Buying Alcohol

King Damager · 13 Nov 2012 at 17:51

Ok, so, just wandered down to the shops and got a couple of bottles of alcohol with the gf.

She wanted some because she's going out with friends tonight, I didn't actually buy any.

Anyway, we get to the till, and are both asked for ID. This isn't the first time this has happened, nor, I doubt, will it be the last.

Both handed some over. All sorted, la de da.

But then I started thinking about this because I was in a partly stubborn mood probably.

Why do they ID both of us?

There is no legal requirement too, and in fact in some cases it may be more annoying than anything else.

If I walked in with a kid, (I have friends my age with children), would they ask for ID from the kid?

Well no. So why do they ID both of us?

I understand the principle is that she could be buying it for me, and I could theoretically be under age. But frankly if that was the case, I sure as hell wouldn't go into the shop with her, I'd wait outside whilst she bought it.

They break no laws by not IDing me, as I am not exchanging any money for any goods. If the person I am with chose to then give me the alcohol, it would be them breaking the law. Not the shop.

It just seems like an entirely pointless exercise that has sprung up recently, and I really don't understand quite why.

I realise they can refuse to sell anything if they want to. But I really don't understand the logic behind this one.

Anyone care to enlighten me?

Tl;dr Why the hell do shops ID two people when only one person is buying alcohol?

kd

Hades · 13 Nov 2012 at 17:55

Because one person might be buying alcohol for someone under age. If they believed you were under age then they may have refused to server her in case she was simply buying it for you.

Deleted member 77746 · 13 Nov 2012 at 17:57

Hades said:
Because one person might be buying alcohol for someone under age. If they believed you were under age then they may have refused to server her in case she was simply buying it for you.

headshot.

Raymond Lin · 13 Nov 2012 at 17:57

^^^

You can also end up in the situation where parents refused alcohol when shopping with their children.

I bet it has happened somewhere.

Nerusy · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:09

Raymond Lin said:
^^^

You can also end up in the situation where parents refused alcohol when shopping with their children.

I bet it has happened somewhere.

If it comes to that one can require for manager to comer over and have a chat with said person. Unless you get an absolute plonker he will allow the purchase with just ID from the "adult".

All this carding business is a result of strict laws in supermarkets, there was a woman in her 30s who g ot ID'ed for wine in front of me once, the cashier afterwards was explaining how ridicules it is how they have to card anybody and that their employer highers people to make random checks and if the cashier does not ask for an ID he is fired on the spot.

Thorper · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:14

I got ID'd in Tesco a while back when I was in there with my Mum....I was 24 at the time

King Damager · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:14

Hades said:
Because one person might be buying alcohol for someone under age. If they believed you were under age then they may have refused to server her in case she was simply buying it for you.

But that's my point.

That's why they do it. But if they sold it to someone, and that person gave it to someone else, the supermarket hasn't broken any laws. It's the person that gave the alcohol that has.

kd

Vulcan · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:18

King Damager said:
But that's my point.

That's why they do it. But if they sold it to someone, and that person gave it to someone else, the supermarket hasn't broken any laws. It's the person that gave the alcohol that has.

kd

Exactly, and if you were getting an adult to buy you beer you wouldn't stand in the checkout with them, you would wait outside.

It's just an illusion of security that does nothing.

Pestilence · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:20

Raymond Lin said:
^^^

You can also end up in the situation where parents refused alcohol when shopping with their children.

I bet it has happened somewhere.

I'm pretty sure there have been a few ranting threads on here over the years with OPs reporting that very situation.

bignev72 · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:22

It's annoying but hey there are more important things to worry about in life

PapaLazaru · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:25

Alcohol laws are going to get a lot more stringent.

In Scandinavia, for instance, if you buy more than one beer at a bar, the person you are buying it for must make themselves known to the bar staff. They don't have to actually be at the bar, but you must point them out and they must acknowledge you.

Last time I was out there I was sweet talking random people to pretend they knew me so I could triple up on beers as the queue was so long.

I expect this will be becoming more prevalent in the UK before too long, as it probably goes some way to stopping people ordering themselves a load of shots. And then puking.

Marky · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:29

I had this done to me when my Dad was buying some alcohol and I was with him (I think I was about 20 at the time). They asked me for ID (instead of my Dad) and my Dad hit the roof

It is a stupid rule - Apparently, it's because incase he was buying it for me. I said "So if I walk out this shop now, would he be okay to buy it then?" and his reply was "No because I've seen you with him"...

King Damager · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:30

PapaLazaru said:
Alcohol laws are going to get a lot more stringent.

