Tesco refused to sell me scratchcards over ‘child chosen’ policy – it’s stupid, but people say it’s been around for ages

A MUM was left fuming after Tesco refused to sell her a scratch card due to their "child chosen" policy. Chelsey explained that she'd been in the supermarket with her other half and their three-year-old son when she decided to grab two scratchers. She then gave her son the job of picking the two scratchcards, telling him to "pick two numbers". He happily did so, at which point the Tesco employee said: "We can't serve you with those scratch cards now.

"We've got a new policy called child chosen.". Chelsey was left bemused and asked for a further explanation, at which point the Tesco worker said: "Because your child has chosen two numbers, we can't serve you with them.". She pointed out that her son was three and had just picked two random numbers, but the employee wasn't budging. While she wasn't going to argue with the worker, acknowledging that "she's not made up this stupid rule", she added: "I just thought, that's so weird. Like a policy in Tesco called child chosen?.

"I just think it's really stupid, to be honest.". So in the end, they had to leave the supermarket without the two scratchcards. Chelsey concluded her TikTok video by asking people what they think of the policy, to which she was inundated with responses from those insisting it's nothing new - in any supermarket. "I worked for Morrisons," one wrote. "There was a child with his mum and obviously I knew his mum was paying for the item but because he scanned it I couldn't authorise the sale.

"Staff member was right I'm afraid.". "If you get him to pick the numbers in earshot or view of a member of staff, it's classed as a proxy sale," another added. "The staff member is legally correct.". "It's not new. It's a proxy sale and we could get done for it no matter how silly it is," a third wrote. "Always been a thing.". THE Gambling Act 2005 states that:. "The minimum age for participation in a lottery is 16 years of age.

"A person commits an offence if they invite or allow a child to enter a lottery other than certain classes of exempt lottery (ie: incidental non-commercial lotteries, private lotteries, work lotteries and residents’ lotteries).". In relation to scratchcards, the National Lottery prohibits "anyone under the age of 18, whether that person is buying it for themselves or anyone else". "This happened to me," someone else said.

"I wanted a Red Bull, I asked my daughter to get it out the fridge while I was in the queue, the cashier told me because my daughter brought it to the till she couldn’t serve me.". "I work in a shop that sells scratchcards and even I think it's weird but we have to refuse," another wrote. "Because the person behind you could be an enforcement officer and it would be me that gets the £10000 fine!". However, others insisted they didn't see the point of the child chosen policy - whether it is new or not.

"I don’t get it," one wrote. "Clearly the child isn’t paying for the ticket. "It’s just another way to control us in my opinion.". "Jesus something that's a little but of fun for them, taken away...i didn't know this was a thing!!" another raged. "People need to chill out, you said in the video that it’s nothing to do with the staff member but more about the policy itself," a third added. To which Chelsey replied: "Literally though! I should of just asked my child to count 5.