Comments on: Sainsbury's does not accept ID cards!?

By: Claudio

Claudio — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:05:38 +0000

This happens in Co-Op in Portsmouth all the time…is there anything we can do about it?

By: François

François — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:58:16 +0000

Same for me today in Berryden Road Sainsbury’s in Aberdeen. I had my French ID and driving licence, car keys, my local university staff card, a couple of credit and debit card. I am able to take the plane with my French ID to UK, it was enough for me to vote here but it is not enough for Sainsbury’s!!! They should really clean up their act. For me, I have just been discriminated on grounds of origin. Is that not illegal?

By: Susann

Susann — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:41:36 +0000

When I wanted to open a bank account the lady at the counter doubted that Germany is a european country when I showed her my ID card. She asked two colleagues who were not sure about that either and had even to ask the manager. The result was that I left the bank and chose another one where it was not a problem at all.

By: Pawel

Pawel — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:43:55 +0000

Hi everyone,

I’ve been looking into the legality of these measures, and it seems that they breach two fundamental EU rights: freedom from discrimination, and the freedom to provide services.

I would encourage everyone to support a campaign I’ve launched on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nationality-Discrimination-and-the-Sale-of-Alcohol-in-the-UK/308105679210515 . There, I detail these legal claims and provide an opportunity for discussion.

All the best,

Pawel

By: Gabriela

Gabriela — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:56:53 +0000

And how is your story? Did you go to the court?
Today it happened to me in Iceland shop! It’s rediculous! I am so angry and I see it as clear discrimination and not obeying EU law.

By: fedup

fedup — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:04:52 +0000

Hello, yes same problem here, Spanish ID. It depends on how ignorant or miserable the person at the till is. I think it is ever so sad and unprofessional that the supermarkets do not train their employees on ID cards. Result? I only shop in ASDA’s and my local Co-op, where for some reason, my Spanish ID is accepted.
The problem get worse in small areas, as people tend to be, let’s say “less cosmopolitan”.
I am considering signing up for any petition like Elisabeth’s one.
At this point, I am feeling tempted to go off topic and say that, if the uncontrolled consumption of alcohol wasn’t a problem, then we wouldn’t have to put up with all this rubbish. It is only in the hands of society in England to change this trend and look for healthier Saturday night hobbies, sort their unemployment problems and benefits system out and bring their youngsters up with better values.
Anyway, remember, when they say “no ID no sale”, answer “no sale no profit”
Regards

By: ASZ

ASZ — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 16:56:40 +0000

lol. Lovely article. Same thing happened to me today when was shopping at Edinburgh’s Aldi store. I had few groceries and 4th pack of Tenants. Nasty looking obese check-out guy asked me if I had ID for my beer. I showed him my EU Polish id card but he wouldn’t even look at it he just went (with his uneducated accent) “sorry pal but we can’t accept it as we don’t accept foreign ID cards” obviously I told that I don’t even have a passport as I don’t need to cross the border or to open bank account in here… But this dick was really stubborn so I left… oh well… Not really good for him as phoned Aldi’s customer service line straight after and was actually told that whole situation is ridiculous and EU id card are being accepted by Aldi! ok…
Went to the store again. Had same thing in basket and went to same guy… When i was just about to be served he immediately took a break and other person filled in his place. Obviously I didn’t have any problem purchasing alcohol this time…
Well to be honest I’m not really bother about fact that I couldn’t get booze but later on I realized that this guy was clearly racist to me and once I got beer I felt really offended (as second person wouldn’t bother about ID)… I copied this guy name and got Aldis head office no. so gonna give them a wee ring on Monday.

By: sally kennedy

sally kennedy — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:42:36 +0000

My friend went into Sainsburys on Saturday with her 17 year old son to buy beer, she was asked for ID, not for him, but for herself. He would not serve her without it. She is 43. Joke!

By: A.M.

A.M. — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:16:04 +0000

Ha! Just had the same experience. The ‘wonderful’ manager first refused my Greek ID on the ground on not being written in English. I pointed out that that was false. She then told me that she refused it because it was hand-written. I told her that I had asked the Greek police (which is in charge of papers such as IDs and passports), and they told me that it is a perfectly acceptable document and if somebody ask me, this is the answer I should give. Then she told me that she was going to use her ‘discretion’ and ‘allow me’ to buy the alcohol (while holding my id with both hands only inches from my nose). And then I left the shop.

