Many shoppers love to add a cheap bottle of wine or two to their weekly shop. And ALDI is one of the places where you can get amazing deals on groceries and alcohol (depending on your state/territory). However, what many shoppers may not know is the store's policy when it comes to the sale of alcohol.

Case in point: One Victorian mum was refused service because of ALDI’s baffling checkout rule – and this got many other Aussies talking.

The unsuspecting shopper sparked a debate about the store's rules regarding the sale of alcohol after being refused service when her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.

Wondering if this was a standard ALDI policy, the mum shared her experience on a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.

According to the woman, she was shopping with her eight-year-old and nine-year-old and was already at the checkout when the incident happened.

Other shoppers were shocked by the baffling rule. Credit: Markus Spiske/Pexels

‘I treated myself to a bottle of wine. 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,’ she recalled.

‘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 continued.

Many responded to her post, including another Aussie mum who had a similar experience of being refused service at ALDI. She shared that she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby and was informed that the age limit for purchasing liquor had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area at the time.

Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claimed that she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her usual grocery items, including fruit and bread, and was asked to go to another register to finish shopping.

Another shopper was refused a sale while shopping with her baby. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels

In another instance, Melbourne mum Rachael also revealed that she was denied a sale when she tried to buy a bottle of wine. This time, the mum had her teenage daughter with her.

While she claims that the teenager didn’t enter the alcohol section at her local store, the ALDI checkout worker ‘refused to back down’.

‘Went to [the] checkout with groceries and one bottle of rose and was told I would not be able to purchase a bottle of wine because I had a child with me,’ she shared.

‘The teenager in question did not so much as enter the alcohol section of the supermarket either, so not like she was ‘picking alcohol out’ for me to buy. [The] attendant flatly refused to back down, so I left without my wine...is this a new law?’ She continued.

Rachael added that this rule was ‘very inconvenient’ for mums who want to do their groceries at ALDI and buy wine.

It is understood that a sale can be refused by an ALDI employee if a minor has handled alcohol. This is because it could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption.

According to ALDI’s website:

‘We adhere to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and are always on the side of caution. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence:

(a) to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and​

​

(b) for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol.​

In order to ensure complete compliance with the Act, we do not allow alcohol to be sold to persons accompanied by a minor or to persons under the age of 18.’

This is because it is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and 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 licenced premises vary per state. In NSW, it includes a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. In Victoria, adults who break the law face fines of more than $7,000.

‘As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol, including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),’ a spokesperson for ALDI said in a previous report.

‘There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied it to a person under the age of 18,’ they explained.

Key Takeaways

• A mother from Victoria 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.
• Another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at ALDI due to a temporarily increased age limit for purchasing alcohol.
• ALDI employees can refuse a sale if they believe a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption or when an adult purchases alcohol while in the company of a minor.
• The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licenced premises vary per state or territory.

Did you know about this rule? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

 

[Trudi]

That's ridiculous!

Australia is rapidly getting like the USA with its idiotic alcohol laws! In most European countries the legal drinking age is 16 and in most families, parents allow their kids to have the odd sip or two of wine and beer.

Growing up in Austria, my father used to send us to buy beer and cigarettes for him when we were still kids.

 

[Trudi]

very strict adherence to the rule - not selling to minors.
not all minors following parents to the store are buying 'on behalf' of the minor, but there is little proof that even after buying, they won't be celebrating at home with some alcohol (wine) drunk by under 18's.
Perhaps like Coles and Woolworth's, liquor sale may need to be totally separate - not in-store like at Aldi's.

Why do they need to be separate? You can still take your kids into bottleshops. The onus is on the adult to not give alcohol to children, although I used to allow kids to have a sip in the privacy of my own home!

 

[Trudi]

The kid was most likely stopping the bottle from falling and making a mess on the floor. This law must have some leeway, in this case stopping a mess on the floor and closing the check-out aisle. The alternative is for Aldi to stop selling booze at the grocery stores.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

[Sherza]

Oh for goodness sake! If this is real it should be looked at by real people! Who is making these ridiculous rules up?

