Why are so many mundane items age-restricted in this country?
Posted by Sufficient_Role2327@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 241 comments
So yesterday I was ID'd at Tesco buying cutlery (knives and forks). I'm aware the law says it's illegal to sell knives to under-18s, but in practice it seems like every supermarket I've been in has asked for ID for all eating utensils and for things like whisks. I also get ID'd just for buying shaving razors (the perks of being babyfaced š ). I'm in my mid-20s and I don't think I remember it being this strict when I was a teenager.
This seems quite weird to me because I don't think of these things as necessarily "adult" things like alcohol or tobacco where there's no benefit to kids and teens having access to them. These are basic household supplies and grooming products. Even knives have valid uses other than stabbing people!
The main reason I'm asking this is because my understanding is that it's possible to move out from 16, but how does that work if you're still considered too young to buy basic household supplies? I'm imagining a situation where a 16 year old needs these things but doesn't know anyone old enough to buy them for them. Unlikely, but not impossible.
NuttyMcNutbag@reddit
Got IDed once for buying a plastic chopping board.
Codeworks@reddit
Age related laws and restrictions are, frankly, idiotic.
You can join the army before you can legally buy grand theft auto.
You can leave home and live alone, but not buy a bread knife.
Non-Combatant@reddit
Knives do have a valid use other than stabbing, but you can still go stabbing.
Greedy-Copy3629@reddit
It's so ridiculously easy to get your hands on something that can be used for stabbing.
These laws are just nonsensical, it's all theatre.
Just the act of walking to the shop is a higher barrier of entry for a budding stabber than about a dozen other ways to equip themselves for the task at hand.
Prevention is absolutely the right avenue, but whichever window licker thought "let's ban sharp things" was a legitimate means of prevention should be stripped of responsibility and put in charge of dusting the ceiling.
Non-Combatant@reddit
Knives aren't banned. They're ages restricted and you can doss about in public with one without a good reason.
Greedy-Copy3629@reddit
These policies are designed for optics, not reducing knife crime.
It doesn't even restrict access to knives in any meaningful way, like a lot of lazy legislation it manages to make life more difficult for innocent people without actually hindering criminals.
Non-Combatant@reddit
If you say so.
Willing-Umpire990@reddit
it is true though, knife bans do nothing to prevent access for criminals, only innocent people are harmed
Non-Combatant@reddit
Yes, criminals typically don't care about breaking laws that isn't a big revelation.
So you think if everyone was carrying a blade for self defense we'd have less knife crime?
Willing-Umpire990@reddit
I never said that did I?
Limiting sale & having severe restrictions doesn't reduce knife crime is what I am saying.
The only way to prevent the crime is to target the causes, and the government has done nothing to address the causes.
Non-Combatant@reddit
Lol ok š¤£
Willing-Umpire990@reddit
Exactly, what dumb school kid doesn't have access to power tools at school to make a nice big sharp stabbing tool if they wanted?
Impossible-Tune-9020@reddit
Username doesnāt check out?
Non-Combatant@reddit
Ok?
FelisCantabrigiensis@reddit
You're going to have trouble stabbing anyone with a typical table (not steak) knife.
My steel ruler (from the stationery department) has a much sharper edge than my table knives.
Willing-Umpire990@reddit
Considering how dumb teenagers are these days, I am glad they are age restricting whisks.....
But things have changed, 30 years ago it was common for kids to have pen knives at school. now schools have metal detectors..
Flaramon@reddit
In 2004 I got ID'd in ASDA for a PG-12 DVD. I was 18.
Didn't have any ID on me. Left without the film. Customer behind me was laughing maniacally at the ridiculousness of my confrontation with the cashier.
kod14kbear@reddit
I got IDd for a PG film when I was 18! I genuinely thought the woman was joking and I said āyou caught me, iām not 8ā but she was completely stone faced and said āI should refuse the sale for thatā
7148675309@reddit
Sheās stupid. Thereās no legal age limit for a PG.
clutchingdryhands@reddit
Thatās a bit harsh. If a product flags up on the till as an age restricted product (and most shops will require their workers to ID anyone who looks under 21/25 on these products), then the shop worker should follow procedure and ask for ID if they deem appropriate. The consequences of failing a real secret shopper test can be serious, so itās understandable why workers would want to follow their training to the letter here, even if it does make them look a bit āstupidā.
7148675309@reddit
Again - there is no minimum age limit to in the law to go to a PG movie or buy a PG DVD.
clutchingdryhands@reddit
Iām not disputing that. Youāre absolutely right that it is stupid that the system flags this product as age restricted and therefore requires the shop worker scanning it to follow their training and ask for ID. The shop worker would have just been following her training, so calling HER stupid rather than the product system itself is rather unfair. Who knows, she or another colleague might have recently failed a Think25 check, and would have therefore been on high alert.
DaZhuRou@reddit
I got ID'd in Asda for buying Pork shoulder and a Pillow.... was first day back to uni, in 2008.
