Originally Posted by freezin

According to USDAW the law states, to avoid prosecution, the seller has to 'take all reasonable steps' to avoid serving under age customers:

• If in any doubt, ask the age of the purchaser.

• If you are still even slightly unsure, ask for proof of age.

• If there is no valid ID, refuse the sale.

If the seller is charged with making an under-age sale, but can prove that they took these reasonable steps, they will escape prosecution.

If I had been working on a checkout (which has to be a really mind numbing job) I might well have wanted to get into the habit of wanting every customer buying alcohol to confirm that they were legally able to make the purchase. And checkout assistants are constantly reminded of the need to be vigilant by managers.

That's the climate that has been created in Britain with undercover enforcement officers.