It is real and that is the rules the are laid down in the responsible service of liquor. We had to do the course before we could work in a liquor store. The rules apply everywhere that liquor is sold and the includes supermarkets

 

[Jay Jay]

Many shoppers love to add a cheap bottle of wine or two to their weekly shop. And ALDI is one of the places where you can get amazing deals on groceries and alcohol (depending on your state/territory). However, what many shoppers may not know is the store's policy when it comes to the sale of alcohol.

Case in point: One Victorian mum was refused service because of ALDI’s baffling checkout rule – and this got many other Aussies talking.

The unsuspecting shopper sparked a debate about the store's rules regarding the sale of alcohol after being refused service when her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.

Wondering if this was a standard ALDI policy, the mum shared her experience on a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.

According to the woman, she was shopping with her eight-year-old and nine-year-old and was already at the checkout when the incident happened.

View attachment 17580

Other shoppers were shocked by the baffling rule. Credit: Markus Spiske/Pexels

‘I treated myself to a bottle of wine. 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,’ she recalled.

‘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 continued.

Many responded to her post, including another Aussie mum who had a similar experience of being refused service at ALDI. She shared that she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby and was informed that the age limit for purchasing liquor had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area at the time.

Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claimed that she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her usual grocery items, including fruit and bread, and was asked to go to another register to finish shopping.

View attachment 17581

Another shopper was refused a sale while shopping with her baby. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels

In another instance, Melbourne mum Rachael also revealed that she was denied a sale when she tried to buy a bottle of wine. This time, the mum had her teenage daughter with her.

While she claims that the teenager didn’t enter the alcohol section at her local store, the ALDI checkout worker ‘refused to back down’.

‘Went to [the] checkout with groceries and one bottle of rose and was told I would not be able to purchase a bottle of wine because I had a child with me,’ she shared.

‘The teenager in question did not so much as enter the alcohol section of the supermarket either, so not like she was ‘picking alcohol out’ for me to buy. [The] attendant flatly refused to back down, so I left without my wine...is this a new law?’ She continued.

Rachael added that this rule was ‘very inconvenient’ for mums who want to do their groceries at ALDI and buy wine.

It is understood that a sale can be refused by an ALDI employee if a minor has handled alcohol. This is because it could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption.

According to ALDI’s website:

‘We adhere to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and are always on the side of caution. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence:

(a) to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and​

​

(b) for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol.​

In order to ensure complete compliance with the Act, we do not allow alcohol to be sold to persons accompanied by a minor or to persons under the age of 18.’

This is because it is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and 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 licenced premises vary per state. In NSW, it includes a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. In Victoria, adults who break the law face fines of more than $7,000.

‘As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol, including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),’ a spokesperson for ALDI said in a previous report.

‘There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied it to a person under the age of 18,’ they explained.

Key Takeaways

• A mother from Victoria 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.
• Another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at ALDI due to a temporarily increased age limit for purchasing alcohol.
• ALDI employees can refuse a sale if they believe a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption or when an adult purchases alcohol while in the company of a minor.
• The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licenced premises vary per state or territory.

Did you know about this rule? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Totally ridiculous interpretation of alcohol sales rules. I would not shop in that store and would leave ALL my shopping behind.

 

[KiwiTrish]

Many shoppers love to add a cheap bottle of wine or two to their weekly shop. And ALDI is one of the places where you can get amazing deals on groceries and alcohol (depending on your state/territory). However, what many shoppers may not know is the store's policy when it comes to the sale of alcohol.

Case in point: One Victorian mum was refused service because of ALDI’s baffling checkout rule – and this got many other Aussies talking.

The unsuspecting shopper sparked a debate about the store's rules regarding the sale of alcohol after being refused service when her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.

Wondering if this was a standard ALDI policy, the mum shared her experience on a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.

According to the woman, she was shopping with her eight-year-old and nine-year-old and was already at the checkout when the incident happened.

View attachment 17580

Other shoppers were shocked by the baffling rule. Credit: Markus Spiske/Pexels

‘I treated myself to a bottle of wine. 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,’ she recalled.

‘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 continued.

Many responded to her post, including another Aussie mum who had a similar experience of being refused service at ALDI. She shared that she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby and was informed that the age limit for purchasing liquor had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area at the time.

Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claimed that she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her usual grocery items, including fruit and bread, and was asked to go to another register to finish shopping.