I held up that queue for a good 30mins at the ridiculousness.... demanding he explain why, and for the manager to come out. He stuck to his ground that he has the right to ID anyone.... "but why, for a pillow & pork?... thus feels very targeted, is it because im not white? ... you didnt stop my 2 friends who are buying alcohol and solvents and are white"
Eventually manager came out, and you could tell on her face this was a ridiculous stop.... Long story short, I was rewarded a Ā£50 Asda voucher on top of the pork & pillow for the inconvenience and mistake. Ā£50 goes quite far as a uni student so I was happy.
I returned the next week and went to the same guys till. He recognised me... he did not ask for my ID.
chronicmelancholic@reddit
I get ID'd for cough syrup which doesn't contain alcohol if that matters. You need to be 16 to buy the product but either look +25 or have ID. Absolutely maddening when I've dragged my sniffly butt all the way to the shop and then be refused when I've forgotten my ID.
Also been refused for buying gardening trowels and a sewing kit (because it contained a ridiculously small pair of scissors, maybe 4cm long blades)
Sufficient_Role2327@reddit (OP)
That one sort of makes sense because you can get high by overdosing on cough medicine (ones with certain ingredients at least). Not that I'm speaking from personal experience, of course...
7148675309@reddit
I remember being in my early 20s and buying Gladiator on DVD. It was a 15 and I was asked for ID. I pointed out I was paying with a credit card and therefore I was old enough to buy the DVD. I left with the DVD.
Robtimus_prime89@reddit
I had something similar. I used to work at Sainsburyās, and was buying a DVD after work which was a 12. The person on the checkout wouldnāt sell it to me, until the supervisor pointed out to them that on all likelihood I was over 12
Ruu2D2@reddit
God I had it for 3+ game š¤¦š»āāļøš¤¦š»āāļøš¤¦š»āāļø
thatscotbird@reddit
I used to work with someone like this
InconvenientPenguin@reddit
It's easier for a shop, especially a big one, to flag a category of products rather than individual products. As long as the person entering the inventory into the system gets the category correct, then it will flag as age restricted. Whereas if the person had to flag each product then there is a greater risk that they get it wrong and it doesn't flag as age restricted.
Therefore 'cutlery' gets flagged even if that is a spoon.
GrumpyOldFart74@reddit
Exactly the same reason an ID gets triggered when you buy non-alcoholic beer. Just the entire department is flagged.
Imherebecausebored@reddit
Thatās actually intentional. Gov considers it alcohol because of the very low % of 0.5 for āalcohol freeā and 0.05 for āzero alcoholā that they contain. It also adds that allowing minors access to low alcohol products will encourage them switch to full alcohol drinks when they can.
Source: licensee
ThurstonSonic@reddit
Bananas are about 0.5% alcohol, bread can be like 1.2% and soy sauce is about 2% ā¦.
Imherebecausebored@reddit
Crazy right? Loads of food has more alcohol than low abv beer. Our laws are just odd.
SheepherderBorn7326@reddit
Why are you pretending that a pack of bananas will build the same habits as a kid drinking low alcohol/alcohol free beers?
ThurstonSonic@reddit
Shandy Bass had booze in it and all the kids drank it from like the 70ās until just recently it didnāt create generations of drunks - and it tasted like beer.
SheepherderBorn7326@reddit
Kids from the 70s are in fact exactly one of the generations of problematic drinking culture in the UK, thanks for proving my point
Imherebecausebored@reddit
Iām notā¦ Did you read my post above?
SheepherderBorn7326@reddit
Replied to the wrong person, Iām smart
Ydrahs@reddit
Difficult to down a pint of soy sauce though.
squesh@reddit
Challenge accepted
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Don't let tiktok see this comment
Different-Estate747@reddit
Nah, let them chug it by the vat and let the sodium overdose take care of the rest.
Nothingdoing079@reddit
Wouldn't be the stupidest thing done on til tok with soy sauce
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-users-dipping-testicles-in-soy-sauce-to-taste-it-2020-1%3famp
SillyStallion@reddit
Mmm banana bread home brew!
OddPerspective9833@reddit
Don't give the government any ideas
SuspiciouslyMoist@reddit
The licensing act does not consider stuff under 0.5% as alcohol, and as such it can be sold to minors.
Source: the licensing act 2003 section 191.
The most recent government guidelines encourage retailers not to sell low alcohol products to children whist acknowledging that such sales are legal. They suggest that trade bodies and retailers have codes and/or guidelines prohibiting the sales of these products to minors.
cardozoeagles@reddit
Yet, strangely enough, kids can drink, quite often the highest abv beverage in a pub.....Angostura bitters
RedditSaltedCrisps@reddit
So what you're saying is it's right that we get ID'd? UnbelievableĀ
paulmclaughlin@reddit
The government doesn't consider it alcohol, its the self appointed challenge 25 people who have set that recommendation
Ballbag94@reddit
Is this a new change? When it existed Shandy Bass was sold in the soft drink aisle, didn't require ID, and was 0.5% alcohol
jimicus@reddit
Nah, the person you're replying to is mistaken. 0.5% is just fine to sell to anyone.
The booze industry has taken the conscious decision to "encourage" supermarkets to only sell alcohol free beer to over-18s, but that's not a legal requirement.
