Challenge 25 is Confusing the Checkout Staff
by Simon J R Holmes on Aug 05, 2009 with 11 Comments
A government-backed scheme to cut the sale of alcohol to the under 18s is causing chaos for shoppers because of bad training and implementation by retailers.
Today I visited a Sainsbury’s Supermarket in London and was refused when attempting to buy alcohol without ID. I am twenty nine years old. I was served by an older lady called Lynda (she would not give me her surname) who having muttered under her breath all the way through serving the person in front of me, looking like she hated life and her job, asked if I had ID. I said I did not and told her my age.
She refused to serve me because of the “Challenge 25 scheme”. I pointed to the notice that say “Under 25? Please be prepared to show proof of age when buying alcohol” and said that I was not under 25 so was very much not prepared to show ID (my driving license is away having the picture updated, coincidentally, given it is just over ten years since I got it). I asked her if she truly thought I was under 18 and she said no, adding “But I am not sure you are over 25.”
And there we have the problem…
Fo some reason the training of staff since the start of this scheme is completely missing the point. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association say, “Challenge 25 is a retailing strategy that encourages anyone who is over 18 but looks under 25 to carry acceptable ID (a card bearing the PASS hologram, a photographic driving license or a passport) if they wish to buy alcohol.” there’s no intention in that whereby if you look under 25 you must carry a passport. Checkout staff should be judging if they think the customer is over 18 and asking for ID if they suspect they aren’t. This lady stated that I looked over 18 but because I did not look over 25 I had to have ID. Ridiculous, no?
It is also causing trouble for people even older than me who are shopping with teenagers who are underage. They are not allowed to buy alcohol because they might give it to the minor. I read of another couple in their twenties who couldn’t buy a bottle of wine because one of them couldn’t prove they were over 18. The problem seems to be that checkout people think there is now a law that they must challenge anyone they think doesn’t look 25 and must not sell if anyone who may not be 25 is anywhere near the transaction.
It’s particularly baffling that the government are so behind this when other countries allow their children to drink at a younger age and do not have this “alcohol problem” associated with Britain. Since other countries get by fine it is clear that the solution is not making it harder for people over the legal age to buy alcohol. For interest I was attempting to buy a miniature bottle of Cava to give as a gift. I find it ironic that the same supermarket will sell packs of high strength lager and spirits to alcoholics in the area, but feel the need to hassle myself when attempting to buy something with a tiny amount of alcohol in it. I walked down the road to a branch of Threshers (who also have the scheme advertised) and was not challenged. The guy who served said he thought the idea of challenging me ridiculous.
Liked it
Published in: Consumer Information
Nathan | Aug 15, 2009 | Reply
I’m over 25 and OBVIOUSLY AND Undoubtedly over the age of 18. I have been in full time employment for 6 yrs, pay extortionate council tax rates, income tax, road tax and every other bloody tax under the sun! I am 9 yrs older the legal age when they can send me to Iraq to die to make them richer but I can’t go for a pint after work without being asked my age. I’ve been asked ID only 4 times in my life, and 2 of those times was this week. I don’t even drink much and am extremely sensible when it comes to drinking. This is totally and utterly pathetic and every time I get asked for ID from now on I’m just going to leave in disgust, something which everyone over the age of 18 should do to stop the idiots in charge taking our well earned cash!
It’s all to do with social conditioning – They are trying to get us used to having to show ID so they can sneak in the compulsory ID cards. Well, there goes our freedom along with democracy and all common sense. Oh, and don’t forget we can’t actually speak out against these things or they’ll arrest us under the ‘Terrorist Act’. To think our Grand Parents fought a war for this, a country built on deception, corruption, surveillance and fear.
Rebecca | Aug 18, 2009 | Reply
I am 28 years old and have had a similar encounter in Sainsburys today. I tried to but a bottle expensive wine for our anniversery along with my large trolley of food. I was asked for ID that I do not carry as having never been asked before – I politely repied that I did not have any on me as I am 28. The checkout lady then proceeded to fill in her little book the details of the alcohol that I had tried to buy. Apparently she was sure I was over 18 but not sure I was 25 so she was not allowed to serve me.
I am a qualified nurse, paying all the taxes under the sun and all I wanted was a bottle of rose to enjoy on my day off – RIDICULOUS.
The scheme has gone mad
Stephen | Aug 19, 2009 | Reply
Probably not surprising they can’t make accurate age guesses. If they were smart, they wouldn’t even be working in supermarkets in the first place.
Emma | Aug 21, 2009 | Reply
I think I can safely say that this business of being asked to show identification to buy alcohol and cigarettes is getting out of hand.
I carry my passport with me when buying alcohol and do get asked for Identification even though I am 30 years old. Unfortunately this is the only ID I have with my photograph on it.
What really did anger me was the experience I had only last night over a packet of cigarettes.
I went down to my local Co-op late night shop and was asked for ID and was then refused as the lady said that my passport did not look like me. I was furious about this as I have lived in the same area, infact the same street, all my life.
I think it is absolutely disgusting and I felt like a criminal.
I fully intend to to send a complaint in writing.
Lucy | Aug 25, 2009 | Reply
I too am 28 and have had a similar experience both in Sainsburys and a local Tesco Express.
I had had the day from hell at work on a friday night and couldn\’t wait to get some cigarettes and trot off to the pub for a wind down pint.
The young boy behind the counter – clearly younger than me – asked me for ID, I told him I was 28 and had been shopping here for the last three years with no problem. He still refused. I then got a mate to come round who is 30, he served my mate his own cigarettes but refused him mine as he had already refused me. By this point I am on the verge of tears and only by luck did another shop assistant walk by who had served me in the past and opted to take responsibilty for me.