View attachment 17581

Another shopper was refused a sale while shopping with her baby. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels

In another instance, Melbourne mum Rachael also revealed that she was denied a sale when she tried to buy a bottle of wine. This time, the mum had her teenage daughter with her.

While she claims that the teenager didn’t enter the alcohol section at her local store, the ALDI checkout worker ‘refused to back down’.

‘Went to [the] checkout with groceries and one bottle of rose and was told I would not be able to purchase a bottle of wine because I had a child with me,’ she shared.

‘The teenager in question did not so much as enter the alcohol section of the supermarket either, so not like she was ‘picking alcohol out’ for me to buy. [The] attendant flatly refused to back down, so I left without my wine...is this a new law?’ She continued.

Rachael added that this rule was ‘very inconvenient’ for mums who want to do their groceries at ALDI and buy wine.

It is understood that a sale can be refused by an ALDI employee if a minor has handled alcohol. This is because it could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption.

According to ALDI’s website:

‘We adhere to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and are always on the side of caution. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence:

(a) to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and​

​

(b) for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol.​

In order to ensure complete compliance with the Act, we do not allow alcohol to be sold to persons accompanied by a minor or to persons under the age of 18.’

This is because it is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and 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 licenced premises vary per state. In NSW, it includes a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. In Victoria, adults who break the law face fines of more than $7,000.

‘As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol, including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),’ a spokesperson for ALDI said in a previous report.

‘There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied it to a person under the age of 18,’ they explained.

Key Takeaways

• A mother from Victoria 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.
• Another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at ALDI due to a temporarily increased age limit for purchasing alcohol.
• ALDI employees can refuse a sale if they believe a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption or when an adult purchases alcohol while in the company of a minor.
• The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licenced premises vary per state or territory.

Did you know about this rule? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

ridiculous I can understand if a teenager standing with the parents but babies, and 8 and9 kids I’m sure she wasn’t going home and letting them have a wine with her. Just lucky I haven’t bought any with the grandkids with me but I wouldn’t be going to another register I’d be just walking out the store and going somewhere else!! I’ve never heard of this rule in any other grocery shop

 

[Shane/#]

Many shoppers love to add a cheap bottle of wine or two to their weekly shop. And ALDI is one of the places where you can get amazing deals on groceries and alcohol (depending on your state/territory). However, what many shoppers may not know is the store's policy when it comes to the sale of alcohol.

Case in point: One Victorian mum was refused service because of ALDI’s baffling checkout rule – and this got many other Aussies talking.

The unsuspecting shopper sparked a debate about the store's rules regarding the sale of alcohol after being refused service when her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.

Wondering if this was a standard ALDI policy, the mum shared her experience on a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.

According to the woman, she was shopping with her eight-year-old and nine-year-old and was already at the checkout when the incident happened.

View attachment 17580

Other shoppers were shocked by the baffling rule. Credit: Markus Spiske/Pexels

‘I treated myself to a bottle of wine. 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,’ she recalled.

‘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 continued.

Many responded to her post, including another Aussie mum who had a similar experience of being refused service at ALDI. She shared that she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby and was informed that the age limit for purchasing liquor had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area at the time.

Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claimed that she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her usual grocery items, including fruit and bread, and was asked to go to another register to finish shopping.

View attachment 17581

Another shopper was refused a sale while shopping with her baby. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels

In another instance, Melbourne mum Rachael also revealed that she was denied a sale when she tried to buy a bottle of wine. This time, the mum had her teenage daughter with her.

While she claims that the teenager didn’t enter the alcohol section at her local store, the ALDI checkout worker ‘refused to back down’.

‘Went to [the] checkout with groceries and one bottle of rose and was told I would not be able to purchase a bottle of wine because I had a child with me,’ she shared.

‘The teenager in question did not so much as enter the alcohol section of the supermarket either, so not like she was ‘picking alcohol out’ for me to buy. [The] attendant flatly refused to back down, so I left without my wine...is this a new law?’ She continued.

Rachael added that this rule was ‘very inconvenient’ for mums who want to do their groceries at ALDI and buy wine.

It is understood that a sale can be refused by an ALDI employee if a minor has handled alcohol. This is because it could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption.