EdmundTheInsulter@reddit
That's odd cos Barr fizzy shandy used to contain real beer and was .5%alcohol, all available as a soft drink
jimicus@reddit
Licensing and IDs is a mess of legislation, industry-sponsored "best practises" (such as "Challenge 25" - these aren't law, but are followed by all the major supermarkets), store policies and training which frequently conflates all of this.
The upshot is whenever the subject comes up, you get people who got their training mixed up insisting "the law says....". They're often mistaken, but if it's Wetherspoon policy you're just as sacked if you don't follow that while working behind the bar.
jimicus@reddit
You clearly donāt know the law very well then.
Legally: you are flat out wrong. Alcohol free beer could in theory be sold as freely as mineral water.
Practically: the drinks industry knows damn well what would happen if they did. Rather than invite investigation and changes to the law, they have voluntarily decided to treat it as alcoholic for ID purposes.
Hour-Salamander-4713@reddit
It's the same in South Africa, alcohol free beers and ciders are banned for sale to under 18s.
Deaquire88@reddit
"You clearly don't know the law very well". Okaaaaaaaaay
jimicus@reddit
He doesnāt. The exact wording of the law is very clear, and it isnāt āanything with even a measurable amount of alcoholā.
If it was, youād need ID to buy a loaf of bread.
spider__@reddit
A better example would be bitter shandy which contains beer and is 0.5% and yet has no age restriction in supermarkets because it's in the pop section.
Marble-Boy@reddit
My dad was an alcoholic. After his alcoholism put him in a coma, he was told by every doctor he saw that he could not drink non alcoholic beer because it still had alcohol in it and would continue to destroy his liver.
Mineral water doesn't have alcohol in, so your comparison is a terrible one.
You do not know what you're talking about.
jimicus@reddit
Sorry to hear about your dad.
Nevertheless, the law is very clear:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/17/section/191
If itās less than 0.5%, it doesnāt count for legal reasons.
Imherebecausebored@reddit
I never said it whether it was legal. I said it was intentional.
Itās still classed as alcohol even if a minor can buy it legally, but as an industry itās generally been agreed that it wont be because the cons outweigh the pros.
Unlikely-Check-3777@reddit
Lmao check this guy out.
"Well, actually..." š
EliteCakeMan@reddit
Not true, Shandy Bass has 0.5%< of alcohol and can be bought by anyone, whenever.
I loved it when i was 12.
Quick-Oil-5259@reddit
What about top deck?
Sufficient_Role2327@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I'm actually fine with non-alcoholic drinks being age restricted. It's problematic for the same reason those candy cigarettes you used to get were problematic. It can easily come across as the shop promoting underage drinking.
Delts28@reddit
Also the same reason why things like Shaoxing Rice Wine can be missed despite being 15%. It's not in the alcohol section, it's usually stocked in the ethnic foods aisle and therefore doesn't always get flagged by shops.
LogicalMeerkat@reddit
Plus that would be an absolutely awful way to get drunk and expensive.
Queenoftheunicorns93@reddit
Iād rather drink the rice wine that whatever swill wine my local pub served me.
SeveAddendum@reddit
Besides, why do that when you can just grab a bottle of plonk and toss it on whateve is cooking
Vertigo_uk123@reddit
But not shandy which has more alcohol than the alcohol free beer
fr-spodokomodo@reddit
Who knows, you might be going to cut someone's heart out with the spoon.
HotRabbit999@reddit
But why a spoon cousin?
fr-spodokomodo@reddit
Because it'll hurt more!
hullocanuhear@reddit
I have once cut myself with a spoon while washing it up so the threat is real
InconvenientPenguin@reddit
It would be a much better news headline...
ClassicalCoat@reddit
Man caught spooning the spoons in spoons this afternoon
Reportedly blood was drawn, causing swoons
Traditional-Key5784@reddit
Don't forget spooning can lead to forking
Queenoftheunicorns93@reddit
So always use a condimentā¦
Traditional-Key5784@reddit
Saucy
MRRichAllen1976@reddit
The scariest thing in McDonald's is the price of a coffee IMO.
wildskipper@reddit
Not so much the price but the taste that accompanies that price.
MRRichAllen1976@reddit
To be fair they do make it rather strong
hullocanuhear@reddit
I see youāve played knifey-spooney before
bopeepsheep@reddit
Anyone not scared of a spoon hasn't seen Utopia.
Banditofbingofame@reddit
Of the internet behind the Sheriff of Nottingham in the prince of thieves
Trivius@reddit
Poor Wilson Wilson
cupboardee@reddit
How???
hullocanuhear@reddit
I was running my thumb around the edge of the spoon while washing up and it was sharp enough to cut the skin on my thumb joint. I guess it was a cheap spoon
Effective-Fix5456@reddit
The real threat isn't the stainless steel spoons it's those darn plastic ones, after breaking one in the sink almost taking the tip of a finger off my bathroom looked like a murder scene thankfully my DPD delivery guy checks in on me when he's delivering on my street and hasn't had a delivery for my house for over a week. Him rapping the door like the drug squad woke me up after I passed out on the bathroom floor, I then panicked on seeing the blood splatter in the bath and on the floor and thought I'd finally snapped with my worse than feral gremlins and done a Kate and Gerry McCann so my fantasy of living rent free and having meals Cooked for me and instead of bing my kids bitch I could have my own bitch in my cell to satisfy my every need
HIP13044b@reddit
This explains why wilco IDed me for a pack of dessert spoons...
