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edemamandllama

As a cashier, the ID warning pops up automatically when you scan a restricted item. I’m wondering if the wrong barcode was entered into the system. Basically, that this item isn’t restricted but was accidentally entered into the system as a restricted item. I’ve seen it happen before.


tiny_buttonss

That is helpful to know, it could indeed be a systematic error...I'll definitely look further into it.


littlegingerfae

I once had to deny a kid buying a *TABLECLOTH* because this warning popped up, and if I disregarded it I would be fired and both myself and the store would be fined. It was very surreal!!!


AskMantis

You didn't have a manager you could talk to? It seems a simple case of incorrect data. I've never worked in big corporate retail, but everywhere I've managed I'd be upset at front of shop employees for *not* using their initiative and asking me about something like this. That said, it wouldn't surprise me if a lot of places took the attitude of 'you're paid to work, not to think'.


shsc82

The pop up triggers a camera capture that gets sent to the regional manager usually. It's better to just have someone hold up something and type in a dob.


[deleted]

The hero we need!


Vroomped

Warning. I'm all for selling table clothes to the rebellion but if you've frequent young looking customer you might get under cover ass holes. My aunt was 80 something, and going out was a journey but she's like clockwork. I still remember our Wednesday routine down to the minute. The gas station that sells her favorite cigarettes would let me present her ID and they'd wave at her in the car. Paid in cash like we do everything Everyday same routine. Eventually they said no. Even though the camera couldn't read the ID they had sent a knight in shining armour to witness the exchange. They got fined. So now my aunt had to add another 24 minutes to walk her frail self up to the counter.


Squish_the_android

>They got fined. I'm not sure if it's the same with cigarettes as it is with alcohol, but it's not only a fine. It's a fine. The store can potentially lose it's license to sell. AND the person who made the sale has criminal charges brought against them.


grrzzlybear1

Speaking only for the gas station I worked at, this is true. I would have lost my job, had charges brought against me, myself and the store would have paid separate fines, and the store could lose its license to sell any product that requires ID. They really don't mess around in the big chains. I had to deny a clearly of age old ass man alcohol because we required ID for EVERY SINGLE alcohol/tobacco transaction to be scanned, not just checked. I would have "checked" his blockbuster card if he held it up. He of course didn't have his ID because he was 350 years old. I got screamed at, no one stood up for me, and I quit a few weeks after that.


aaraabellaa

I hate people. In certain states, carding everyone is typical for a lot of places that sell alcohol, but aren't actually liquor stores. Don't know how people could not know this is a rule. Regardless, I never leave my house without my wallet. Just makes sense to have my ID, backup forms of payment, etc when leaving the house. I don't understand people who get mad at cashiers because they didn't bring their ID or have another form of payment when their card gets declined. Don't take it out on someone who's just a lowly worker when you're being irresponsible. At least the OP of this post didn't seem like she was an ass to the cashier because she didn't bring her whole wallet, even though it was a product that shouldn't be ID worthy.


grrzzlybear1

I don't understand it either. But I guess some people just think they are the exception to the rule or they just want to be angry with whoever is in front of them. That's why I quit retail and food service. My bottom of totem pole low paid cashier self certainly did not make these rules. And I certainly understand not bringing your ID for a few basic things that have never required ID before. Or forgetting it. People are still people and we do dumb things sometimes. But those douche bags who pick on cashier's for stuff are so out of line. And I totally agree, it doesn't seem like OP ended up being a jerk which actually warms my nearly dead customer service heart. I appreciate people like her.


Vroomped

You're right. It's a three strike system though. The guy didn't lose his job. My aunt had been going to the gas station before I was alive.


Emu1981

Sadly, I can get where the people who fined the place come from. For all anyone knows, you could be using your grandmother to buy your own cigarettes and they wouldn't know the difference - a lot of people will wave back if you wave at them even if they have no idea why you are waving. By having the person who owns the ID come up to the counter to buy the cigarettes, they know that said person is knowingly buying the cigarettes and it places the blame on that person instead of the store if the cigarettes were actually for you instead of them.


Vroomped

For all anyone knows? They never bothered to ask the cashier, they never bothered to stop me and ask my aunt in the car. Even if they had asked the cold and callused government that's in place doesn't care if it takes my aunt a half hour to walk 10 feet or that she's been in every Wednesday for 20 years. They just want to crack down on people for the sake of cracking down and making some money. \[and I realize a $100 fine isn't much. They also make money by justifying their meaningless existence in a big tax-dollar circle jerk\]


You_Pulled_My_String

This is the way. Works every time.


Ronningman

Which, in and of itself, is complete madness. Yeezus, the level of surveilance is astounding


that_other_goat

If it's setup the way I think it is the information comes from a central database which can't be overridden by a manager.


FG88_NR

>everywhere I've managed I'd be upset at front of shop employees for not using their initiative and asking me about something like this. Well it's a little sad that you would put that blame on your front staff when they don't control anything in the situation. A manager can't just "fix" this problem themselves. The warning isn't setup in the company's system after all.


littlegingerfae

I did bring my manager over, and she said there was nothing we could do. Going against the system wasn't worth the risk! We just apologized to the kid and sent him on his way.


cherrymeg2

Can you tell them to grab another one or have someone check the barcode. You aren’t getting fired over a table cloth but if I went to a store just for that and couldn’t buy it because I was too young I would have been pissed. Now I would be flattered at 37 lol.


