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Baffled by booze ban
2:04pm Wednesday 14th May 2008
Comments (91)CHECKOUT staff at a York supermarket refused to serve a woman alcohol because she had her teenage stepson with her.
Debbie Bell, of Pateley Place, in Acomb, York, went to the Tesco Extra store at Askham Bar on Sunday afternoon to buy a crate of lager while her husband was buying petrol.
The 39-year-old went into the supermarket with her 18-year-old stepson, Michael.
But when she got to the checkout, the assistant asked a supervisor whether he could serve her.
Mrs Bell said: "They said no' and asked my stepson if he had any ID. I said to Michael to go get his dad but they said that even if I got my husband they still would not serve us as we had an underage lad with us.
"Then he asked me to put the case of lager back and I told him to get stuffed.
"You can't do that just because somebody has kids with them. I was in there the day before with a 17-year-old lass and there were no problems."
She said her stepson was not even carrying the beer, he was just standing next to her and she said if it was Tesco policy not to serve people who have teenagers with them then it was a "stupid" policy.
A spokesman for Tesco apologised for the inconvenience but said the company had introduced the policy earlier in the year in a bid to stop underage drinking. He said that as far as he knew Mrs Bell's was the first complaint from the Askham Bar store about the scheme, but admitted that no records were kept of customer complaints.
He said: "There was a huge problem with kids attempting to buy alcohol so very strict policies were put in place to stop this, but the other problem is underage people getting adults to buy alcohol for them."
To combat this he said that all cashiers are instructed not to sell alcohol to adults if they suspect it may be drunk by someone who is underage.
He added: "It is very, very hard to gauge, but what we say to our cashiers is to err on the side of caution."
Have your say
Do you think the Tesco policy is a good idea?
Your Say YourPress
petethefeet, York says...
2:09pm Wed 14 May 08
akuma, everywhere says...
2:14pm Wed 14 May 08
We've all complained about drunk teenagers roaming the streets, and in this instance it appears that Tesco have got it wrong.
But overall, I agree if they even suspect that the booze is to be purchased for teens to consume on the street, then fair play to them, I'd say no.
Well done Tesco for trying.
Jules, York says...
2:16pm Wed 14 May 08
pgtips, upstairs says...
2:17pm Wed 14 May 08
Good riddance, shop somewhere else then.
pgt
very_tolerant, York says...
2:21pm Wed 14 May 08
chris2705, york says...
2:23pm Wed 14 May 08
exYorkist, USA says...
2:24pm Wed 14 May 08
I would urge people to carry photo IDs with them to avoid this sort of thing in future, though.
The Crack Fox, Coming at you, like a razor says...
2:26pm Wed 14 May 08
Diogenes, College Station, Texas says...
2:30pm Wed 14 May 08
akuma wrote:Heartily agree with this person.
I compeltely agree with Tesco on this one. We've all complained about drunk teenagers roaming the streets, and in this instance it appears that Tesco have got it wrong. But overall, I agree if they even suspect that the booze is to be purchased for teens to consume on the street, then fair play to them, I'd say no. Well done Tesco for trying.
Underage MUST be enforced even if there is the odd few who are caught in the cross fire!
Diogenes, College Station, Texas says...
2:31pm Wed 14 May 08
exYorkist wrote:The young man was not carrying ID.
I think Tesco's handling of this is outrageous. She's over 18, he's over 18...what's the issue? Everyone involved in the purchase was old enough to drink anyway. They have some nerve. I would urge people to carry photo IDs with them to avoid this sort of thing in future, though.
End of.
exYorkist, USA says...
2:33pm Wed 14 May 08
The Crack Fox wrote:That's pretty much how it goes in this state too. If you look younger than the arbitrarily-chosen age of 27, staff are required to ask for your ID. I'm a few years older than that, can pass for younger, and am carded almost every time I buy cigarettes (legal age 18) or alcohol (21) but strangely, NEVER for lottery tickets (also 18).
I get ID'd all the time nowadays, its stupid the woman on the till at M&S told me the other day that its now their policy to ID anyone who looks under 30, wheres it gonna stop....
It's a minor inconvenience; in this state you are required to keep your driver's licence with you whenever you're driving and since we drive almost everywhere here, you're rarely without photo ID.
Bemused, York says...
