33-Year-Old Tesco Shopper Refused Wine Sale Over Lack Of ID

Wed, 26 May 2010

 
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Supermarket giant Tesco has come under fire for barring a customer from buying wine because he couldn't prove he was over 18.

Shopper Jason Wilde, 33, tried buying a bottle of wine with fiancée Lorraine Thomas during their weekly shopping trip at the Bar Hill Tesco store in Cambridge.

However, the sales manager was refused the wine because he was unable to produce a valid form of identification when asked by an overzealous member of staff to prove his age.

Even his 29-year-old fiancée was prevented from making the purchase, despite showing her driving licence as proof of her age. Staff at the supermarket said they feared she could be buying alcohol for a minor.

The couple said they were left feeling humiliated and angry by the incident.

"When you’re buying £140 worth of shopping, then you’re hardly likely to be underage," Mr Wilde said. "It wasn’t like we were trying to buy six cans of dodgy cider either. It was one bottle of rosé wine ."

"My other half reluctantly produced her identification showing she was over 25, but we were told because we were together and I didn’t have any ID, we could not buy alcohol – even though I am 15 years over the legal age limit."

He added: "I think things have got a bit ridiculous. What happens if someone goes shopping with their two-year-old child? Will they be refused service because they might be buying alcohol for them?"

Commenting on the incident, a Tesco spokesman said: "We take our responsibility towards the sale of alcohol very seriously. We operate a strict Think 25 policy, meaning if someone looks under 25 and does not have identification to prove they are over 18, they will not be served alcohol in our stores."

"Additionally, if our staff suspect alcohol is being purchased for an underage person, the sale will also be refused."

Retailers caught selling alcohol to underage drinker's face a £10,000 fine and a three-month licence suspension. Other penalties include an £80 on-the-spot fine for staff involved in the sale of alcohol to minors.