Shop staff face unfair pressure over underage sales, claims study

Research by Lancaster University Management School argues that cashiers have a high awareness and concern for the issues of underage drinking and says it is unfair that they should be asked to police sales, in the face of:

• regular abuse and violence
• personal risk of fines and punishment

Research author Gillian Hopkinson argues cashiers have played an important part in the recent dramatic reduction in the sale of alcohol to under-18s.

Test shopping exercises run by Trading Standards have seen a fall in the frequency of sales to underage customers from 50% to 20% over the least three years.

This fact has been lost in the noise of stories around underage drinking and its social impact, says Hopkinson.

The study highlights the strain shop workers are under if they fail in test shopping exercises, where large fines are doled out (not dependent on ability to pay, as would be normal in court proceedings) as well as potentially facing police and court interviews.

The response of police to test failures is seen as being out of proportion by comparison with what are regarded as weak and ineffective responses to store crime.

With calls to raise the legal drinking age to 21, shop workers are facing even greater levels of pressure and scrutiny by having to check ID among a much higher proportion of customers.

Hopkinson calls for the police and Trading Standards to take more responsibility for helping shop staff by getting involved with training and for campaigns to help create a culture where ID checking becomes acceptable.