The Under-18 Tobacco Sale
You are on the register at a general retail store that also sells tobacco products behind the counter. A young woman places a packet of cigarettes on the counter. She looks about 17 but is tall and has makeup on. She has no ID with her. She says her older sister, waiting outside, asked her to buy them and that "the sign says you can't sell to under-18s, but I'm buying them for her." Two other customers are waiting. Your store policy requires ID checks where the customer appears under 25, and refusal where age cannot be established. The supervisor is stacking shelves 15 metres away.
1. Can you make the sale? Explain the legal and policy position.
Read the worked answer
No - you cannot make the sale.
- Age: she appears under 25 and has no ID, so her age cannot be established. Policy requires refusal in that situation.
- Proxy purchase: buying on behalf of another person does not cure the problem. Selling to an adult who is buying for a minor is itself a risk, and the stated purpose here is to supply someone who may be underage. The "it's for my sister" explanation does not make it lawful.
- Signage: the sign is a warning, not a loophole. It does not create an exception for proxy buys.
Refuse politely, without accusing her of lying: "I can't sell these without ID, and I can't sell them where they're for someone else. I'm sorry." Do not hand over the product and do not process the sale.
2. How would you manage the interaction and the waiting customers, and what would you report?
Read the worked answer
- Refuse calmly and briefly - no debate, no lecture. Keep the product behind the counter.
- Do not chase or confront the sister outside. That is a safety risk and not your role.
- Manage the queue: serve the next customer promptly so the refusal does not become a spectacle.
- Signal the supervisor - a refused tobacco sale is a reportable event under most store policies, and the supervisor may need to note it.
- Record: time, description, stated purpose, refusal, and that no ID was produced. Do not record personal details you do not have.
If the young woman becomes aggressive, disengage and call the supervisor. Your obligation is to refuse the sale, not to enforce the law against her.