Over 18 to buy crackers?

[DSJ]

I saw this letter in the Daily Telegraph today:-

SIR - Yesterday, I bought Christmas crackers from Tesco using their self-service checkout. The automated till would not complete the transaction until a shop assistant had checked that I was over 18 years old.

Why has this Government introduced such absurd regulations, to the extent that crackers are treated as 'explosives' that only adults can handle?

M.S.

Seaford, East Sussex.

I am just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience as M.S. from Seaford?

[Bobbisox]

Why? when you can get them free on here?

Bobbi ,,LOL

[carrot99]

I just noticed a sign up in M&S tonight saying you had to be over a certain age to buy crackers, I thought it said 16 but then I had just come from Specsavers!

[B00]

Meh, it joins the growing list which includes..

Choc liquers
Bonjella
Newspapers if supplied with a DVD that's not a PG rating
Shoe polish

[vulcan]

just checking a couple of sites that sell christmas crackers on line.
no mention there of any age restrictions, have M&S over reacted ?

[DEN53]

I tried to buy 2 packets of paracetamol and 2 packets of iburofen - the checkout lady said I was only allowed 2 packets not 4. When she spotted a packet of lemsips in my basket aswell, she nearly had a coronary ! She then called the supervisor over to make an issue out of it. I pointed out that if I wanted to kill myself, I could easily do so by throwing myself in front of the lad who collects the trolleys in the car park, he definately could have been sniffing the snaps in the christmas crackers - heaven help you if you get in his way !

What a stupid rule - don't they realise if you wanted to take an overdose, you just go in and buy some more.

[B00]

You can't blame the poor check out girl Den!

I'm one myself (well, "girl" is stretching the imagination somewhat!) and we legally can't sell you the stuff, s'not our fault!

[DEN53]

ha ha , WiseOwl - so very true - I am just glad I did'nt put the bottle of Benylin cough mixture in aswell - I think I would have hung, drawn and quartered..........

loved your comment about M & S - 'These are M & S rules' - very good (:oD

[DEN53]

I wasn't blaming the check out girl BOO - I know its all supermarket's policies - but she just had to make a scene.
My son worked in Tesco for 2 years on the tills when he was at college and the sh!te he took from customers was unbelievable.

[Bobbisox]

Hi DEN, this is true tho' when I worked in retail, we had to abide by that law, the amount of flack we took for it was terrible !

Joy x

[vulcan]

when did the old adage "the customer is always right" cease ?

[Bobbisox]

only applies if your'e not gona top yourself vulcan !

[daffy654]

It isn't supermarket policy DEN,its actually against the law to sell more than two packets of painkillers to one person.The checkout operator and the supermarket could have been fined/prosecuted if they had sold all the products to you.

[littlegriff]

i work in retail and we put our crackers out today,and been told cant sell to under 16 due to the new european laws personally i think the country is going bonkers, (cant sell tippex and marker pens to under 18s and isnt it kids that used them)

[daffy654]

They just use aerosols now instead of solvents.