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[jyr001]

I know that knife crime is a very serious issue and I fully condone whatever measures are necessary to curb this type of crime BUT....My daughter has just moved in to a new flat. She went to her local Sainsbury's today with her boyfriend to buy some kitchen bits and pieces - first flat she needed everything - including a cheese knife.

At the checkout the girl asked my daughter for ID (for the knife) which she produced (she's 23). The checkout girl also then asked her boyfriend for ID (he's 25) but he didn't have any. They refused to sell the knife to my daughter because in their opinion she may have been buying it for her boyfriend - presumably to use maliciously - I would have thought the conveyor full of other kitchen utensils would have been a bit of a clue as to their real intentions. 

Now well up for an argument she protested to the manager to no avail and she left the shop empty handed and an hour of shopping time wasted. The managers parting comment was that if Sainburys sold her the knife and her boyfriend was under age she could sue them!!!!

I can't wait to waste a couple of hours tomorrow doing the biggest shop I can, loading up the converyor then walking away when my teenage son can't produce appropriate ID - which I demand they ask for - because I've put some lagers on the counter. I might even do it more than once just to really p*ss them off.

[Omega_Dan]

Im 25 and i have had exactly the same. bought a bread knife from asda and got asked ID!. i look more like 30 for god sake

[Lazydocker]

I know that knife crime is a very serious issue and I fully condone whatever measures are necessary to curb this type of crime BUT....My daughter has just moved in to a new flat. She went to her local Sainsbury's today with her boyfriend to buy some kitchen bits and pieces - first flat she needed everything - including a cheese knife.

At the checkout the girl asked my daughter for ID (for the knife) which she produced (she's 23). The checkout girl also then asked her boyfriend for ID (he's 25) but he didn't have any. They refused to sell the knife to my daughter because in their opinion she may have been buying it for her boyfriend - presumably to use maliciously - I would have thought the conveyor full of other kitchen utensils would have been a bit of a clue as to their real intentions. 

Now well up for an argument she protested to the manager to no avail and she left the shop empty handed and an hour of shopping time wasted. The managers parting comment was that if Sainburys sold her the knife and her boyfriend was under age she could sue them!!!!

I can't wait to waste a couple of hours tomorrow doing the biggest shop I can, loading up the converyor then walking away when my teenage son can't produce appropriate ID - which I demand they ask for - because I've put some lagers on the counter. I might even do it more than once just to really p*ss them off.

My step-mum had an issue a while back with Tesco.

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/3642302.Southwick_mum_wins_Tesco_apology/

Afraid to say that this is what the world is coming to. Equally, if they had sold it and it was used for a crime we'd probably all be jumping up and down about it

[tunnie]

rightly done in my opinion refusing the sale, if it turns out the person is under age, the person on the checkout who sold the item, can be liable for a considerable fine.

So if you on the checkout earning £5/hr why take the risk?

[Webby the Bear]

know the feeling mate.... went to tesco with my gitlfriends daughter and her boyfriend. i bought a 4 pack of beer and some other bits and bobs and cos they were with me they wouldnt serve me.

to be fair to the store theyre just protecting themselves from getting in trouble.

still ridiculous though.

[Entwood]

Interesting ... but if you were BEHIND someone in the queue.. and you saw them being sold a knife without any checks ... you'd probably be the first to complain about Sainsbury's lackadaisical attitude to the law .... ??

Rules apply to all .. not just to "others" and sometimes they put us a little inconvenience .

[Lizzie_Zoom]

But the age limit on selling knives is 18 years of age.  The youngest involved in buying the knives was 23, who could produce ID.   Therefore in this instance the Sainsbury's staff were being far too cautious

The boyfriend, who no doubt looks well over 18,  should have been an irrelevant factor

[tunnie]

But the age limit on selling knives is 18 years of age.  The youngest involved in buying the knives was 23, who could produce ID.   Therefore in this instance the Sainsbury's staff were being far too cautious :(

No, the same rule applies to alcohol & cigarettes. She could have been buying it for him, he was unable to produce ID, therefore she refused sale. Totally correct thing to do.

We know their age, but the checkout bod, would have to go on looks / judgement alone.

I've been asked for ID on booze, i'm 26 and 6ft4!