By: G.F

G.F — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:26:46 +0000

i had the same situation today!! ''Can i have ur ID'' - ''yes''--- ''oohhh we not accept that kind of IDs!! ??????????? i asked why and she said ''because we not accept '' hahahhaha . I am POlish by the way EU citizen

By: Karolina

Karolina — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 15:11:16 +0000

I have just been to the shop where I have been shopping for the last three years and on numberous occassions I have been asked to show my ID (despite being over 25). Every time I was able to show my Polish ID or my Polish/EU driving licence which was accepted by every member of staff. Today, a new person has served me and I have been refused. I am absolutely gobsmacked and I am going to make a complaint as this is clearly racial discimination. I felt embarrased, ashamed as I was refused in front of several people. I have never been treated this way and this is absolutely unacceptable.

By: Marcin

Marcin — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:39:46 +0000

I have just experienced the same thing at co-op. The member of staff asked me for an ID. I showed her my Polish driving licence and she said that they don’t accept ”Polish documents” and that I should get some citizenship card as a foreign person (maybe I should tatoo my number on the left shoulder?!?!?!?!?). I was so angryyyyy. Then she said, that anyway I looked over 25 so she decided to sell me my beer…..safe hahaha. Well tomorrow I am going to talk to the manager and will put a formal complaint…….lets see what happens next.

By: Chad

Chad — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:10:14 +0000

My son is 19 years old and today he was refuse to buy tobacco in Sainsbury shop . I know that he is still young to smoke but this is not the point .The Asian cashier can not even correctly counted his age from the valid Czech national ID card even the Czech ID is also wrote by English language .
So the first reason for refusing was that he is not 18 years old ( good Sainsbury cashier ). Unfortunately the night supervisor also refused to sell tobacco and he also did not accepted my sons National ID even the new Czech european driving licence , which is very well sophisticated and accepted as ID card in all EU countries . We believe that this is a form of racism and discrimination .
Sainsbury is just lazy trained employees about EU national ID cards or keep at the stores a simple book with examples of EU ID cards. It will be probably very expensive so they can not afforded. This is a beautiful example of ignoring EU citizens’ rights and their discrimination . I hope so , that soon or later somebody will bring them to court.
Can anybody help with some legal advice against this Sainsbury embarrassing treatment ?

By: nana

nana — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:42:54 +0000

I think yesterday I experienced a very clean discrimination episode that I really feel like taking out of my chest. I went to my local shop, let’s call it “X”. I am 26 years old, althought I look older I carry my Brazilian passport and my national foreing ID (a spouse visa) card issued by the British Home Office (which they assured me it is my single ID in this country). The manager of this shop refused to sell me cigarettes on the grounds “if it’s not a British passport it could be fake and we do not accept this national foreign ID card. Just apply for a PASS”.
I went back home and researched the shop’s policy online… called the Home Office. The guy in the Home Office phoneline told me that my national foreing ID has to be accepted. The shops’ policy online does not mention that they would not accept foreign passports.I went back to the shop and calmly tried to explain to the manager that refusing to accept my passport on the grounds that if it’s not British it could be fake is CLEARLY unreasonable discrimination and it could configurate a lawsuit. I tried to speak to her 4 times …she never let me finish one sentence… shouted at me saying that I was treating her like a child and that I was threaning to sue her. I insisted that I was threaning at all I was just trying to explain that unreasonable discrimination is something serious that can lead to a lawsuit, but I was not going to do that at all, but I would like to be treated fairly. Another two till people joined her… shouted at , laughed at me and demanded that I left the shop. I sound surreal, but I can guarantee that I didn’t even raised my voice. I am a Law student, and I know how much you can loose just by talking to people in a wrong way.
I called the Head office of this chain of supermarkets and the lady in the other side of the line, refused to accept my view and even added,something along this lines: “well, if you threaned to sue the shop, it is understandable that they reacted like that”. She very biased and I felt that it felt really stupid that I even bothered to call them.
They claim that it is on their policy not to accept foreign passport as a form of ID.Funilly enough this very discriminatory statement is not available on their general policy on their website.
I love this country and I am decided that this is where I am going to live for long and long years. I live here legally, pay my taxes and I just wished that this minority of people that are very biggoted could step on our shoes and think how awful what they and how distressing it can be to someone.