According to ALDI’s website:

‘We adhere to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and are always on the side of caution. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence:

(a) to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and​

​

(b) for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol.​

In order to ensure complete compliance with the Act, we do not allow alcohol to be sold to persons accompanied by a minor or to persons under the age of 18.’

This is because it is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and 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 licenced premises vary per state. In NSW, it includes a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. In Victoria, adults who break the law face fines of more than $7,000.

‘As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol, including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),’ a spokesperson for ALDI said in a previous report.

‘There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied it to a person under the age of 18,’ they explained.

Key Takeaways

• A mother from Victoria 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.
• Another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at ALDI due to a temporarily increased age limit for purchasing alcohol.
• ALDI employees can refuse a sale if they believe a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption or when an adult purchases alcohol while in the company of a minor.
• The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licenced premises vary per state or territory.

Did you know about this rule? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

 

[Rosalie30]

Would love to have the opportunity to have these problems in Aldi. Here in South Australia we are not permitted to buy alcohol anywhere but in a ‘bottle shop’. They really have things stitched up here!

 

[youngy650]

Many shoppers love to add a cheap bottle of wine or two to their weekly shop. And ALDI is one of the places where you can get amazing deals on groceries and alcohol (depending on your state/territory). However, what many shoppers may not know is the store's policy when it comes to the sale of alcohol.

Case in point: One Victorian mum was refused service because of ALDI’s baffling checkout rule – and this got many other Aussies talking.

The unsuspecting shopper sparked a debate about the store's rules regarding the sale of alcohol after being refused service when her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.

Wondering if this was a standard ALDI policy, the mum shared her experience on a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.

According to the woman, she was shopping with her eight-year-old and nine-year-old and was already at the checkout when the incident happened.

View attachment 17580

Other shoppers were shocked by the baffling rule. Credit: Markus Spiske/Pexels

‘I treated myself to a bottle of wine. 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,’ she recalled.

‘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 continued.

Many responded to her post, including another Aussie mum who had a similar experience of being refused service at ALDI. She shared that she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby and was informed that the age limit for purchasing liquor had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area at the time.

Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claimed that she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her usual grocery items, including fruit and bread, and was asked to go to another register to finish shopping.

View attachment 17581

Another shopper was refused a sale while shopping with her baby. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels

In another instance, Melbourne mum Rachael also revealed that she was denied a sale when she tried to buy a bottle of wine. This time, the mum had her teenage daughter with her.

While she claims that the teenager didn’t enter the alcohol section at her local store, the ALDI checkout worker ‘refused to back down’.

‘Went to [the] checkout with groceries and one bottle of rose and was told I would not be able to purchase a bottle of wine because I had a child with me,’ she shared.

‘The teenager in question did not so much as enter the alcohol section of the supermarket either, so not like she was ‘picking alcohol out’ for me to buy. [The] attendant flatly refused to back down, so I left without my wine...is this a new law?’ She continued.

Rachael added that this rule was ‘very inconvenient’ for mums who want to do their groceries at ALDI and buy wine.

It is understood that a sale can be refused by an ALDI employee if a minor has handled alcohol. This is because it could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption.

According to ALDI’s website:

‘We adhere to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and are always on the side of caution. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence:

(a) to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and​

​

(b) for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol.​

In order to ensure complete compliance with the Act, we do not allow alcohol to be sold to persons accompanied by a minor or to persons under the age of 18.’

This is because it is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and 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 licenced premises vary per state. In NSW, it includes a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. In Victoria, adults who break the law face fines of more than $7,000.

‘As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol, including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),’ a spokesperson for ALDI said in a previous report.

‘There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied it to a person under the age of 18,’ they explained.

Key Takeaways

• A mother from Victoria 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.
• Another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at ALDI due to a temporarily increased age limit for purchasing alcohol.
• ALDI employees can refuse a sale if they believe a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption or when an adult purchases alcohol while in the company of a minor.
• The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licenced premises vary per state or territory.

Did you know about this rule? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

What the hell is wrong with our beautiful country, this rule is absolutely ludicrous.

