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Shoppers confused over little-known Aldi checkout rule

Aldi customers have shared their surprise about a little-known checkout rule preventing parents from buying alcohol while shopping with their children.

A woman inquired about the rule on the supermarket’s Facebook page late last week, causing dozens of shoppers to share in her confusion.

Parents shopping with children are not allowed to purchase alcohol?” she wrote.

The customer didn’t say how she had found out about the rule but insisted it was not fair for single parents.

There needs to be some discretion and commonsense when applying this rule,” she said.

“A parent with a small child is hardly purchasing alcohol to supply it to their child.”

Products sit on a conveyor at the check-out counter of an Aldi Stores Ltd. food store in Sydney. Source: Getty
Aldi customers have shared their surprise about a checkout rule preventing parents from buying alcohol while shopping with their children. Source: Getty

The post attracted more than 70 comments, with numerous fellow Aldi shoppers stunned by the rule.

Too bad if your [sic] single parent with kids…guess you take your business elsewhere,” one woman said.

“This is a ridiculous rule that discriminates against parents. You can buy alcohol with kids there and have no intention of giving them any,” another woman wrote.

Since when is this a rule?? I’ve always purchased at 𝖠𝖫𝖣I while doing weekly grocery shop and also purchased at bottle shops with children?? Is this a new thing? Sounds ridiculous,” a third shopper said.

Other said they had experienced the same issue while checking out with their kids in tow.

One woman said she was refused service after her 18-month-old daughter touched the bottle at the checkout.

“I was holding her on my hip and she leant over and touched the alcohol on the conveyer while I was loading other groceries on,” she said, according to 7News.

Another shopper said they were refused after their son was forced to carry a carton of beer because she has a bad back, the publication reported.

Aldi responded the original poster, saying they apologise for inconvenience but under the Responsible Service of Alcohol, they can decline to sell wine and beer to a customer if accompanied by a minor.

Pictured is the exterior of an Aldi store. Source: AAP
The post attracted more than 70 comments, with numerous fellow Aldi shoppers stunned by the rule. Source: AAP

The discount chain said it always “errs on the side of caution”.

When the issue was raised by a separate shopper in September, Aldi told Yahoo Lifestyle that their employees have the right to refuse service if they have any concerns the person buying presents a ‘risk’.

The sale of alcohol can be refused if a minor has handled alcohol that could be potentially purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption,” a spokesperson said.

“This also extends to a minor accompanying an adult purchasing alcohol, 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 person serving to decline the sale should they have any doubts or concerns.”

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