2:34pm Wed 14 May 08
exYorkist, USA says...
2:35pm Wed 14 May 08
Diogenes wrote:He also wasn't the one purchasing the alcohol. End of. Tesco's policy is obnoxious.
exYorkist wrote: I think Tesco's handling of this is outrageous. She's over 18, he's over 18...what's the issue? Everyone involved in the purchase was old enough to drink anyway. They have some nerve. I would urge people to carry photo IDs with them to avoid this sort of thing in future, though.The young man was not carrying ID. End of.
bored, home says...
2:39pm Wed 14 May 08
petethefeet wrote:errrm no pete, I think you will find that if you did this the long arm of the law would be quite happy to slap a nice fine on you. It is not legal for a minor to buy alcohol, or for an adult to purchase it for them.
This is totally rubbish. Even if her son is under-age, she is legally allowed to buy alcohol for his consumption so long as she doesn't sell it to him. The law might be a ****, but a parent can give alcohol to any child of 5 or over. Not that I'm suggesting that they do.
petethefeet, York says...
2:41pm Wed 14 May 08
very_tolerant wrote:So long as the person purchasing the alcohol is over 18 then the store is in the clear. If somebody buys it and SELLS it, to somebody under 18 then they are breaking the law - not the store
It's very easy to criticise Tesco but when you consider that if this was a test purchase by the council/trading standards that the cashier is personally liable for a £5000 fine and possibly the loss of their job and the store could lose it's acohol licence then it gives a different slant to the story from the stores side. Also if you knowingly buy acohol for an underage drinker you could be find £500 if caught by trading standards. People are quick to blame retailers for the problem of drunk youngsters then when the retailers try to combat it they are slammed aswell it seems to me that they can't win!
Jack Meadows, Sun Hill says...
2:42pm Wed 14 May 08
You can tell what a classy lady she is......not
Jack Meadows, Sun Hill says...
2:43pm Wed 14 May 08
Sorry missed that bit off, and sorry she aint a lady
petethefeet, York says...
2:46pm Wed 14 May 08
bored wrote:Check your facts. The law regarding 18 is only about purchasing alcohol. Only if the child is under 5 can you be prosecuted for giving them alcohol
petethefeet wrote: This is totally rubbish. Even if her son is under-age, she is legally allowed to buy alcohol for his consumption so long as she doesn't sell it to him. The law might be a ****, but a parent can give alcohol to any child of 5 or over. Not that I'm suggesting that they do.errrm no pete, I think you will find that if you did this the long arm of the law would be quite happy to slap a nice fine on you. It is not legal for a minor to buy alcohol, or for an adult to purchase it for them.
Are you aware that, since about 2003, an adult is allowed to purchse alsohol for a 16/17 year old in a restaurant?
catty, york says...
2:47pm Wed 14 May 08
Diogenes, College Station, Texas says...
2:49pm Wed 14 May 08
exYorkist wrote:Whatever a purveyor of alcohol does to restrict the sale of alcohol to underage people must be applauded.
Diogenes wrote:He also wasn't the one purchasing the alcohol. End of. Tesco's policy is obnoxious.exYorkist wrote: I think Tesco's handling of this is outrageous. She's over 18, he's over 18...what's the issue? Everyone involved in the purchase was old enough to drink anyway. They have some nerve. I would urge people to carry photo IDs with them to avoid this sort of thing in future, though.The young man was not carrying ID. End of.
Just ask the highway patrol officers or state troopers! They have to srape up the remains of drunk drivers and their victims!
lels, york says...
2:50pm Wed 14 May 08
petethefeet, York says...
2:50pm Wed 14 May 08
"The legal age to purchase alcohol is 18. People aged 16 and 17, with the licensee's permission, may consume wine, beer or cider with a table meal in specific areas of the premises provided they are with an adult and the adult orders it (England & Wales only, Scotland no adult required to be present). The legal age for the purchase of liqueur chocolates is 16. The legal age for drinking in one's home is 5 provided parental consent is given. Children under 5 must not be given alcohol unless under medical supervision in an emergency. You may not buy alcohol for a drunk person on licensed premises. All off-sales are advised to ask for photographic ID if the person looks under 21.
Purchasing alcohol on behalf of a minor above five years old is illegal only if the alcohol is to consume in a pub or public place. In Scotland, from 2009 purchasing alcohol for any minor will be made illegal"
chris2705, york says...