 

[Trina G]

Many shoppers love to add a cheap bottle of wine or two to their weekly shop. And ALDI is one of the places where you can get amazing deals on groceries and alcohol (depending on your state/territory). However, what many shoppers may not know is the store's policy when it comes to the sale of alcohol.

Case in point: One Victorian mum was refused service because of ALDI’s baffling checkout rule – and this got many other Aussies talking.

The unsuspecting shopper sparked a debate about the store's rules regarding the sale of alcohol after being refused service when her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.

Wondering if this was a standard ALDI policy, the mum shared her experience on a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.

According to the woman, she was shopping with her eight-year-old and nine-year-old and was already at the checkout when the incident happened.

View attachment 17580

Other shoppers were shocked by the baffling rule. Credit: Markus Spiske/Pexels

‘I treated myself to a bottle of wine. 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,’ she recalled.

‘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 continued.

Many responded to her post, including another Aussie mum who had a similar experience of being refused service at ALDI. She shared that she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby and was informed that the age limit for purchasing liquor had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area at the time.

Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claimed that she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her usual grocery items, including fruit and bread, and was asked to go to another register to finish shopping.

View attachment 17581

Another shopper was refused a sale while shopping with her baby. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels

In another instance, Melbourne mum Rachael also revealed that she was denied a sale when she tried to buy a bottle of wine. This time, the mum had her teenage daughter with her.

While she claims that the teenager didn’t enter the alcohol section at her local store, the ALDI checkout worker ‘refused to back down’.

‘Went to [the] checkout with groceries and one bottle of rose and was told I would not be able to purchase a bottle of wine because I had a child with me,’ she shared.

‘The teenager in question did not so much as enter the alcohol section of the supermarket either, so not like she was ‘picking alcohol out’ for me to buy. [The] attendant flatly refused to back down, so I left without my wine...is this a new law?’ She continued.

Rachael added that this rule was ‘very inconvenient’ for mums who want to do their groceries at ALDI and buy wine.

It is understood that a sale can be refused by an ALDI employee if a minor has handled alcohol. This is because it could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption.

According to ALDI’s website:

‘We adhere to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and are always on the side of caution. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence:

(a) to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and​

​

(b) for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol.​

In order to ensure complete compliance with the Act, we do not allow alcohol to be sold to persons accompanied by a minor or to persons under the age of 18.’

This is because it is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and 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 licenced premises vary per state. In NSW, it includes a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. In Victoria, adults who break the law face fines of more than $7,000.

‘As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol, including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),’ a spokesperson for ALDI said in a previous report.

‘There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied it to a person under the age of 18,’ they explained.

Key Takeaways

• A mother from Victoria 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.
• Another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at ALDI due to a temporarily increased age limit for purchasing alcohol.
• ALDI employees can refuse a sale if they believe a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption or when an adult purchases alcohol while in the company of a minor.
• The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licenced premises vary per state or territory.

Did you know about this rule? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

If that was me I would walk out of the store leaving all my shopping there without paying. What a ludicrous rule. If Aldi want to sell alcohol with that rule they should have a separate dedicated cashier.

 

[youngy650]

If that was me I would walk out of the store leaving all my shopping there without paying. What a ludicrous rule. If Aldi want to sell alcohol with that rule they should have a separate dedicated cashier.

Well said Trina G

 

[Suzanne rose]

If this was only one person stating this then I would say they were making the whole thing up , it's that ridiculous .

My daughter and I were at the register at Coles when I asked my 32 year old daughter to buy me a bottle if red wine for cooking, she said they wouldn't give it to her, I said don't be silly. But sure enough they wanted her ID abd she didn't have it with her.

The bottle shop register was right in front of the register I was at . I called out she is my daughter and she is 32 .

I ended up going and buying it.

My daughter looks young for her age but looks older than 18

 

[Glo72]

The law is the law,why should a worker cop a huge fine because someone buys alcohol with a child in tow. You want alcohol buy it without your child . Since Aldi put alcohol in store you can only go through the checkout closest to that section. You cannot take a child into an alcohol shop and Aldi is no different. It isn’t a stupid law it is a responsible one.

 

[Senior discount]

Many shoppers love to add a cheap bottle of wine or two to their weekly shop. And ALDI is one of the places where you can get amazing deals on groceries and alcohol (depending on your state/territory). However, what many shoppers may not know is the store's policy when it comes to the sale of alcohol.