By: june

june — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:20:26 +0000

Just go to noveltyid.eu you can get any fake drivers license from them

By: ALEX

ALEX — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:03:25 +0000

GUYS IT IS JUST CRAZY!
JUST TODAY I HAVE POPPED IN TO MORRISONS FUEL STATION TO GET SOME TOBACCOS AND THEY DENIED MY EU DRIVING LICENCE (LATVIA) SAYING THAT THEY ACCEPT ONLY BRITISH DRIVING LICENCES OR BRITISH PASSPORTS!!!!!! IT IS JUST A PURE DISCRIMINATION!!!! SO ME AND MY DAD WHEN TO THE MORRISONS SUPERMARKET ACCROSS THE ROAD AND HAVE BOUGHT A PACK OF TOBBACOSS AND NOBODY ASKED HIM FOR ANY ID WHETHER IT IS BRITISH OR NOT BRITISH!
IF THE COMPANY POLICY IS NOT TO SELL ALCOHOL OR TOBACCOS TO NON BRITISH CITIZENTS (AS TO GET A UK PASSPORT U HAVE TO LIVE IN UK FOR 5 YEARS AND GET A CITIZENSHIP) THE EASIEST WAY TO PAY 50 POUNDS AND GET YOUR DRIVING LICENSE CHANGED BUT WHAT IF YOU ARE NOT A DRIVER?!!!WILL HAD TO WAIT 5 YEARS TILL YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO BY ANY ALCOHOL OR FAGS! I SHOULD OF ASK THEM ABOUT WRITTEN POLICY ON THIS BUT I WILL DO IT NEXT TIME FOR SURE!

By: M

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:38:47 +0000

the same thing happened to me today at Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries Sainsbury, and I had my national ID card and EU driving license on me. (I’m from Slovenia).

I just wanted to buy ingredients for a cake, part of which was a bottle of rum. After my ID was denied, I told the cashier that my friend who was with me has a UK driving license, and the guy said to me that that wont work because we both need a valid ID.

That’s just crazy!
My driving license is valid for driving a car in the UK,
but I can’t buy alcohol with it?
And my national ID card was enough to open a bank account in the UK an all..

That policy is discriminating…
Who carries a passport with him to a shop?…

And the cashier looked 2, maybe 3 years older than me tops…

By: peter

peter — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 03:07:21 +0000

???? WoW. Welcome to the UK

By: peter

peter — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 03:05:29 +0000

Funny, well you have to understand that the education in Brittian is lower than in some other European Countries (I do not want to offend anyone, but sadly it`s true). Also you got a lot of foreigners working in grocery stores, they do not have a clue about europe or the Stearling Pound.
The wages in shops, stores or even banks for the lower staff is very poor. Also the management in those stores are bad, people are bad trained. So you get what you pay for!

I can tell you a whole lot of stories like that. A friend of mine lost his wallet. As he was half Australien , half Spanish, he had 2 Passports. One Spanish one Australian.
So as he tried to with draw his rent, the cashier at his branch refused to pay him out. She wanted two forms of ID. But a Spanish and an Australian Passport was suspicious to her…. )

One of the Managers told him he has to come back with an other Form of ID or wait till he gets his new Bank Card. After a half hour of arguments, he then told him he could get 50 Pounds but not more.

My friend respond, “OKey so If you can`t proof my identity, but you are willing to pay me 50 Pounds from someoneeles account. And If you identify me, you are not paying me my own money back?”
After he said he wants to close his account straight away then, they paid him out his rent and 50 bucks more.

I lived in many European Countries and the UK been one of the crazies. You confronting either a 21st century or the dark ages. Same with people, I couldn`t find a middle class…

By: EUpassportsyes

EUpassportsyes — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:07:15 +0000

They said that Belgium is not part of the EU? I would have asked: ‘Are you suggesting then that I have entered the UK illegally? What’s stopping you from calling the UK Home Office to report me?”

I really feel that ALL store employees should go on a mandatory boot camp about ID validation and counterfeiting inspection. They are talking absolute BULLSHIT if they claim that Belgium is not a member of the EU. I think they confuse us with people showing void Czechoslowakian passports or something… it can only be Czech or Slowakian nowadays of course. Apparently some American citizens still refer absolutely falsely to ‘Czechoslowakia’ which is an outright scandal, they should never allow such ignorant cows to enroll for a BA in International politics or International relations, they’d just breed a pack of ignorant Sarah Palin clones claiming that North Korea are their allies and total other nonsense crap…