2:50pm Wed 14 May 08
catty wrote:that is exactly what they are saying because there policy says you need id if you look under 30 they do not use common sense so if you got kids with you no alcohol
I also agree that underage drinking is a problem that needs a solution, but does that mean that us responsible parents, that happen to have our kids with us cannot buy alcohol?
bored, home says...
2:51pm Wed 14 May 08
petethefeet wrote:No, purchasing on behalf of a minor is not legal, and never has been. I doesnt matter if you sell it to them/give it to them for free etc because the principle is the same. Alcohol from a licenced premesis when served with a meal is correct and has been for quite some time.
bored wrote:Check your facts. The law regarding 18 is only about purchasing alcohol. Only if the child is under 5 can you be prosecuted for giving them alcohol Are you aware that, since about 2003, an adult is allowed to purchse alsohol for a 16/17 year old in a restaurant?petethefeet wrote: This is totally rubbish. Even if her son is under-age, she is legally allowed to buy alcohol for his consumption so long as she doesn't sell it to him. The law might be a ****, but a parent can give alcohol to any child of 5 or over. Not that I'm suggesting that they do.errrm no pete, I think you will find that if you did this the long arm of the law would be quite happy to slap a nice fine on you. It is not legal for a minor to buy alcohol, or for an adult to purchase it for them.
Jef, Yorkshire says...
2:58pm Wed 14 May 08
bored wrote:A parent is allowed too buy alcohol for children over 5 to be consumed in the home just not in pubs or public places.
petethefeet wrote:No, purchasing on behalf of a minor is not legal, and never has been. I doesnt matter if you sell it to them/give it to them for free etc because the principle is the same. Alcohol from a licenced premesis when served with a meal is correct and has been for quite some time.bored wrote:Check your facts. The law regarding 18 is only about purchasing alcohol. Only if the child is under 5 can you be prosecuted for giving them alcohol Are you aware that, since about 2003, an adult is allowed to purchse alsohol for a 16/17 year old in a restaurant?petethefeet wrote: This is totally rubbish. Even if her son is under-age, she is legally allowed to buy alcohol for his consumption so long as she doesn't sell it to him. The law might be a ****, but a parent can give alcohol to any child of 5 or over. Not that I'm suggesting that they do.errrm no pete, I think you will find that if you did this the long arm of the law would be quite happy to slap a nice fine on you. It is not legal for a minor to buy alcohol, or for an adult to purchase it for them.
akuma, everywhere says...
3:07pm Wed 14 May 08
As a barman, I have to constantly refuse to serve people who are 18+ as I know they are buying for under age people that out sat of of my sight.
OK, I recon now and again I'll get it wrong, but over all I think its worth erring on the site of caution.
tonesview, york says...
3:09pm Wed 14 May 08
Where am I ????
Jef, Yorkshire says...
3:11pm Wed 14 May 08
akuma wrote:But children over 5 are allowed to drink in the home with their parents. Its just illegal in pubs and public places.
Nope still agree with Tesco. As a barman, I have to constantly refuse to serve people who are 18+ as I know they are buying for under age people that out sat of of my sight. OK, I recon now and again I'll get it wrong, but over all I think its worth erring on the site of caution.
petethefeet, York says...
3:12pm Wed 14 May 08
akuma wrote:Pubs are different. The issue is supermarket sales - for consumption elsewhere.
Nope still agree with Tesco. As a barman, I have to constantly refuse to serve people who are 18+ as I know they are buying for under age people that out sat of of my sight. OK, I recon now and again I'll get it wrong, but over all I think its worth erring on the site of caution.
Redr, york says...
3:13pm Wed 14 May 08
Diogenes, College Station, Texas says...
3:16pm Wed 14 May 08
tonesview wrote:Just giving another perspective!
highway patrol officers, state troopers ???? WTF Where am I ????
akuma, everywhere says...
3:19pm Wed 14 May 08
petethefeet wrote:But if they suspect that "eslewhere" is on the street, then they should refuse to serve, 18+ or not.
akuma wrote: Nope still agree with Tesco. As a barman, I have to constantly refuse to serve people who are 18+ as I know they are buying for under age people that out sat of of my sight. OK, I recon now and again I'll get it wrong, but over all I think its worth erring on the site of caution.Pubs are different. The issue is supermarket sales - for consumption elsewhere.
