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Legal age to be served

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wendilla | 18:36 Tue 04th Nov 2008 | Law
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My daughter wanted to purchase a bottle of Brandy. The assistant said he could not serve her if she didn't have any ID on her to prove she was over 25. She said You must be having a laugh I am 31. I thought the legal age was 18 .This happened in the Aldi supermarket here in England. Are they different from other supermarkets?
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I think each premises has the right to set their own criteria providing that they at least comply with the law in place.

A lot of places now are asking for ID for anyone who looks under a certain age eg 21 or 25.

If they have been asked and cannot provide ID to back up their age then they have the right to refuse to serve you as it's their licence at risk should they make an error and serve someone underage.

That's how it was when i worked in Somerfield years ago anyhow.

It can be really hard to tell, I have been ID'd for cigarettes a few times over the past few years and quiet recently and I turn 30 on Monday!
Question Author
thanks for reply it was just that I always thought it was 18.
That's the minimum legal age for a person to be served alcohol so no premises can go below that but they can set their own criteria how to make sure that they don't serve someone underage and risk losing their licence to serve alcohol.

As it can be so hard to tell ages it is tempting for them to put the onus on the buyer being able to prove they are the correct age than the onus being on them to decide if someone is over age or not.

Could you tell the difference between someone who is one day over 18 or one day under? The difference is a day or so but in the law's eyes one is legal, one is not.

I make sure I carry ID on me eg driving licence so I can prove my age if I need to. I personally don't mind the additional checks as they're trying to be responsible and prevent underage kids having access to alcohol.
There's been plenty of press publicity lately about some supermarkets refusing to serve anyone at all, and I mean ANYONE, without ID as they feel it's discriminatory to insist on it for some and not others. There was a big article about a pensioner who was refused service because he didn't have id.

It is at the end of the day up to the shop to set their own policy and they can ask for id of people who might look u25 if they want.
I would tell your daughter to be pleased that she looks so young!!!!!!!!!
I wish someone would ask me for ID!
sara ... could I see some ID please ?

=0D
They probably will serve 18 year olds, but to make it easier for the cashiers they say to ask for ID for anyone who looks under 25.

In Florida you can't drink under 21, and I was asked for ID when I was 34! It would have been funny, except I was gagging for a beer.
awhh, thanks Jayne!

I'll show you mine if....... ;o)
=0d
Oh poo. That was meant to be a ...

=0D
you're sounding like me now!

how was your meeting?
I really hate London, sara. I hotfooted it back to B as soon as I could, and by mid afternoon I was tucked away in a local pub with a late lunch and a bottle of Savvy B.

yeah, I kinda hate it too.. and it's my home town :o/

hope it went well anyways. I'm off to bed now.. night night x
Yeah, it went well thanx.

And ... night xxx
Question Author
Thank you all for your replies .yes she felt great that the assistant thought she was under 25..The reason I asked this was because I thought it was 18 to be served.
I was asked for id once. I am 45 with gray hair and an old looking face.

25 is a good age to have for proof of age as the look of (the majority) under 25s are pretty similar but after this age life kicks in and we start to look lived in.

The point isn't "you can't tell one day under from or one day over 18" as that is blatently obvious but most idiots could tell the difference from someone who is well over 30 and definatly 45 from someone who was under 25.

I have worked with people with learning difficulties and they could spot a 30yr old from someone under 25 without too much thought.

I have even known of pensioners asked for id madness gone even madder

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