Buying booze with kids in tow

There was a thing on the BBC breakfast news this morning, about a guy who went into a shop with his 15 year old daughter (i imagine he had picked her up from somewhere, or she just wanted to tag along) and he wanted to buy some beer. He was refused service, because he had his daughter with him; there were concerns he might be buying the booze for his daughter.


But the bloke came across as a nice chap, who just fancied a beer or three after a long day at work. The bloke giving the opposite side of the argument, in favour of refusing people sale of booze with kids in tow, said it could lead to kids becoming binge drinkers etc etc. Me and my brother used to go with my dad to the shops to get milk, bread and then he would get a bottle of wine for mum and some beers for him, nothing wrong, we never got the booze, we have never ended up binge drinking...I dont even drink!!!!

It just got to me, more wrapping people up in cotton wool and people who don't know much about anything "protecting" people who dont need protecting

Matt

thats stupid.......... i would not be happy

[Drew Carey]

It bugged me too......bottom line, we have laws to not sell booze to kids......so if someone is older enough then surely they can't stop it being bought. It also bugs me as I saw a kid of about 12ish being served ciggies in Tesco's with no challenge. Grrrrrrrr. Double standards.

[SoulKiss]

Its the shopkeepers right to refuse service to anyone they want.

There are also HEAVY penalties for any shop keeper that sells restricted items to those underage.

If the guy and his daughter had gone outside and he had handed her a couple of cans as she went off to meet her mates, when Mr Plod came along and asked her where she got it, she would probably name the shop.

The shop owner would then have a hell of a time proving that it was her dad, not her that bought the drink.

Yes its all a bit silly, but its also understandable.

And whats next? No buying petrol with kids in tow, incase they go joyriding? No buying pharmecutics with kids in tow, incase they get addicted or overdose?

paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

this happened to a guy I know. He had bought a few cans to have that night watching the footie. his 15 year old son was with him as they were getting take away on way home and he wanted to see menu before deciding. he was helping his dad pack the bags. they got to drink and put it thru then noticed boy and asked him what age he was. he replied 15 why? the checkout woman then said sorry sir i cant sell you this alcohol in case you give it to him. he complained to manager who said it was due to the high fines they get, if a child is found with alcohol and the receipt is there, they will take action against the checkout person named on receipt. the manager spoke to him and agreed to sell to him.

can understand why cashier was not keen. not worth risking a fine not for £6 an hour. the world has just gone mad. kids who are going to drink dont go to supermarket with their parents normally.

[SoulKiss]

Again, its the fact that the law is so general now that its VERY easy to find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

So people have to play it very safe.

We need to have EVERY law passed in the last 10 years reviewed and those found to be too general scrapped.

In this case the emphasis should go onto the Parental responsibility.

Basically if you let your kid go out and drink, you should be responsible, not the shopkeeper for selling it, the parent for having instilled such low standards in their child that they see going getting blitzed down the local park as acceptable.

Nothing against underage drinking if its supervised tho.

That same thing happened to me in my local Tesco when I had My 17 yr old with me.
I just had a nice rant ,demanded to see the manager and then walzed off leaving all my shopping on the conveyerbelt.
"next time I'll leave him outside tied to a post like a dog,shall I"
Stupid,he is old anough to get married,holds down a full time job ,but cant help out with the weekly shop.
I was that peeved off,we went back the next day and filled up with booze glue and aerosols,got to the till and said"uups sorry ,my lad is 17 bye bye".Childish,"yes".Satisifing
gou gotta believe it.

[Drew Carey]

Originally Posted by gid

That same thing happened to me in my local Tesco when I had My 17 yr old with me.
I just had a nice rant ,demanded to see the manager and then walzed off leaving all my shopping on the conveyerbelt.
"next time I'll leave him outside tied to a post like a dog,shall I"
Stupid,he is old anough to get married,holds down a full time job ,but cant help out with the weekly shop.
I was that peeved off,we went back the next day and filled up with booze glue and aerosols,got to the till and said"uups sorry ,my lad is 17 bye bye".Childish,"yes".Satisifing
gou gotta believe it.

PMSL

I had a similar situation in Sainsbury's a few months ago. Buying a couple of bottles of wine (with the rest of the shopping), and the checkout woman asked for I.D. Bit taken aback, as I haven't been I.D.'ed for years! Got my driving license out and she said "Not for you, for her" pointing at Samnooshka. Sam didn't have any I.D. on her, so the woman said " Sorry, I can't sell you alcohol, because I think she might be underage" I pointed out that Sam wasn't buying the drinks, I was. And would she do the same if I was with a 5 year old child" She looked a bit embarrassed and scanned the items through.

I haven't checked the laws recently, but I thought there wasn't anything actually illegal about under 18's drinking alcohol at home, under supervision, anyway?