Peachy4, york says...
3:23pm Wed 14 May 08
And personally all you moaning about Tesco would be the first to complain if a gang of drunken yobs started shouting and being abusive towards you while drinking alcohol bought by stupid parents !!!
julie, YORK says...
3:25pm Wed 14 May 08
akuma, everywhere says...
3:26pm Wed 14 May 08
all you moaning about Tesco would be the first to complain if a gang of drunken yobs started shouting and being abusive towards you while drinking alcohol bought by stupid parents !!!
So very true!
Bring on the NIMBY's to deny it though!!!
petethefeet, York says...
3:29pm Wed 14 May 08
Peachy4 wrote:Peachy. The problem has been caused by this unreasonable policy. Even if this lady was puchasing alcohol for an under-age son to sup on the street, then next time she'll simply tell him to wait outside. These "customers" had driven their to rightfully purchase a legal product.
Even is Tesco were in the wrong why then should they be subject to this person being abusive to the staff (who are only doing the job they are told to do)by telling them to get stuffed. And personally all you moaning about Tesco would be the first to complain if a gang of drunken yobs started shouting and being abusive towards you while drinking alcohol bought by stupid parents !!!
As for kids drinking on the street? So far as I can determine, it's not illegal so long as a local restriction is not in force and that their money has not been involved. Bonkers maybe, but that's the law. As usual, the police can be economic with the truth. In many cases this is understandable but when it spills over and manifests itself in a stupid policy like that conceived by Tesco then it's understandable that people get angry.
David, York says...
3:30pm Wed 14 May 08
Cruddass is a muppett, says...
3:32pm Wed 14 May 08
petethefeet, York says...
3:33pm Wed 14 May 08
Cruddass is a muppett, says...
3:34pm Wed 14 May 08
julie wrote:As long as the signwriter could spell better than you, that would be funny.
CAN SEE EVERY 1 LEAVING THERE KIDS OUTSIDE TESCO WHEN THEY WANT TO BUY ALOCHOL OR TESCO CAN ALWAYS PUT A SIGN OUTSIDE ...LEAVE UNDER AGE KIDS HERE LOL
platform 9, york says...
3:36pm Wed 14 May 08
akuma, everywhere says...
3:37pm Wed 14 May 08
Peachy. The problem has been caused by this unreasonable policy. Even if this lady was puchasing alcohol for an under-age son to sup on the street, then next time she'll simply tell him to wait outside.
Maybe, but I'd rather they try than simply turn a blind eye to it as people will try to find ways around it.
These "customers" had driven their to rightfully purchase a legal product.
A licence permises can refuse to serve who they want, for any reason they want, any time they want. The customer has no legal entitlement or rights.
As for kids drinking on the street? So far as I can determine, it's not illegal so long as a local restriction is not in force and that their money has not been involved.
Clearly street drinking is not an issue where you live as if it was, you'd not have that opinion.
tonesview, york says...
3:37pm Wed 14 May 08
Nobody 's hurt. Fact is, they will
probably have gone to Asda, left the kid in the car and got it there
anyway.Whilst supermarkets sell alcohol, it will be impossible to police.
Mr_Soul, says...
3:57pm Wed 14 May 08
I don't know why anyone shops at Tesco anyway. It's the worst of all the big chains.
I certainly won't shop there ever again after reading this ridiculous story.
TE, York says...
4:04pm Wed 14 May 08
lastword morris, Haxby Rd says...
4:04pm Wed 14 May 08
TE, York says...
4:06pm Wed 14 May 08
lastword morris wrote:Haxby of course!
Well it seem sincredibly difficult to get canned up these days SO....WHERE did the two 8/10 year olds on Huntington rd last night get their can of carling???? Thet were both on those really small bikes and riding in the middle of the room drinking out of the cans!!
lastword morris, Haxby Rd says...
4:09pm Wed 14 May 08
TE, York says...
4:11pm Wed 14 May 08
lastword morris, Haxby Rd says...
4:14pm Wed 14 May 08
AdmiralN, York Centre says...
4:18pm Wed 14 May 08
Just ask the highway patrol officers or state troopers!