Mog_X34@reddit
I've posted a similar thing before - when the merchandisers are setting up the product attributes and the category is one of the restricted ones (cutlery, alcohol etc), the over 18 flag gets automatically set. They do have the option to override this for the spoon or whisk type of items at that point, but they usually don't bother.
EmeraldJunkie@reddit
I used to work at a clothing store and one Valentines Day we stocked a set of lingerie that came in a box with a nail grooming kit (the idea being it was everything you needed for a valentine's evening) but the kit was age restricted as it came with nail polish and polish remover.
Afterwards, the company decided to split the set and used the old code for just the lingerie on its own. Queue the tills then asking us to ID check women for buying a bra and knickers.
InconvenientPenguin@reddit
This is the problem with business - you've got the perfect mix of "get it done fast" combined with "I don't care about my job". The end result is "fix it fast... it's probably IT's fault".
evenstevens280@reddit
Which is why I got ID'd for buying a filling knife from Wickes
Kaiisim@reddit
Also - false labeling items as needing ID has next to no effect.
Failing to ID check legally required items is a crime on the other hand.
InconvenientPenguin@reddit
Next to no effect apart from having the self-checkout flag it up and get an assistant over to confirm my age. If it didn't flag it I could easily just pay and go.
BuildingArmor@reddit
The 10 seconds of staff time is the next to no effect they're referring to.
It's a wildly different effect if they were to sell age restricted items to underage people.
CigarsofthePharoahs@reddit
Sounds like when the shop I used to work for changed all their systems. Someone went through the product list and tagged anything with the word "glue" for an ID check.
So... PVA Glue? Check. Glue dots, check. Glue spreaders, check. Glue on googly eyes, check.
Spraymount? No check. Epoxy resin? No check. Spraypaint, Airfix kits... yeah, that was a fun few weeks before it got sorted.
Informal_Marzipan_90@reddit
Because the country is run by bed wetters.
PipBin@reddit
Never in my life have I been IDd to buy anything. I was served in pubs from about 15 in the late 80s when no one cared. I guess all my years of looking under age or young happened before things were so strict.
cheese_fancier@reddit
As someone who got ID'd buying a meat thermometer in my mid 40s I'm completely with you.
Snoo_said_no@reddit
I moved out at 16 and every so often I needed to corner an older friend
Matches, particularly the long "cooks" one were a constant bother. (I had a weird gas hob/oven with the grill above and those long matches were the only way to get it working as the ignition button didn't work. The short lighters would just burn your thumb, and the long ones always went walkies when I had friends over!
Weirdly I never had much trouble getting baccy or alcohol! Or lighters But that was generally brought from little corner shops or off-licences.not supermarkets where there was more robust policies in place.
Some things would be fine. I had no issue buying a knife block with a set of knives in. But recall going to like 4 supermarkets before one would sell me a pizza cutter.
Buying a marker pen beat me! And I gave up and asked a friend to bring one over! š
BEEPITYBOOK@reddit
Age 23 trying to buy paracetamol while in abject and visible pain -no sorry you don't have ID to show you're over 16. I know I looked over 21
bloodsoakedgown@reddit
I had this same situation with sudofed and lemsip. I was really poorly and in a lot of pain and they wanted ID (Iām 29 lol) I practically begged them to sell it me and they took pity thankfully as I had no ID on me
BEEPITYBOOK@reddit
I'm so glad they let you have it
sad_drop66@reddit
getting idād for energy drinks. i get it for children and young teens but im 21š
bloodsoakedgown@reddit
Donāt feel bad Iām 29 and got IDād for a can of monster the other week lol
Mistabushi_HLL@reddit
Best ones are the pain killers.
Went to Tesco and grabbed 4 packs, my mom wanted two ad my partner two as well.
Self checkout beeped, limited to two per customer. Assistant came in and said only twoā¦unless Iāll scan them again as āa new customerā š¤£
saladinzero@reddit
No, that makes sense to me. The purpose is to dissuade acutely distressed people from buying lots of paracetamol or similar to kill themselves, and forcing them to have to speak to someone helps to put up a barrier to that. You being (presumably) of sound mind sees it as mildly ridiculous, but someone who's in a state looking for a way to harm themselves will have a different perspective on the interaction.
nicko365@reddit
I got pulled up in Tesco once for buying 2 bottles of infant calpol and a bottle of calprofen.
saladinzero@reddit
It's anything that contains paracetamol. You could poison yourself by drinking Calpol.
nicko365@reddit
Calprofen doesn't contain any paracetamol, though.
saladinzero@reddit
I suspect the reason they do that is to stop people buying more paracetamol but scanning a packet of ibuprofen instead.
legalmac@reddit
People in depressive states can have disordered thinking, yes. People who then make a conscious decision to harm themselves often become more upbeat and cheerful. They plan, they organise how they will do it. Artificial limitations mean nothing when you buy two packs from the supermarket and another two from the corner shop and another two from the petrol station etc, etc.... it is performative. Sad, but not really needed restrictions just so that we can be seen to be doing "something" even if it is actually useless in most real terms.
