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Tesco bans parents from buying alcohol if they are with their OWN children
Last updated at 08:52am on 16.05.08
Tesco said they are trying to clampdown on underage drinking but staff often make mistakes when they stop parents shopping with children
Workers have been told not to serve adults accompanied by children in the latest crack-down on underage drinking.
However diligent shop staff are applying the letter of the law and refusing to serve parents who are on weekly shopping trips with their children.
Television medium Dominic Zenden could never have predicted that he would have been barred from buying a six-pack of beer at the respectable age of 45 - 27 years over the legal age.
And Debbie Bell, 39, was shocked when staff refused to sell her alcohol while she was shopping with her 18-year-old stepson.
Both had been in different Tesco stores, but were given the same explanation by staff who refused to serve them.
Mr Zenden, who presents his own show on Sky TV, was stunned when he was snubbed at the shop in Sprowston, Norwich.
The television star was with his daughter Devon, 15, when he tried to buy six bottles of Budweiser beer.
But staff refused to believe his insistence the alcohol was not for the schoolgirl - and would not sell him it.
"I was dumbfounded," said Mr Zenden.
"There was absolutely no indication that my daughter would be drinking the alcohol - it was for me.
"I fancied a nice cool beer on a warm evening.
"But the woman told me that they don't sell alcohol to people who have children with them."
Tesco today said they trained their store workers to ask for proof of age for anyone present at the purchase who they suspect may consume the alcohol.
But they admitted: "Quite often they may be mistaken and the adult may be buying it for themselves.
"But we would rather the staff err on the side of caution than risk selling to someone who is buying alcohol for people who are under age."
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Dominic Zenden was shocked when his local Tesco store refused to sell him alcohol while he was with his daughter
Shops selling to minors three times in as many months face a £10,000 fine and a three-month suspension of their licence and as a result shops have become very careful to avoid selling to under-18s.
A Tesco spokesman added: "We are doing lots of work to try to stop under-age people from being able to get hold of alcohol and one of the biggest problems has become adults buying for people who are underage.
"If our staff suspect that people are buying for people who are under the age of 18 then we do not serve them."
But Mr Zenden said: "I can understand people not wanting to sell alcohol to children.
"But they haven't got signs up to say that they won~t sell to people who have their children with them.
"If they did it would save a lot of embarrassment at the till."
Clare Birtles, of consumer website www.consumerrightsexpert.co.uk, said today: "If he was of legal age and could prove it, if asked, and didn't seem intoxicated or impaired by alcohol, there's no apparent reason for them not to sell to him.
"Having a child of any age with him shouldn't have been the issue - often people buy beer and wine in supermarkets when they have children with them and have no problem with staff.
"The only reason might be some particular indication that he was buying the alcohol for a minor, but on the face of it the man has a legitimate complaint."
Ms Bell fell foul of the same rules when she popped into a Tesco Extra Store to pick up a crate of lager while her husband Mick, 46, was buying petrol.
With stepson Michael Bruce, 18, by her side, she was preparing to pay when the checkout assistant called over a supervisor to ask whether they could serve her.
Incredibly, the supervisor decided that Ms Bell was not permitted to buy the beer.
The reason given was that they said she was buying it for Michael - who is 18 and able to buy alcohol regardless.
Ms Bell said: "When I put the lager down to pay they just said 'no' and asked my stepson if he had any ID.
"I asked Michael to 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.
"Michael wasn't even carrying the beer, he was just standing next to me. If it is Tesco policy not to serve people who have teenagers with them it is a stupid policy."
In response to this incident a Tesco spokesman said the company had introduced the policy earlier this year in a bid to curb underage drinking.
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.
"It is very, very hard to gauge, but what we say to our cashiers is to err on the side of caution."
