Refused wine due to helpful son, 11

11:54am Thursday 8th May 2008

Comments (4)   Have your say »

A HONEYBOURNE woman has blasted Tesco for treating her like a criminal' during a recent shopping trip with her son.

Julie Church-Sparling was in the Evesham supermarket last week with her 11-year-old son James who regularly helps with her shopping. After finishing her shopping, Mrs Sparling went to a self-service till where she and her son began scanning the items.

A member of staff then approach-ed Mrs Church-Sparling to point out that James had scanned a bottle of wine and as a result she would not be allowed to buy the item due to his age.

She then asked to buy the wine in a separate transaction but was told this would not be allowed either and that she would have to come back on the following day.

Prison service administrator Mrs Church-Sparling said: "My son often comes along to help me shop and this problem wouldn't have arisen had I gone to a served till.

"I am very offended that they even suggested that I would buy alcohol for a minor.

"I was inconvenienced to a significant degree, having to visit another shop to buy the wine for the evening simply for the crime of using self-service tills and being privileged to have a helpful son.

"I will keep shopping at Tesco as I prefer it but I feel extremely uncomfortable when I am in there."

Manager of Evesham Tesco Kevin Wright said: "Company policy is Think 21' and if the cashier suspects that alcohol is being sold or could be given to a minor then they would stop the transaction.

"When the decision has been made then we cannot go back and allow the sale, even if it is a separate transaction as who is to say that the alcohol would not be given to the minor?"