Of more note should be why on earth a 15 year old lassie shouldn't be able to buy a pack of ibuprofen along with her period products? SMH....
DoomPigs@reddit
Making it more inconvenient to kill yourself absolutely means something lol, if someone is properly determined then they're going to do it anyway, the idea is to go for people who aren't particularly determined, which is probably the large majority of suicidal people. You could say maybe on their way around the shops they'd run into someone who's nice to them or see something that brightens their day up a bit, it doesn't take much to get people to think "maybe another day"
eudyptara@reddit
But they did find it reduced the rates though?
7148675309@reddit
Iāll always remember that episode of Jimmyās (probably 1987 ish) when the man was on the guerney, had taken over 50 paracetamols and so knew he was going to die.
Mistabushi_HLL@reddit
You know what, never thought of that in this way. Thanks
ConfectionCommon3518@reddit
I've seen people who have moved over to Germany and suddenly get asked basically are you at that time of the month and if not will refuse the sales you don't need it at that precise moment
7148675309@reddit
Then you lie. They arenāt asking you to drop your trousers.
HotRabbit999@reddit
Have you been to Germany? They donāt lie to officials, even supermarket ones
7148675309@reddit
Yes I have - and one of my grandmas was German.
prettyinpink0@reddit
Thatās so odd that they recommended that you do that. Iāve worked in both sainsburys and aldi and both stores have a two pack policy. If someone tries to come around again to do a new transaction for more we have to deny them.
7148675309@reddit
Itās a bit ridiculous. If someone wants to kill themselves this isnt going to stop them.
zonaa20991@reddit
My brother tried to buy 2 packs of paracetamol and a pack of ibuprofen, they wouldnāt sell it to him even with ID. He was also buying fairy liquid and washing powder, his incredulous āIām not going to top myself just after doing a wash am Iā was met with stony faced glares
snorbear@reddit
I got IDād for a 20kg bag of lump charcoal at b&q
LAR1998@reddit
Get some ID & stop complaining
gogmagog876@reddit
I bought nail clippers online, yodel wanted i.d before handing over the parcel!
Agreeable_Fig_3713@reddit
Iām older than you but thatās basically the situation that exists. A lot of my friends kids move away for college or vocational training into halls or whatever at sixteen and theyāve got to get someone to buy their kitchen utensils.Ā
snoobobbles@reddit
I once got ID'd for a magnet strip used to hold knives
We think it's weird too
Practical-Custard-64@reddit
Unless you definitely look over 25, they will still ID check you. Even then, you're still at the mercy of an overzealous employee.
I've been asked for ID to buy alcohol before now. I'm in my late 50s with grey hair and a full, mostly white beard.
edthesmokebeard@reddit
"Those who will trade freedom for security will lose both, and gain neither". Benjamin Franklin
Briggykins@reddit
I don't know if he ever said that but it's a ridiculous quote. Everyone trades freedom for security and always has.
Top-Childhood5030@reddit
I was buying my dad a bottle of whiskey for father's day, had my kids with me. Whilst queuing a friend of mine appeared and we had a quick chat. I rejoined the queue and they would t sell me the whiskey without his ID and my eldest son... Who was 8...
Sufficient_Role2327@reddit (OP)
The cherry on top in your case is that it's not actually illegal for a parent to give their child alcohol if they're over five, so the entire basis for them refusing you the sale (that you might give it to your kid later) was a nonsense.
SCATOL92@reddit
It's mad. My 13 year old was out with friends and got her period. She borrowed a pad from a friend and went to tesco to get some ibuprofen and was refused sale.
She ended up having to call me to pick her up from town rather than getting the bus home because her cramps were really bad.
Apparently the legal age for painkillers is 16. I'm sure this wasn't the case when I was a teenager.
paulmclaughlin@reddit
There is no legal age for any medicine. But some shops still flag them up because the organisation that runs challenge 25 makes up rules and pretends that it is the law.
Ruu2D2@reddit
I remember it being case. Resembling my mother alwwy having to get mine
Think it to stop od
atlan7291@reddit
The government just wanted to appear to do something. If someone wants to get a knife they can, cutlery drawer, steal it.
No-eye-dear-who-I-am@reddit
Went to buy everything we thought our 19 year old grandson would need as he was heading off to uni. We had a mountain of stuff going through the checkout, that was until a single cutlery set came to the front.
We'll need id for him, pointing at our grandson behind us. Why I asked he's not buying I am. Don't care came the stroppy reply, no id, no sale.
No problem you can keep it all and left. It was partly because of her attitude, but mainly at the stupid need for id just because our grandson had accompanied us.
LoveBeBrave@reddit
Makes sense though, given you were buying the knives for him.
Millerized@reddit
Not even allowed to purchase in the presence of someone who might not be old enough... facepalm
Aconite_Eagle@reddit
We are not a serious country.
