Store stands firm over alcohol sales

Date published: 20/05/2008

Tesco has denied slapping a booze ban on parents shopping with their children.

Cashiers can no longer supply alcohol if they suspect an adult is buying the drink for an under age youth.

In an attempt to tackle under-age drinking, staff have been told to err on the side of caution.

But the new ruling has led to cases of parents out shopping with their children having to put alcohol back on the shelves.

Tesco said it had brought in the policy because a crackdown on selling directly to underage teens had been so successful, youths were now forced to rely on friends, parents and relatives for alcohol.

A spokesman said: “We can understand the frustrations this may cause but think that any reasonable parent would understand the problem and support our policy.

“We are doing lots of work to try to stop under 18s buying alcohol, and one of the biggest problems has become adults buying for people who are under age.

“If our staff suspect people are doing so, we don’t serve them.

“Obviously there is an element of common sense involved in making that judgment.

“It is most certainly not a blanket ban on parents accompanied by children.”