Selling booze

[andrewlee]

Why is it that many retailers have a sign saying that if a customer looks less than 21 they might be asked to provide ID? Surely the legal age for purchasing alcohol is 18?

[dotjhawkes]

Yes it is but an initiative introduced by the police has created this safety cushion for staff and lincense holders, who are the ones who could lose their jo/livlihood and maybe a substantial amount of money in fines, if they made a mistake. This measure helps to protect them, as it is they who will suffer, the person buying ths beer couldn't care ;ess

[flangels]

Yeah it is still 18, but as people between 18-21 are hard to judge age-wise, if the server is not positive your over 21 they have to ask you for i.d.. If our i.d. shows your 18 or over then its fine.

[Gef]

I think that it is just their "polite" way of saying that you might be asked for ID. In most supermarkets the checkout beeps when alcohol is scanned and the assistant has to manually overide this if he/she is sure that you look old enough.