ConnieMarbleIndex@reddit
because the government is too lazy to solve problems
Soft_Rip4605@reddit
Just lazy companies covering their arse legally.
manufan1992@reddit
Itās less nanny-state and more organisations wanting to protect themselves from spurious civil cases being raised against them.Ā
Fit_General7058@reddit
Because they are weapons in the wrong hands. How is that not obvious?
InfinityEternity17@reddit
How's someone gonna use cutlery as a weapon lmao
Ecstatic_Food1982@reddit
El Casa de Papel has someone being mutilated with a fork. You can do damage with one.
Elegant-Passion2199@reddit
People are also strangled to death by bare hands. By that logic, you should also have to show ID to be able to use your arms in public.Ā
stewieatb@reddit
Except in America, where there's the right to bear arms.
SugarAny3190@reddit
You still need ID for your own human arms tho.
Elegant-Passion2199@reddit
I remember there was an image of Thomas The Tank Engine cutlery set for children. It had a sticker "No ID, no sale"Ā
Sufficient_Role2327@reddit (OP)
They can be used as a weapon, but so can a lot of things. The vast majority of people who are buying them will have a legitimate need for them.
Knives aren't like guns, they aren't designed mainly for killing things. Fun fact: There's no lower age limit for having a firearms certificate. Oh, I'll do you one better: In the UK there's no minimum age to apply for a shotgun certificate. At one point the youngest license holder according to the UK government itself was only 8 years old and that was only last year!
iight1234@reddit
is it not sad to have such a sick society where this needs to be done.. i think thats the real problem
Elegant-Passion2199@reddit
I left the UK, now live in Romania and I can buy a pair of scissor without showing ID. Our crime rate is still lower than yours.Ā
Elegant-Passion2199@reddit
A sausage roll can also be a weapon because you can force it on someone and they might choke. By that logic, you should need ID to buy food.
nl325@reddit
Everything's a weapon if you're bold enough.
Wotsit dust? I'm causing DAMAGE.
Quark1946@reddit
A hammer is objectively a superior weapon and has no restriction.
bajingofannycrack@reddit
I tried to buy a paint stripper a few years ago and they wouldnāt let me have it because I had no idā¦I was 45ā¦
je97@reddit
Because this country is shit scared of young people making their own choices.
Formal-Apartment7715@reddit
These self checkouts are ridiculous!!! Got flagged when buying Wine Gums at Sainsbury's - no alcohol just sweets
Ruu2D2@reddit
Tbf I use to think as kid they were alcoholic š¤¦š»āāļø
FreyjaHjordis@reddit
I got IDād for cashing in scratch cards I bought from the same woman the week before š
Iām almost 30, I had my car keys in my hand, tattoos on my armā¦ and she served me the scratch cards herself without IDing me š¤·š»āāļø probably not as mundane but still funny to me!
simplespell27@reddit
In the hospital I work in, the WH smith only has self check outs and it flags as an ID check for anything containing caffeine which you can imagine, keeps them busy!
Ruu2D2@reddit
Oh God poor staff š¢ can't image how awkward that is with caffin addicted staff
homelaberator@reddit
Yeah, I'm dubious of the whole thing. Especially the way in practice it becomes overly broad. It seems more like pretending to do something.
__Game__@reddit
A bit like an ASBO
Ecstatic_Food1982@reddit
Not sure why you're getting downvoted for this, everyone knew ASBOs were a farce.
__Game__@reddit
Reddit hive mind I guess lol
Banditofbingofame@reddit
Corporate risk strategy.
'cant blame us, we are overly cautious and checked 120% of IDs for all knife products, the problem is society'
bjb13@reddit
Like many of the security procedures at airports.
East_Speech_9979@reddit
cant buy bailies cream either. incase you drink 4l of the stuff, after spending Ā£30 to get to like 2 units and get a very mild buzz before you have a heart attack.
Hot_Wonder6503@reddit
I was ID'ed for lemsips at 6am in a supermarket once dying of COVID. I was 27 with a full beard but didn't have ID and felt so defeated by the experience.
I honestly felt like coughing in the woman's face.
sanityunavailable@reddit
Iām in my 30s. Iāve had two Tesco delivery drivers ID me and one ask if my parents are in.
I donāt drink, but I enjoy alcohol free beer in Summer.
harrybambalos@reddit
I took my great Aunt who is 93 shopping and she was asked for ID when buying a pair of scissors. The lad serving her claimed that they ALWAYS have to see proof of age for purchases of sharp objects. My aunt lifted up her skirt to point out the scars from having both knees replaced and asked him if that helped prove that she wasnāt a child.
Pedantichrist@reddit
Safety or plastic disposable razors are exempt the age restriction.
Greedy-Copy3629@reddit
Safety razors have a removable blade, if anything they're easier to utilise as a weapon than a disposable razor. (Not that either really could)
Can't say I like the idea of shaving with a plastic blade though, sounds painful.
Pedantichrist@reddit
Plastic disposable razors have metal blades. Bic are the style.
Safety razors are both the replaceable whole blades that were called safety razors when I was young, as they replaced cut throat razors, but also a razor blade permanently enclosed in a cartridge or housing where less than 2mm is exposed).
