to back up their staff, if fined?

Perhaps Tesco gets so much bad press, they are being sticklers here and it has backfired.

[Jennifer]

It is a strange law that checkout staff can be prosecuted for selling alcohol to underage customers. In America I have even heard of people selling to kids with valid-looking IDs that later proved to be fake. It all goes back to the same idea for companies, the desire to avoid taking responsibility and shifting it instead onto their low-paid employees.

[Tim]

Wasn't it Tesco who were reported to have been open at 7am on Wednesday morning selling beer to Rangers fans? 7am! Glad to know they have such a responsible attitude to alcohol misuse.

[Gipsy]

Do I understand this correctly then - checkout staff could be personally fined thousands of pounds if they allow alcohol to be sold for consumption by a minor?

If so then yes that does explain a lot. Frankly if I was working in the often miserable conditions that supermarket staff have to endure for such little money, I certainly wouldn't risk such a fine.

[Albert]

Anybody who has tried to complain in a public place knows what the Brave New Britain has become. There are always volunteers around to help enforce order. Mr Zenden should be thankful he was not set upon by an impromptu posse of right-thinking customers.

Remember, there is a war on; the war on binge drinking, the war on terror, the war on obesity, the war on drugs, the war on the environment, the war on poverty, the war on pedophiles, the war on inequality, the war on .....

[Jen]

As a Tesco checkout operator I've done the same thing on many occasions. Sometimes the teen will carry the alcohol and then hand their pocket money to the adult to pay for it. I've also, embarrassingly, ended up asking 25 year olds for ID. Trying to diffuse the situation with, "Well at least you'll look 10 years younger when you're 50," still doesn't help.

We're just covering our backs. Constant 'Think 21' training and posters reminding us we could be fined thousands mean we're constantly wary.

[Rui, form Portugal]

You brittons don't understand that it is precisely BECAUSE that paternalistic culture of alchohol sales limitation that your population is so liable to drinking excesses. When treated like grouwn-ups, most people behave like grouwn-ups. And vice versa.

Freedom Builds character.

[John Ledbury]

Instead of reading 'No purchase unless accompanied by an adult' perhaps the signs should say 'No purchase if accompanied by a minor'

[Dominic]

Several days after passing my driving test, I went for a short holiday to wales.
I purchased a fine bottle of welsh whisky at some £35 for a 700ml bottle.
I was asked for ID, having just passed my driving test, I had none.
I explained the situation, received no result, so counted out the money, left it on the counter took my whisky and walked out of the building.

[Kevin Smith]

Please don't be too hard on the cashiers - they're probably not paid too much but I think it is the case that if they get it wrong they can end up with a criminal record for selling to underage drinkers.

Amongst many stupid restrictive policies we are inflicting on each other these days, this has got to be one of the stupidest. This despicable government are determined to exterminate freedom, and are setting us against each other to achieve their suffocating aims. The sooner they are gone, the better for us all.

[JFN]

What's next? Licence to buy alcohol? Prohibition? Al Capone? This is ridiculous.

[J Darke]

Jacob - have you just polished off a six pack of Bud, or have you simply never learned to spell?

[Yank]

Agree England is far to nosey in the lives of their citizens - Big Brothers Watching!

[jacob]

My father use to go buy me drink for parties and getherings when i was underage.. i use to go with him and he use to make me carry the crates..

he only did it cause he new I was going to get it else where plus he new i didnt turn into some larger lout after a few beers.

Also with the Rangers riots in mind and the reclassification of cannabis.

Which one is the most harmfull drug?

[Vanessa]

I think it's all just getting a bit daft. Waiting for the day when my poor husband can't buy his Pimms because he's got nappies and organic mush for our toddler in the same basket. Admirable that Tesco's are trying to be part of the solution, but I'm sure there's a better way of 'profiling' a 'possible offender'.

[Martin]

The fundamental error that Tesco are making here is giving discretion to people who are not equipped to use it.

[glitter_junkie]

I wonder, as a personal licence holder (to sell and authorise the sale of alcohol) myself, if the paranoid refusal described here was partly because it is no longer just the retailer who is prosecuted and fined but the licence holder as well?