Ok i appreciate yours & ex-yorkists point, but you are in the USA, the laws that you abide to are not applicable here. UK has its own laws!!
TE, York says...
4:19pm Wed 14 May 08
;-)
lastword morris, Haxby Rd says...
4:20pm Wed 14 May 08
lastword morris, Haxby Rd says...
4:23pm Wed 14 May 08
TE wrote:sorry to be dim but I dont quite understand..can you simplify (Gin damage you know)
That's why you're only 80% (8/10ths)you left the bike. ;-)
X, At Work says...
4:24pm Wed 14 May 08
I can go into Tesco and be refused beer because I have my 4 yr old with me, I can walk out of Tesco and into the Flying Legends who will happily sell me the beer and provide me with a safe area to allow my children to play.
There has to be more to this story than is being published, perhaps the sales person know the people involved, perhaps they were talking about him having the beer, perhaps he put the beer on the till. he had no ID so was never going to get served.
the picture shows them as A model family :-)
X, At Work says...
4:26pm Wed 14 May 08
Is it 5pm yet???
A87, york says...
4:27pm Wed 14 May 08
X, At Work says...
4:33pm Wed 14 May 08
A87 wrote:I can see where they are coming from with that one though... but you were possibly legal to drive so they had no excuse really.. sounds like the managers been talking to his staff and they are expecting some test cases!!
i went for a pint after work the other day, on my way home i stopped at tesco to buy a few more cans, i got id'd as always and they still wouldnt serve me because they could smell alcohol on my breath! pathetic!
Flash, York says...
4:40pm Wed 14 May 08
YorkieMan, York, UK says...
4:41pm Wed 14 May 08
Message to Tesco - I'm a big boy now and I can buy alcohol. I can even if I so choose allow my strapping son to help me carry it to the car. Stop me from buying it and someone is going to have one big puddle to clear up when it gets 'accidentally ' dropped at the checkout on a busy Saturday.
amigo, york says...
4:42pm Wed 14 May 08
Chumpy69, York says...
5:23pm Wed 14 May 08
A87 wrote:What a Joke !!!
i went for a pint after work the other day, on my way home i stopped at tesco to buy a few more cans, i got id'd as always and they still wouldnt serve me because they could smell alcohol on my breath! pathetic!
Why dont they just ban alcohol from supermarkets, as they are making it harder and harder for the public to purchase...
1) If you have kids with you, leave them outside or else you won't be able to purchase alcohol.
2) Don't go into the supermarket smelling of alcohol, and attempt to buy some.. even if you walked because they will refuse to serve you.
3) Make sure you keep ID on you at all times even if you are over 30.(what about a few that don't have any form of ID?)
Chumpy69, York says...
5:24pm Wed 14 May 08
A87 wrote:What a Joke !!!
i went for a pint after work the other day, on my way home i stopped at tesco to buy a few more cans, i got id'd as always and they still wouldnt serve me because they could smell alcohol on my breath! pathetic!
Why dont they just ban alcohol from supermarkets, as they are making it harder and harder for the public to purchase...
1) If you have kids with you, leave them outside or else you won't be able to purchase alcohol.
2) Don't go into the supermarket smelling of alcohol, and attempt to buy some.. even if you walked because they will refuse to serve you.
3) Make sure you keep ID on you at all times even if you are over 30.(what about a few that don't have any form of ID?)
Lamplighter, says...
5:34pm Wed 14 May 08
YorkieMan wrote:I don't think they bother if you're buying the alcohol in with the weekly shop. I get the impression that these people were only buying alcohol, which is probably why they were refused. This is only my opinion though, I don't know for sure, but I do know that common sense is applied in most cases.
Tesco is completely out of order on this one. My 16 year old always accompanies me whenever I do a 'big shop' at Tesco and afterwards we have a coffee together in their cafe. My shopping usually includes beer and wine. What am I supposed to tell him now "Sorry you cannot come shopping with me now so you'll have to stop at home while I struggle with all the bags on my own and have a solitary coffee looking like a 'billy no mates'. Message to Tesco - I'm a big boy now and I can buy alcohol. I can even if I so choose allow my strapping son to help me carry it to the car. Stop me from buying it and someone is going to have one big puddle to clear up when it gets 'accidentally ' dropped at the checkout on a busy Saturday.
petethefeet, York says...
2:08pm Wed 14 May 08