This is cumulative, so if it is a 3 blade cartridge with 1mm on each then they still are no good.
Greedy-Copy3629@reddit
Ah, I get you!
What's with the cumulative rule? Surely more blades means it would be safer due to increased surface area?Ā
Not that you make the regulations...
Pedantichrist@reddit
It is all silly. When I were a lad I had to carry a knife at school, like a good boy.
Delicious-Cut-7911@reddit
got ID for lawn turf - 1000's blades of grass
Ginger_Tea@reddit
Blades.
Well there's your answer right there.
nepeta19@reddit
That... was... the... joke.
Ginger_Tea@reddit
I got that after my morning coffee.
nepeta19@reddit
I know that feeling!
pocahontasjane@reddit
Blades of grass...
Puss-Kat@reddit
Well youāre obviously blowing things up.
aidanmacgregor@reddit
The stupid one for me was, move into my own home at 16, Firelighters coz don't want to freeze this winter? nah ID needed!
Ruu2D2@reddit
Before I got with my husband. I just carried my passport everywhere as it was easier. Being 4 "8 people wold I'd me for everything
Even food shopping we would get question whether he buying alcohol for me as we had cooking wine
I got winkles and grey hair and clear mums body š¤¦š»āāļø
If it anything what could be I'd I get my husband get it when I'm not there know
saeranluver@reddit
who IDs for razors š
BlueFlameCanon@reddit
I moved out when I was 17 and was refused the sale of cutlery, and that was about 15 years ago. Using plastic cutlery sucked.
rumbusiness@reddit
Charity shops are your friend. Bit late now I suppose.
BlueFlameCanon@reddit
Oh man that would have been great to know! Thank you
rumbusiness@reddit
It's not about being 'baby faced'. I regularly got ID'd into my early 40s and I'm not 'baby faced' at all.
CouldStopShouldStop@reddit
We once got ID'd for buying a screwdriver. And when I tried to order Christmas crackers online, I had to send them a photo of my ID first. I find that absolutely insane about the UK.
Mister_Mints@reddit
I was ID'd when buying teaspoons in Tesco once.
If I had been a bit quicker witted it could've been the perfect setup for a game of Knifey Spoony
MrsLibido@reddit
I was ID'd when I bought teaspoons and fabric softener. When the notification popped up on the screen I thought "ah, it's the teaspoons" but nope - it was the fabric softener š
BroodLord1962@reddit
It's the massive jump in knife crime that has lead to this. Anything with a blade now requires ID
Reactance15@reddit
It seems ridiculous that, should you be made to live on your own at 16 or 17, you can't buy the items needed to consume food, scissors for many different needs, or glue to fix things etc.
glasgowgeg@reddit
We have exemptions in Scotland so 16-17 year olds can buy cutlery and kitchen knifes.
"In Scotland, youāre allowed to sell 16 and 17 year olds cutlery and kitchen knives"
PostProper1940@reddit
Me and my fiancĆ© got ID'd in B&M for glue a while back, we had two kids with us and he has a full man beard and she wouldn't give it us. So we went outside for 5, went back in to a different checkout and bought the glue no issues. Common sense is also expected in the ID'ing process š¤¦š»āāļø
yourmomsajoke@reddit
I moved out at 16 and had to get a mate to buy garden shears for me š it can be ridiculous.
Sufficient_Role2327@reddit (OP)
This was exactly the situation I was envisioning when I wrote my post. Until very recently you used to be able to get married at 16 as well. Utterly ludicrous situation.
FuckedupUnicorn@reddit
You can get married but not make a sandwich .
Elegant-Passion2199@reddit
It's hard for the UK to beat the YOU HAVE A LOICENCE FOR THAT MATE memes when you need ID just to buy cutlery.
Hell, I even remember getting ID'd at Tesco for a small pink pair of scissors š
Greedy-Copy3629@reddit
It's a pretty legitimate jab tbf, the UK is pretty ridiculous sometimes.
Z0mb3rrry@reddit
I got asked for ID in B&M for a trowel when I was 29. Had a whole trolley full of other gardening things.
smushs88@reddit
Conversely, the last few times Iāve purchased headache tablets and used the self checkouts Iāve not had an ID check pop up.
Go figure.
SourdoughBoomer@reddit
Itās for safety and I understand it. But it does feel a little pointless when realising all of things are purchasable online and youāll face no ID requirement.
Reasonable-Horse1552@reddit
It's the system that flags it up not the cashier.
Sufficient_Role2327@reddit (OP)
Oh, I don't blame the cashiers at all. They're just doing their job, after all. It's the system itself that's daft
Robtimus_prime89@reddit
When I was at Sainsburyās, Dr Pepper would come up as age restricted (but I think it was only the 500ml bottles)
MRRichAllen1976@reddit
Every year in late October, I buy Dad a bottle of Whisky from Tesco for his birthday, and for the last 3 years running I've got ID'd, even though I'm over 40 and even clean shaven look considerably over 25.
The woman who ID'd me last year knew me as we used to work with each other back when I was on a placement from College in Netto from October 1996 to July 1997.