The boy behind the counter then told me how flattered I should be!!
I have worked for the last 11 years and had a mortgage for 8 years yet cigarettes and alcohol are suddenly out of my grasp!
My partner then went in a week later and was id\’d for alcohol. He is 33 and even if the lighting was bad and you needed glasses could never be mistaken for under 25 let alone under 18!
I understood perfectly the ruling for looking 21 and under but the new 25 rule is just penalising legal adults.
Blimmin ridiculous.
Malcolm | Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
I agree this under 25 policy is crazy. I keep getting asked all the time and am 26. Have a mortgage a car and cant buy alcohol or cigs without id. Been aked in a petrol station with the under 25 rule in the coop at Tesco. Am getting really really pissed off with it. Stupid goverment need to change the law put it back to the way it was 5-10 years ago. Cause now with the under 25 rule people up to 30 or even 35 are being asked and people want to look older now cause of this stupid rule. You need to look over 25 to everybody to have a peacefull life without being harrassed.
Aled | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
Here is a copy of a letter of complaint that I sent to Sainsburys this morning…
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to complain about my own and my girlfriend’s treatment at your Bridge of Dee store in Aberdeen on the 19th September 2009.
I am 34 years of age and my girlfriend is 26 years of age, we both are clearly not minors and definitely do not look like teenagers.
When we were at the checkout the girl clearly saw my girlfriend opt to pay for her goods separately instead of letting me pay the whole bill. She also heard me say that I would pick up the bill for the wine as it was the more expensive item and that she could pick up the bill for the pine colada. I was served with no problem at all, yet when my girlfriend entered the checkout she was challenged by your ridiculous challenge 25 rule even though she is clearly over 18 years of age and therefore legally entitled to buy alcohol.
She did not have any ID on her person and why should she? – This is not Nazi Germany that we are living in or is it???
When I offered to buy the drink I was then refused as I “could be supplying alcohol to a minor” – what kind of twisted logic is this at play? She clearly is not a minor, were they now accusing me of being paedophile?!
When I went to customer service, the girl there apologised for an obvious misinterpretation of the rules, yet her line manager regurgitated the same garbage.
This whole policy is badly administered and the training given to your staff is abysmal. The whole objective is to prevent the supply of alcohol to under aged drinkers not to embarrass and victimise innocent shoppers and members of the public.
I cannot adequately express in words how annoyed I am at our treatment in your store and no amount of flashy advertising is going to wipe away the memory of the event. You are tarnishing your brand and your credibility. When all of your grey haired shoppers are in care homes I expect you will be planning on relying on people like me to keep your business afloat – if I were you I would think long and hard about how you treat people in your stores……
Very annoyed,
Iain | Sep 24, 2009 | Reply
That is a highly ignorant statement. I work in a supermarket during the week in the evenings. I am currently studying for my degree in Law. My colleagues are mainly students of Engineering. We are intelligent people. We’ll still ask for proof of age if you look under 25! We could end up in front of a judge if we sell alcohol to someone under-age. The consequences for checkout workers are too great to risk making a mistake. People should recognise that this scheme is not a punishment, but a measure to ensure that people under the age of 18 are not sold alcohol or cigarettes. If you look under 25, carry your ID and you won’t have a problem. If you don’t want to carry ID, you won’t be served. I would rather send you away furious and lose your custom than end up in the dock!
K | Sep 30, 2009 | Reply
Does that apply for PG Films which I was challenged for and asked for ID even tho 25 lucky that i used to work there so was served it is common sense we are meant to think whether person is old enough same happened on lottery I think it just makes the cashier look stupid use your brain it’s not rocket science
Liam | Oct 5, 2009 | Reply
I completely agree with Iain. Yes CHALLENGE 25 can seem a little absurd at times, but it is common for young men under the age of 18 (especially with facial hair) to appear clearly over the age of 21. Moreover, the police often use these young people as part of so-called “sting” operations in an attempt to fool checkout staff. Infact ,a friend of mine failed a test purchase not 3 weeks ago- £80 fine, criminal record and a store fine of £3,000! Why is it so hard to keep your driving licence or passport on your person when buying restricted items? I work in my local co-op store to help me through my degree in a area populated with many students who, the majority, appear over the age of 21, yet produce ID before the transaction begins. It is only people who hold themselves in such high regard, like many who commented on this page (especially the lady who wrote the letter to sainsburys) who believe they hold the moral high-ground and believe they are above any such policies- which are in fact an attempt to deter underage drinking and anti-social behaviour which is plaguing our communities.The policy isnt designed to annoy the masses who do appear under 25, yet are clearly over the age of 18. It is designed to protect the staff who are generally good, hard-working people, prevent the little basterds putting your nans window in due to a night on “white-lighting”, and hinder the men and women who fuel such behaviour through underage purchasing. Please Give the checkout staff a break, open your eyes and produce some proper I.D!
Billy | Nov 5, 2009 | Reply
The trouble is that some staff have started applying the Challenge 25 sceme to items that are age 16 restricted. I went into my local Sainsbury’s to buy a lottery ticket and the woman on the checkout refused to serve me on the grounds I look younger than 25. I do look younger than 25 as I am 22, but I thought the sceme related to age 18 restricted items. I do think it ridiculous that people nearing 30 are being ID’d. All it needs is a bit of common sense. No person nearing 30 looks under 18. I would be really upset if I was Aled, if they said my girlfriend was under 18, they are basically calling me a paedophile.