Little-known Aldi checkout rule baffles Aussie mum: 'WHAT?'
The supermarket's alcohol policy has been questioned following one shopper's shocking experience.
A mother from Victoria has sparked a debate about Aldi's rules around selling alcohol after she was refused service because her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.
Questioning whether this was standard Aldi policy, the woman, who had been shopping with her eight- and nine-year-old children, recounted details of the incident in a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.
"I treated myself to a bottle of wine," she recalled, "I put it on the conveyor belt and when it moved forward my wine moved quickly, and my nine-year-old put his hand on it to stop it from rolling away. The lady at the register then told me she had to call the manager to confirm she could sell it to me as 'the kid touched it'. WHAT?" she told the group incredulously.
In response to the post, another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at Aldi. She told the group she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby, only to be informed that the age limit for purchasing alcohol had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area.
Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claims she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her regular grocery items including fruit and bread, having to go to another register to do so.
Aldi's alcohol policy
Yahoo News understands a sale can be refused by an Aldi employee if a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption.
This also extends to an adult purchasing alcohol while in the company of a minor, even if the minor has not physically touched an alcoholic product. It is the store's responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk, and ultimately it is at the discretion of the cashier to decline a sale should they have any doubts or concerns.
The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licensed premises include a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. Aldi's sale of alcohol policy can be found here.
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