I used to buy the Official Xbox Magazine until they stopped doing cover discs, I used to get ID'd for that an' all! Since when's a gaming mag age rated?! Especially when in those days I was mid to late 20s and mostly looked it.
Ecstatic_Food1982@reddit
Blimey, Netto. What were you doing on a placement there?
MRRichAllen1976@reddit
I was on an NVQ Retail course at the time with Sheffield College
Garth-Vega@reddit
Mirin rice wine is age restricted FFS!
MarxistMann@reddit
If I really wanted to hurt somebody, I would use anything. Rocks are everywhere, bits of wood, household items that are heavy. Itās a half assed attempt to clean up the streets, they think every kid in joggers is a dealer. I got worried looks when I was buying a little knife in a camping shop, if I was gonna hurt somebody, I wouldnāt use something that would be traced back to me in a hot minute.
AliensFuckedMyCat@reddit
Co op make a staff member come over and approve my age when I buy Rennies.Ā
Cyber_Connor@reddit
I got ID for trying to buy a PlayStation controller
ClassroomDowntown664@reddit
on the opposite of that I was in Lidl whare I bought a scrapper for the garden and I was surprised that I didn't get I'd for it as it has quite a sharp blade
Clokkers@reddit
Me and my boyfriend got IDād for liquid cane sugar for cocktails recently. I assume itās because it was in the cocktail section it gets flagged but it made me laugh.
My friend and I went to B&Q the other day and got flagged for buying piping, a craft knife and expanding foam which is more understandable but weāre both in our mid to late 20s, the lady read my friends ID and said ā97?ā Which made us all chuckle seeing as my friend doesnāt look his age I suppose.
Goffmania@reddit
I got idād for a board game in Argos a few months ago. It was rated at 16, Iām 32. Wtf.
soiledpantsforsale@reddit
Because Nanny State
innercosmicexplorer@reddit
I got ID flagged buying lemsip recently.
eti_erik@reddit
All off these laws make no sense tonme at all. Well sharp knives okay, but butter knives? Come on. And my country has only gotten ID for as alcohol a few years ago. I just don't see the point because there wasn't a big problem before and it does not stop kids from drinking anyway.
YetAnotherInterneter@reddit
I got IDād for buying a ruler.
The best part was the guy on the till wasnāt old enough to approve it so had to call a supervisor.
No-Collection-8618@reddit
I got asked for ID when i was buying tippex
TheNinjaPixie@reddit
I was flagged for whiskey marmalade. I'm in my 50's
Padfootfan123@reddit
I got ID'd buying a maths set once. I was sixteen, my mum had to buy it for me :(Ā
UeharaNick@reddit
Nanny State. That's why Ieft. Place is a joke.
secretsnow00@reddit
When I worked in sainsbos you had to make sure you IDād anyone who looked under 21 for any of the following:
alcoholā¦ obvious reasons
damn, when I worked there I was IDād for a can of Monster, you have to be 16 to purchase it and I was 28 and worked thereā¦ so they just do it to save their own hide
I mean, I understand the intention, some kids are pretty thick and irresponsible, but so are people over the age of 18/21 sometimesā¦ checking their ID isnāt going to stop them walking out the shop and doing any of the aboveā¦
But simply put, it covers the supermarketās ass from a lawsuit and blameā¦ and gives them an employee to fire or blame if need be (if ID aināt checked)
TLDR: shops ID you for seemingly harmless things because itās the last line of security against people who are complete and utter spoons
IntelligentMoons@reddit
Eh? Itās not a lawsuit. Itās literally just the law for most of these things.
IntelligentMoons@reddit
The law is written in a way that means Tesco is held liable if one of the shop assistants sells an illegal item to someone underage for that item.
This means Tesco takes every precaution to not do this, so the category that contains knives is as broad as possible, so a minimum wage checkout assistant doesnāt have to make the call on whether to ID someone for scissors, or a knife, or a spork, or a whatever item it might be.
mumwifealcoholic@reddit
Itās a way for the shops to say..look we are doing something!
It does nothing.
will8981@reddit
I once got IDd for buying spoons in a Tesco
Reesno33@reddit
If your bringing in legislation it's difficult to cover every single possible point without making it incredibly confusing and difficult to enforce by using a term such as "a bladed article" which can mean a kitchen knife but also a butter knife and a safety razor it covers all and makes it clear so while objectively it is silly to ID over a blunt butter knife it just makes everything clear.
Grouchy-Nobody3398@reddit
When you start supplying new products to a major retailers they send the supplier a NPF or new product form spreadsheet to complete for new items. These are typically around 50 columns wide for different data points and compliance points (everything from barcode/rrp to whether the packaging has a CE/UK CA mark or FSC mark) , but can be 150 columns+ for some categories on places such as Amazon.
With that amount of data it is easy to get into dragging down certain columns for all items rather than addressing everything line by line.
These then get imported into retailers Epos system and there are your checks for the next three years... Then they source their own brand version and duplicate the entry and it continues...
Silvagadron@reddit
Sometimes itās even flagged by wires rather than item type. IKEA IDād me for a āknife blockā once, presumably because the product had the word āknifeā in it.
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