Case in point: One Victorian mum was refused service because of ALDI’s baffling checkout rule – and this got many other Aussies talking.

The unsuspecting shopper sparked a debate about the store's rules regarding the sale of alcohol after being refused service when her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.

Wondering if this was a standard ALDI policy, the mum shared her experience on a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.

According to the woman, she was shopping with her eight-year-old and nine-year-old and was already at the checkout when the incident happened.

View attachment 17580

Other shoppers were shocked by the baffling rule. Credit: Markus Spiske/Pexels

‘I treated myself to a bottle of wine. 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,’ she recalled.

‘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 continued.

Many responded to her post, including another Aussie mum who had a similar experience of being refused service at ALDI. She shared that she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby and was informed that the age limit for purchasing liquor had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area at the time.

Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claimed that she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her usual grocery items, including fruit and bread, and was asked to go to another register to finish shopping.

View attachment 17581

Another shopper was refused a sale while shopping with her baby. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels

In another instance, Melbourne mum Rachael also revealed that she was denied a sale when she tried to buy a bottle of wine. This time, the mum had her teenage daughter with her.

While she claims that the teenager didn’t enter the alcohol section at her local store, the ALDI checkout worker ‘refused to back down’.

‘Went to [the] checkout with groceries and one bottle of rose and was told I would not be able to purchase a bottle of wine because I had a child with me,’ she shared.

‘The teenager in question did not so much as enter the alcohol section of the supermarket either, so not like she was ‘picking alcohol out’ for me to buy. [The] attendant flatly refused to back down, so I left without my wine...is this a new law?’ She continued.

Rachael added that this rule was ‘very inconvenient’ for mums who want to do their groceries at ALDI and buy wine.

It is understood that a sale can be refused by an ALDI employee if a minor has handled alcohol. This is because it could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption.

According to ALDI’s website:

‘We adhere to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and are always on the side of caution. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence:

(a) to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and​

​

(b) for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol.​

In order to ensure complete compliance with the Act, we do not allow alcohol to be sold to persons accompanied by a minor or to persons under the age of 18.’

This is because it is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and 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 licenced premises vary per state. In NSW, it includes a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. In Victoria, adults who break the law face fines of more than $7,000.

‘As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol, including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),’ a spokesperson for ALDI said in a previous report.

‘There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied it to a person under the age of 18,’ they explained.

Key Takeaways

• A mother from Victoria 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.
• Another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at ALDI due to a temporarily increased age limit for purchasing alcohol.
• ALDI employees can refuse a sale if they believe a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption or when an adult purchases alcohol while in the company of a minor.
• The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licenced premises vary per state or territory.

Did you know about this rule? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Easy solution. Don't shop at Aldi, who, despite the "regulations", clearly don't teach teach their staff good public relations and commonsense.
Another solution is remove Aldi's licence to sell alcohol in their grocery stores.

 

[Mrs P]

Many shoppers love to add a cheap bottle of wine or two to their weekly shop. And ALDI is one of the places where you can get amazing deals on groceries and alcohol (depending on your state/territory). However, what many shoppers may not know is the store's policy when it comes to the sale of alcohol.

Case in point: One Victorian mum was refused service because of ALDI’s baffling checkout rule – and this got many other Aussies talking.

The unsuspecting shopper sparked a debate about the store's rules regarding the sale of alcohol after being refused service when her child touched a bottle of wine at the checkout.

Wondering if this was a standard ALDI policy, the mum shared her experience on a Facebook group for fans of the budget retailer.

According to the woman, she was shopping with her eight-year-old and nine-year-old and was already at the checkout when the incident happened.

View attachment 17580

Other shoppers were shocked by the baffling rule. Credit: Markus Spiske/Pexels

‘I treated myself to a bottle of wine. 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,’ she recalled.

‘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 continued.

Many responded to her post, including another Aussie mum who had a similar experience of being refused service at ALDI. She shared that she tried to buy a bottle of wine while shopping with her eight-month-old baby and was informed that the age limit for purchasing liquor had been temporarily increased to 30 years of age as a festival was being held in the area at the time.