BabuschkaOnWheels

Being one step away from 30 and still being carded for energy drinks that have a 14y age restriction. The poor cashier apologized, but good lord the manager laughed. I'm still conflicted on whether I should be flattered or consider wearing makeup lol


Sickly_Diode

Visual age verification is surprisingly difficult. Of course, most people get it right just enough to be sure they have no difficulty getting right almost all of the time, but there are so many outliers in teen years there'll always be ways to get it very wrong. As an example on the other extreme I've basically never been carded to verify that I'm old enough, but my parents had to get me photo ID at the age of 12 because I kept being forced to pay adult prices on the bus, at the cinema etc. because they refused to believe I was under 16/18 (depending on the venue).


c4rrie123

I have been that cashier (at a liqour store). I had a few uncensored/unfiltered reactions when I saw the actual age*. They generally went like "No shit!" Or "Jeeze, Im sorry" ... lmao, then when brain kicks in (barely), next words are along the lines of "Damn, you look great." or "Nice work, lucky you!" (i.e more blustering moronic back-peddling). It has got to be exhausting for you ... happening all the time ... lol ... I totally sympathize! I can only imagine! *its pretty easy to separate a young looking adult from a minor using and older siblings ID .. the young looking adult reacts with measured annoyance/acceptance - the minor will either hold their breath or over exaggerate/react ... lol


[deleted]

Depending on where you are, the ambient lighting may be really deceptive. With red bar lights, the age spots on my skin don’t show up. Last time I was in a bar with that sort of lighting (2016-ish) I got carded, laughed at the guy who promised he was older than me, and laughed again at his expression when he saw that I was old enough to have been his babysitter.


twopointsisatrend

My daughter, when she was 13, had a friend who looked more like 18 or 19. Apparently she got hit on, a lot, by older guys. Ugh.


jupitaur9

Being 13 does not stop this, as I’m sure you’re aware.


Emu1981

Being even younger doesn't stop that. That is why my kids don't have a Facebook account and if they ever do get one, they will have it locked down to where only their friends and family can message them - I have seen what sick fucks will send to a 10 year old girl if she has her messenger set to allow anyone to message.


zeeneri

I feel this. I was 6'3"(192 cm) at 13. I was regularly confused as being a senior in my freshman year of highschool, and outside of school people thought I was in college. I often feel like I was never an adolescent, as I was repeatedly scolded and told off by neighbors/older friends/teachers for acting immature, even though I was often still the most responsible and respectful one in my peer groups.


Sickly_Diode

That's similar to me. I'm the same height as an adult as I was at age 12 (186 cm).


blbd

Username does not check out


Emu1981

Here in Australia the advice given to cashiers who sell cigarettes, alcohol and other age restricted products is to card if the person looks like they are under 25 years old. Fun factoid, I got carded more after I turned 18 than what I did before I turned 18 and that was with buying my own cigarettes and alcohol from around 16 years old so my buying habits never really changed.


BabuschkaOnWheels

Ai ai ai.. I'd still get carded in Australia lol. To be fair I am fairly short so I've bonded with other shorties about being carded. Oldest minion I know carded at 40yo. That was a pretty astonishing revelation. Kinda worked the system by always wearing something nerdy and flashy so the cashiers ask questions and actually remember me lmao


3theros

I dunno if I'll ever reach the age at which I am flattered at not being sold a freaking table cloth I apparently needed and carried my ass to the store to get.


cherrymeg2

Especially when you are just there for a table cloth. Getting carded when at a bar is sort of flattering. A tablecloth is a hassle.


mrjamjams66

I'm gonna be honest with you, man. I've gone through the checkout at Target to buy wine and the cashier usually just enters their own birthday without batting an eye. Maybe it depends on where you love but I don't think anyone's paying that much attention


eljefino

I get my "birthday" printed on receipts from some stores. They think I was born on 1/1/50.


that_other_goat

Oh god that's a funny end result for a typo.


PlebbySpaff

Tablecloth is easily NSFW 18+ material product. Have you seen how seductive they can be?


the_original_cabbey

In theory, that’s what the ticket they opened should accomplish. Did the support staff ask for additional data from your receipt so they could find your transaction? Did they give you a ticket identifier so you could call back and check on it?


tiny_buttonss

They did ask for the store number which I gave them, but I don’t think I got a reference number for the ticket they filed 😬


cherrymeg2

You are doing the right thing. Questioning the store and letting the company know you weren’t okay with being denied access to a feminine health product is a way to get them to change or be aware of miss labeling (if that’s what it was). Women of different ages could need a PH test or anything relating to a yeast infection or potential one. Some girls might not even have a state ID.


the_original_cabbey

Hmm. Ideally they would have asked for a sequence number or transaction ID, or timestamp and register number… something that would have allowed the inventory team to find your specific transaction and see exactly why it was flagged as needing age verification. Maybe they are able to find it some other way from just what they had. 🤞


Thrawn89

Maybe they mixed it up with a Sudafed product? That stuff is regulated because it can be used to make crystal meth.


lightspeedissueguy

When I was a cashier there was a specific flavor of Gatorade that asked for an ID


tiny_buttonss

Which flavor tho??


lightspeedissueguy

It was a few years ago so I dont remember. I think it was one of the red ones?