Reader views (27)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
I have been shopping with my 17 year old son this evening to Tesco and was unable to purchase the alcohol in my trolley due to my son being with me. I was dumbfounded! I asked could I go outside and came back in again on my own and they said "no have you come far? can you come back another day?" I work full time and do not have the time to come back on my own another day, not only that what about the price of diesel, and my carbon footprint. And as for "EVERY LITTLE HELPS" Tesco along with the rest of the world has gone mad. Have people forgotten about common sense. V Newton. Age 43. OH and by the way I look it!
- Vivienne Newton, Cannock Wood, Staffordshire.
What seems to be missing from this whole thing is that it is NOT illegal in the United Kingdom for parents to allow their minor children (over the age of 5 years old) to drink at home. It is NOT against the law for a parent to buy alcohol with the intent on allowing their own children to consume it at home. We're not the USA yet.
- Kayla Lowes, Shepton mallet, Somerset
S Lawley, where do you go shopping then? Harrods. Even though I don't use Tesco a lot, I can assure you that not all of there customers are chavs. You are more likely to find chavs in upper class shops where they can find clothes and goods with designer labels on. Remember Daniella Westbrooke with her Burberry?
- Dr Finlays Casebook, London, UK
S Lawley, you are completely out of order! I shop at both Tesco and Asda and I can promise you I am not in any way a chav. Most people who do shop there do it because they want to spend their money wisely and not waste it spending more money on pretty much the same product just so they can have a Sainsburys or Waitrose bag instead so they can impress the neighbours.
- Louise, Essex
Let's be fair here, the majority Tesco customers are exactly the sort of chav that will buy their children booze, perhaps ASDA should implement something similar?
- S Lawley, Kennington
Tesco appears to be jumping on the political bandwagon of telling everyone how to live their lives. I look forward to their next politically correct rule. Does the CEO think he can play god in the market place?
- Grumpy, Maidenhead
This isn't new. Last year a 31 year old friend was refused alcohol in a Tesco because "she couldn't prove" she was over 18. I've boycotted them ever since as Asda, Sainsburys, etc, don't have a policy of stupidity towards customers.
- Bob, London
I'm boycotting Tesco because of this, and have emailed Terry Leahy to tell him so. One-size-fits-all blanket policies that punish the innocent are a lazy way to deal with a problem that has nothing to do with Tesco.
- Neil, London uk
The obvious answer if this happens to you is to leave your loaded trolley at the till, and leave the store.
This is akin to councils cutting down horse chestnut trees to prevent people being hit on the head by a falling conker.
While the stores can refuse to serve anyone they like for any reason, its just silly as there would be no way that they could be prosecuted in a parent/child situation.
- George, Guildford
What next? Refusing to sell alcohol to pregnant women?
- Sue, Hindhead
I'll just leave the kids in the car in future...
- Dee, Chesapeake USA formerly W4
One reason I prefer shopping at Tesco is unlike Morrisons I don't get asked rather patronisingly if I m over 21 ( I am obviously so) when I purchase booze. Staff should be encouraged to use their intelligence and discretion rather than being made to patronise all customers so the stores can try and claim the moral high ground.
- Steve, Hereford
The only people this will affect is Tesco. Parents will shop elsewhere.
- Paul Humphreys, Stanford le Hope
Is it April 1 - can we stop over proscribing rules and give common sense a chance. We are treading very dangerous waters here.
- Sara, NW6
That is going to mean a lot of kids will be abandoned in aisles as the 'adult' pretends he/she is not with them...which could lead to child abduction and all because you wanted a bottle of rose to go with your tapas.
I find the best thing is not to shop at Tesco, their shelves are grotty, half their food is out of date (I bought almonds in desperation there the other day and when I opened them they had moths and yukky webs inside), they don't pack your bags and they mainly sell crap. Support your local grocer, you pay more but you buy less, a lot less cause they don't sell food that makes you fat.
- Jessica, London
I think that Tesco may be ahead of the curve here. In some US states sales of liquor are restricted to state-run depots, where strict ID rules apply and prices are high. In these states incidences of alcohol-fuelled crime are significantly lower, as drink is not constantly on offer in every store at give-away prices. In Britain we have a very immature attitude to drink - if moderation cannot be achieved then restriction of its supply is the only way forward. Oh - and refusing to treat drunks and drink-induced injuries on the NHS without payment up front.