Despite offering to put the wine back, the woman claimed that she was denied service and even prevented from purchasing her usual grocery items, including fruit and bread, and was asked to go to another register to finish shopping.

View attachment 17581

Another shopper was refused a sale while shopping with her baby. Credit: Magda Ehlers/Pexels

In another instance, Melbourne mum Rachael also revealed that she was denied a sale when she tried to buy a bottle of wine. This time, the mum had her teenage daughter with her.

While she claims that the teenager didn’t enter the alcohol section at her local store, the ALDI checkout worker ‘refused to back down’.

‘Went to [the] checkout with groceries and one bottle of rose and was told I would not be able to purchase a bottle of wine because I had a child with me,’ she shared.

‘The teenager in question did not so much as enter the alcohol section of the supermarket either, so not like she was ‘picking alcohol out’ for me to buy. [The] attendant flatly refused to back down, so I left without my wine...is this a new law?’ She continued.

Rachael added that this rule was ‘very inconvenient’ for mums who want to do their groceries at ALDI and buy wine.

It is understood that a sale can be refused by an ALDI employee if a minor has handled alcohol. This is because it could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor’s consumption.

According to ALDI’s website:

‘We adhere to the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and are always on the side of caution. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence:

(a) to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 and​

​

(b) for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or receive alcohol.​

In order to ensure complete compliance with the Act, we do not allow alcohol to be sold to persons accompanied by a minor or to persons under the age of 18.’

This is because it is the store’s responsibility to refuse any customer who presents a risk and 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 licenced premises vary per state. In NSW, it includes a fine of $11,000 and/or 12 months in jail. In Victoria, adults who break the law face fines of more than $7,000.

‘As a responsible retailer, ALDI Australia supports and adheres to all regulations for the purchase of alcohol, including Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA),’ a spokesperson for ALDI said in a previous report.

‘There are severe consequences for breaching laws and policies set in place by the Australian government involving the sale of alcohol. As such, ALDI faces heavy penalties should we sell alcohol to any customer who supplied it to a person under the age of 18,’ they explained.

Key Takeaways

• A mother from Victoria 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.
• Another Aussie mum shared her own similar experience of being refused service at ALDI due to a temporarily increased age limit for purchasing alcohol.
• ALDI employees can refuse a sale if they believe a minor has handled alcohol that could potentially be purchased by an adult for the minor's consumption or when an adult purchases alcohol while in the company of a minor.
• The maximum penalties for selling or supplying alcohol to minors on licenced premises vary per state or territory.

Did you know about this rule? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Yes, but I didn't know it was taken so literally that they assume a baby is going to consume the alcohol not the Mum. & I would be really irate & shove my groceries & the bottle of wine where their sun don't shine.. HOW DAM STUPID can you be???

 

[Sheza10]

What a load of BS when my son was a baby in a pram was nothing to go in a bottlo and buy a bottle of wine. political correctness gone mad again .

 

[Jennylolo]

Just proves that we have "regulated" common sense further out of existence.

Similar to the incident where I complained to Management about a checkout operator at a chain store who reduced the elderly gentleman in the queue ahead of me to tears. She refused to allow him to purchase a kitchen knife because he did not have proof that he was over 16, and said that 'he could be lying' when he told her his age and date of birth.

how insane. An elderly gentleman. If the cashier could not tell he was over the 16 what are they even doing at the counter and taking money.

 

[Jennylolo]

This is beyond stupidity. A glass bottle rolling on the conveyer belt was stopped. Would cashier have been happy had that broken? Common sense is no longer very common. And as for babies and toddlers its ridiculous. Easy to resolve why on earth is alcohol even available in a supermarket. Leave it to the bottle stores and then kids can go in there.

 

[biribo]

Next you'll be refused services in a Bar/Bistro for having a child with you.
It's time this whole new age, easily offended woke brigade went back to sleep. Yes. and that includes supermarkets who are expecting customers to fill the gap where employees once stood.

 

[Thecheesequeen]

I’ve never understood why Aldi is allowed to have its bottle shop in the store when other supermarkets are prohibited from doing that. And their rules are draconian. There’s a big difference between suspecting someone is buying grog for an underage person, and a child automatically reaching out to prevent a bottle from falling.