[Andy B]

But the age limit on selling knives is 18 years of age.  The youngest involved in buying the knives was 23, who could produce ID.   Therefore in this instance the Sainsbury's staff were being far too cautious :(

No, the same rule applies to alcohol & cigarettes. She could have been buying it for him, he was unable to produce ID, therefore she refused sale. Totally correct thing to do.

We know their age, but the checkout bod, would have to go on looks / judgement alone.

I've been asked for ID on booze, i'm 26 and 6ft4!

I agree with Lizzie.

Although I've only seen you from afar you still looked more than 18 & had I been in your postition would've left the booze at the checkout! All the person on the till needs to judge is if you're over 18 .... not how old you actually are.

[Lazydocker]

But the age limit on selling knives is 18 years of age.  The youngest involved in buying the knives was 23, who could produce ID.   Therefore in this instance the Sainsbury's staff were being far too cautious :(

No, the same rule applies to alcohol & cigarettes. She could have been buying it for him, he was unable to produce ID, therefore she refused sale. Totally correct thing to do.

We know their age, but the checkout bod, would have to go on looks / judgement alone.

I've been asked for ID on booze, i'm 26 and 6ft4!

If it were the only kitchen implement on the belt then I'd have said it was spot on but with a fairly comprehensive collection of stuff I would have expected common sense to prevail, certainly on the part of the manager. :-/

Equally, if they want to be seen to apply the rules then they have to have zero tolerance.

I can't remember the last time I was asked for ID for anything like that... Probably before I was 17 18 Except once recently when I joked in the local shop that I never get asked (the lady had ID'd the 2 previous youngsters) and she asked me but didn't actually look

[HolyCount]

TBH if I was the checkout operator I would have done the same --PITA though it is .... but THEY are personally liable.

Mental note though ---- next time I go shopping for a blade I will leave the posse outside -- some of them are only 9 

[jonnycool]

Actually most supermarkets have a 'challenge 25' policy - unless you look 25 or over, they won't sell you age-related goods, it's used as a safety buffer.

If you've got ID to prove you're over 18, then the sale is approved

[Lazydocker]

But the age limit on selling knives is 18 years of age.  The youngest involved in buying the knives was 23, who could produce ID.   Therefore in this instance the Sainsbury's staff were being far too cautious :(

No, the same rule applies to alcohol & cigarettes. She could have been buying it for him, he was unable to produce ID, therefore she refused sale. Totally correct thing to do.

We know their age, but the checkout bod, would have to go on looks / judgement alone.

I've been asked for ID on booze, i'm 26 and 6ft4!

I agree with Lizzie.

Although I've only seen you from afar you still looked more than 18 & had I been in your postition would've left the booze at the checkout! All the person on the till needs to judge is if you're over 18 .... not how old you actually are.

Not any more Most places are part of the "Challenge 25" scheme where if you appear under 25.........

[jyr001]

I know that the law is the law and as I mentioned above I fully condone steps taken to prevent knife crime but surely there must be some degree of common sense applied to this situation. It would appear not. I suspect the article reported by Lazydocker - and the ensuing apology - was more to protect Tesco's Corporate image.      

[tunnie]

But the age limit on selling knives is 18 years of age.  The youngest involved in buying the knives was 23, who could produce ID.   Therefore in this instance the Sainsbury's staff were being far too cautious :(

No, the same rule applies to alcohol & cigarettes. She could have been buying it for him, he was unable to produce ID, therefore she refused sale. Totally correct thing to do.

We know their age, but the checkout bod, would have to go on looks / judgement alone.

I've been asked for ID on booze, i'm 26 and 6ft4!

I agree with Lizzie.

Although I've only seen you from afar you still looked more than 18 & had I been in your postition would've left the booze at the checkout! All the person on the till needs to judge is if you're over 18 .... not how old you actually are.

I don't remember a meet or gathering we were at same place?  :-/

I've worked on checkouts when i left school, both Tesco and a small cornershop, I found it very difficult to judge ages.

One girl l I asked (she was about 4ft8!) when she wanted some cigs, turnes out she was 24! 

But what's drilled into you when you start work at supermarkets, is if in doubt, say no! - Its not worth the risk of a fine or your job!