Sainsbury's under-age policy
As we all know the age-limit on some items is 18, yet supermarkets seem to insist that "if you look under 21" then be prepared to provide ID. Now hey they're private businesses and can sell or not sell as they please. Saturday I poked my head in to grab a couple of items I couldn't pick up elsewhere and noted that even this limit has now increased - "If you look under 25".
Now 21 I can vaguely understand it's the next 'milestone' in life, but 25 just seems to be an arbitrary figure plucked from thin air.
Now as I've just said how they choose to do business is up to them, but my problem is that it seems so many people just don't know what the law is and with the number of changes, additions and the minor amendments adding to the mess it's not surprising. So I'm worried that many will see this indicator and think this is the norm; and if that happens it's only a matter of time before the moral groups and those concerned with the NHS 'burden' push to have the limit raised to 21 because 'that's what people think it is anyway'.
2 comments:
The choice of 25 is the Home Office's doing, and I can see why: it suits their political agenda to get people used to carrying proof of identity with them at all times. Why the shops have gone along with it I have no idea: it's not like the rate of convictions for mis-selling age-restricted products is high.
As a respectable 25-year-old, I was mildly shocked last month when I saw a nice, if pricey, set of steak knives in John Lewis and tried to buy them, only to be asked to prove my age by the schoolboy behind the counter. As I don't have a driving licence, I had no means of doing so, and left the shop empty-handed (but full-walleted).
I'm not really sure what controlling the sale of designer steak knives from John Lewis is supposed to achieve, other than lowering my opinion of their customer service. I was going to write them about it, but to be honest it's less hassle to just shop somewhere that takes these little fads less seriously.
Hmm interesting. Identity cards by the back door anyone?
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