[Roarke]

Easy guys - go to ASDA, where they know how to treat customers properly and still apply sensible regulations where appropriate... AND are cheaper anyway !

[Lazy Mummy]

Lots of comments here sounding like "Indignant of Tunbridge Wells". Having lived in the US through my late 20s & now almost all my 30s, these times, I appreciate the rare times when I get "carded" as a compliment that I still look like I'm only in my early 30s even though it's undoubtedly not true (many places have policies to card anyone looking younger than 30 or 35 even though the age limit is 21).

Agree with J there are better serious approaches to really tackling underage drinking. So, J, when are you going to found the AM Political Party and start the revolution to bring common sense back into public policy? I'll join! (It's become obvious over the last year that AM commentators should be running the world, obviously).

[G]

The same thing happened to me and my girlfriend in our local tescos, where we shop every week. we are both over 25, both had photo id and they still refused to serve us. They would not accept my girlfriends id and then proceeded to accuse me of purchasing alcohol with the intent to supply it to a minor. Needless to say a pretty embarassing situation then occurred while I attempted to point out the ridiculuousness of the situation to staff. We were then asked to leave the premises by security! are the idiots that work in tescos really allowed to make such unfounded accusations about perfectly law abiding members of society? surely its borderlind slander!

[Lucy]

Oh - and Michael, you made me laugh out loud. Literally. Thanks!

[Lucy]

Tesco are just incredibly dim. Ours puts all tills onto self-service after about 10pm. Except, you can't put alcohol through the self-service; it must be checked by a staff member. Guess what most people are buying after 10 at night in a town centre?

They also like this approach:

Till Guy: 'Are you over 18?'
Me: 'Yes - but my ID is at home.'
Till Guy: 'Ok then, carry on.'

Trying to limit underage alcohol consumption? I don't think so ...

[Lord Justin]

If Tesco are so worried about under age drinkers, perhaps the solution would be to stop selling alcohol?

[supermum]

Tesco's are quite right - they should give up their licence to sell alcohol so that they can keep us all away from temptation and run their stores with a clear concience.

[Terry Nuttall]

Exactly the same thing happened to me in the Co-op in Bakewell. At 63, I am surely old enough to buy beer. Even when I had sent my 20 years old son home (he was there to help with the carry), I was left surrounded bý three slightly threatening ´managers´. I was allowed to buy the beer later after re-entering the store.Something has gone drastically wrong with England.
Gratefully ex-pat
Terry, Quito

[Graham]

I personally find it offensive that a cashier should decide whether or not I am a fit parent or not. I not sure even my GP would dare to make such an assumption publicly. Tesco's are fast becoming too big for their boots, in more ways than one!

[j]

It would of course be a much better way of stopping underage sales of beer, if they just made their alcohol much more expensive.

[Stan Tennent]

Sadly England seems to be run by nosy, interfering busy bodies these days and the sooner they are put on the unemployed list the better. The cashier at TESCO should be told to mind his or her own business in no uncertain terms, what on earth gives some half wit cashier the right to decide who buys the beer? Oh the other half wit Gordon Brown, I forgot.

[Gipsy]

LOL!

Michael, I somehow missed that part of the report. Puts rather a different spin on it. I think I took this all rather too seriously :)

[Michael Moran]

The bloke's a spiritualist medium, and he couldn't see this coming?

(I'm here all week, try the veal)

[Ad-Mum]

What happened to 'the customer's always right'? Tesco's view seems to be 'the customer's probably lying'.

[Gipsy]

What is your problem with this Jennifer? Tesco hasn't told its staff not to sell to parents in case they give alcohol to their kids.

It kinda sounds like one of those storms in a teacup stories. Tesco's is huge company, with a lot of stores. The guideline they've sent out sounds sensible to me - the sort of thing I would expect them to be doing (reminding staff to be on the lookout for under age drinkers using adults to get their alcohol).

It just strikes me that obviously, given the hundreds of staff that they have, someone will make a bit of a mistake. And it isn't such a huge mistake at that.