- Colin, London W14
Like so many well-meaning initiatives, this policy falls down because common sense and high quality customer service go out the window. It all gets dumbed down to the lowest common denominator: "Customer has youngster with them, therefore refuse to sell them alcohol because that way I won't get into trouble with my manager." The fact that the majority of legitimate adult purchasers are prejudiced as a result is just too bad; like ID cards - massive hammer to crack a small nut (and doubtful they would even achieve that!).
- Adam, London, UK
Good intentions. I think - Lousy implementation for certain.
A thought does occur to me though.
I would imagine that having kids along would be the last thing an adult would want to have to deal with while doing the shopping - just one more thing to have to worry about (eg, no choice about having them there). So when are they suggesting that adults, who may buy drink legally after all, are supposed to get their tipple? They want them to make a second trip perhaps - later when the kids are all safely in bed? And perhaps buy something else while they are there?
....not that I'm being cynical, of course.....
- Rogan, DFW Texas
Does Tesco's realise that by law an adult can give alcohol to a child at home, under supervision to a child aged 5+?
So even if the parent was buying the alcohol and then giving it to an under 21, as long as it's in the home they are not committing any crime.
So Lighten up Tesco!!
- Cleopatra, London
And they should stop selling to anyone as the children outside are obviously waiting for the unaccompanied adult to take the drink out to them!
- Dave, London
What about Tesco's home deliveries? Are we supposed to let the driver search the house to prove we have no children if we want to include alcoholic drinks in our order?
- Roy Stilling, Gillingham, Kent
I can understand Tesco erring on the side of caution however think this policy is completey heavy handed.....
Obviously any adult buying alcohol for those underage are not responsible! Should these irresponsible people go to purchase alcohol from Tesco they would obviously not let the child accompany them to the checkout if this is Tesco's policy.....
One question though - does this policy mean when I do my usual shop with my 5 year old son and 18 month daughter they will not let me by my much needed bottle of wine as they are underage and accompanying me? hmmmmm.
- Sara Ancill, Dartford, Kent UK
The easy answer, of course, is for the government to "nationalize the sale of ALL liquor) and directly oversee, monitor and comply with all "legal sales" themselves.
In that way, the pressure on "pricing" is removed (no anti-competitiveness between supermarkets, off licences & small shops) and there would obviously be - No Sales - "to anyone under age", as it would be the government who would be directly responsible at each and every "point of sale"! What better compliance system could there possibly be? Perhaps all tobacco could be sold in the same way?
But ultimately the good news here is that the government would find out for the "first time" how very little profit margin remains in alcohol/liquor, after they have "taxed it to smithereens"!
- Fraser, Telford Park
Tesco's you're right! More moral regulation's like this please! Like paying your staff enough money so they can afford to live above the poverty line. More money to farmers and over seas workers you exploit daily. Ban those cheap clothes you sell, made in sweat shops in China. Oh and don’t forget to stop destroying local business in the small towns you expand into each week. Thanks Tesco for the lessons in morality!
- Paul B, London
Being drunk in charge of a teenager is no laughing matter. But I suspect Tesco's loss will be another supermarket's gain if they keep playing the nanny card like this. Do they also refuse to sell sherry to bag ladies' one wonders ?
- Squiz, Islington
Absolutely ridiculous!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
Tesco are complete idiots anyway,everyone should boycott them for a day,over many of their stupid practices and rules.It is about time that people stood up to this idiocy. Tesco only do so well by crushing the opposition and having bought up all the land in certain areas so no rival supermarkets can open in those areas,and doubling the size of stores to Tesco Extra .They are not cheap and sell a lot of shoddy goods.In my experience although not perfect Asda is much better,taking everything into account including price.
- Mak, London uk