In Scandinavia, for instance, if you buy more than one beer at a bar, the person you are buying it for must make themselves known to the bar staff. They don't have to actually be at the bar, but you must point them out and they must acknowledge you.

Last time I was out there I was sweet talking random people to pretend they knew me so I could triple up on beers as the queue was so long.

I expect this will be becoming more prevalent in the UK before too long, as it probably goes some way to stopping people ordering themselves a load of shots. And then puking.

But what's wrong with buying more than one beer?!

Marky said:
I had this done to me when my Dad was buying some alcohol and I was with him (I think I was about 20 at the time). They asked me for ID (instead of my Dad) and my Dad hit the roof It is a stupid rule - Apparently, it's because incase he was buying it for me. I said "So if I walk out this shop now, would he be okay to buy it then?" and his reply was "No because I've seen you with him"...

Yeah, I'm tempted too just to make a point. It's a ridiculous scenario.

kd

Ahleckz · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:31

I totally see why they do it, and do understand it. Very irritating though. I was in Morrison's last Friday and buying my dinner (steak, smoked salmon, langoustine, rocket, and other obvious dinner things). I also put a bottle of Petit Chablis in my trolley. Got to the tills, both me and my girlfriend were IDed and she didn't have her passport on her so we couldn't get it. I think sometimes the cashier should exercise some common sense - I think it was quite obvious that I wasn't buying a bottle of Petit Chablis for some 14 year olds round the corner.

But that being said, the Challenge 25 stuff has been around for ages now so you really should make sure you have ID on you.

Marky · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:34

King Damager said:
Yeah, I'm tempted too just to make a point. It's a ridiculous scenario.

kd

The thing that winds me up most about it, is if it was the case that someone was buying alcohol for a younger person without ID, and it came about like I posted above, you would just keep the younger person outside the next time you wanted alcohol :/ So the whole process is completely pointless

One More Solo · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:38

Marky said:
I had this done to me when my Dad was buying some alcohol and I was with him (I think I was about 20 at the time). They asked me for ID (instead of my Dad) and my Dad hit the roof It is a stupid rule - Apparently, it's because incase he was buying it for me. I said "So if I walk out this shop now, would he be okay to buy it then?" and his reply was "No because I've seen you with him"...

I tried that when they asked for my other half's ID, and they said they would sell it to me if she stood outside. She wasn't impressed.

Marky · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:38

One More Solo said:
I tried that when they asked for my other half's ID, and they said they would sell it to me if she stood outside. She wasn't impressed.

Hah! How ridiculous! I think I would have been tempted to take my business elsewhere!

DcD · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:41

I completely agree with it.

I don't get why people go off on one. All you have to do it open your wallet, take out a plastic card weighing less than 5 grams, and show it. What's the big deal?

King Damager · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:42

Ahleckz said:
I totally see why they do it, and do understand it. Very irritating though. I was in Morrison's last Friday and buying my dinner (steak, smoked salmon, langoustine, rocket, and other obvious dinner things). I also put a bottle of Petit Chablis in my trolley. Got to the tills, both me and my girlfriend were IDed and she didn't have her passport on her so we couldn't get it. I think sometimes the cashier should exercise some common sense - I think it was quite obvious that I wasn't buying a bottle of Petit Chablis for some 14 year olds round the corner.

But that being said, the Challenge 25 stuff has been around for ages now so you really should make sure you have ID on you.

Yeah, my driving licence lives in my wallet, but if I'm just walking as company for the Gf I don't neccessarily feel I should need to take it...

But my whole point would have been that you were legally perfect ok to buy that alcohol!

Marky said:
The thing that winds me up most about it, is if it was the case that someone was buying alcohol for a younger person without ID, and it came about like I posted above, you would just keep the younger person outside the next time you wanted alcohol :/ So the whole process is completely pointless

As I pointed out in my op

DcD said:
I completely agree with it.

I don't get why people go off on one. All you have to do it open your wallet, take out a plastic card weighing less than 5 grams, and show it. What's the big deal?

Read Markys post, have a seventeen year old kid then go and try and buy alcohol.

The more amusing thing is that if you buy online shopping, you never get ID'd. Ahleckz how does that work? From an official policy perspective?

kd

Marky · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:43

DcD said:
I completely agree with it.

I don't get why people go off on one. All you have to do it open your wallet, take out a plastic card weighing less than 5 grams, and show it. What's the big deal?

Take my example for instance... if my Dad wants to buy some alcohol, but I was with him, not buying anything just hanging out. They asked me for my ID - not my Dad. Now what if I didn't have my ID on me... that would mean the only reason my Dad couldn't buy what he wanted was because I was standing next to him.