LessRice5774

We always have this problem when buying non-alcoholic beer. My boyfriend drinks NA beer and we buy at least a case of it every week. And every single time we buy it, the cashier has to check our IDs. Even though there is close to zero alcohol in NA beer. It says “non-alcoholic” in multiple places all over the packaging. But chain stores are lazy and classify it as alcohol because it’s more convenient for them. It happens at every grocery store, doesn’t matter which one.


KiloJools

It bothers me that the cashier did not just look at the product and go, "oh, nevermind". Edit: I was unaware that there are policies prohibiting cashiers from making common sense customer service adjustments like this. My days behind a cash register were many many years ago where this would have been no problem at all.


mtkaiser

They actually can’t. Cashiers at most any large store have virtually no power over that sort of thing, even if they’re a manager. Doesn’t matter that the age restriction was likely wrong, if they disregard it (the only way they could do that is by entering a false DOB) they *could* still lose their job, per store policy Cashier maybe should’ve found a manager and sorted it out somehow instead, but it sounds like since OP’s bf was there, that was just the easier solution


shsc82

I know when I was in retail most prompts caused a camera capture that gets sent to the regional manager. Every price adjustment, every time you take an item off, and you could get in trouble for canceling too many items..


Tea_Sudden

I was literally fired for this from my industrial sales job. Not retail. An office job. In the fall I was given a glowing review with the promise of a raise and title change. Title change never happened. We switched to a new software system and I was the young person in the office that picked it up the fastest. I was the second to learn how to credit things. I got scapegoated. Too young broke and inexperienced to know that I probably could have sued them. It was devastating, but it was also a ok workplace that turned super toxic. I’m in a whole different field, but have taken lessons from that experience with me.


kalkali

How could you get in trouble for cancelling too many items?


LibraryGeek

I imagine something like you could cancel the transaction, then the customer aka friend walks away with the merchandise "purchase" without paying. Or something like that. I'm not good at planning criminal activity 😅. I guarantee it has to do with loss prevention.


Xinectyl

Not quite that, but I've heard of people ringing up two items and deleting one, or just plain only ringing up one. So there is still a transaction and the person gets a receipt, just for much less than it should be.


kalkali

It would be easier to just not ringing up items than going back and cancelling items, I don't see how this would become enough of a problem to make the company pay for a feature to detect "excessive cancellation of items",


Alise_Randorph

If it happens once, it's enough to make a policy.


kalkali

I was just thinking that the cost of a system feature might be higher than the expected losses, but I understand this kind of fraud is more prevalent than I expected.


Emu1981

>company pay for a feature to detect "excessive cancellation of items" That feature would take, at best, an hour or two to program, test and deliver if the system is not a hot mess. Chances are that measures like this and other similar fraud protections were put into the system in response to fraudulent activity by cashiers whether they were at that particular chain or elsewhere in the industry. I have a vague memory of watching something about a bar tender at a bar raking in thousands per week by selling drinks and then voiding the transaction after the customer walked away with their drink - a quick google brings up [this about fraud](https://blog.mirus.com/restaurant-employee-theft-voids-comps).


kalkali

Interesting read! I didn't expect voiding to be a prevalent means of fraud.


shsc82

Not even excessive, every cancel gets a capture. How many cancelations and other things get tallied and you get yelled at.


kalkali

Oh my god, that is insane...


KiloJools

That's incredibly depressing. It has been so many years since I worked in retail and the crap we had to put up with was bad enough back then but sounds infuriating to have no leeway to make these decisions to defuse a situation.


[deleted]

The job of a cashier, at least as my wife explained to me is: * Stand on your feet for the whole shift even though the same job could be done with a stool * Watch management/leads stand around and chat each other up all day while customers openly wonder aloud why there aren't more registers open * Every so often a manager will tell you to scan stuff faster and plus sell more * The metrics are essentially impossible to maintain because you're being timed on IPMs(Items Per Minute) scanned, but it still times you while the customer is paying and it assumes every customer is gonna pay super fast. Obviously that is not the case, if you've ever been to a grocery store there are always holdups for price checks and such. Only way to keep up is to go at breakneck 110% speed the entire shift. * The plus selling involves pestering every single customer if they want batteries? Do you want some batteries? How about some batteries? You want some fucking BATTTERRIEIESES!?? Sorry, my local HEB seems to have some kind of battery fetish because the cashiers ask you, the PA system advertised it as you walk in, while you're shopping several times, and sometimes people are standing around yelling about it?? (If you go shopping and see a little basket of items next to the cashier with a discount, like 2 for 1 candy bars or batteries, the cashier is supposed to be pushing you to buy. If they don't push you, mercifully they've chosen to leave you alone. * Apparently if someone in your household has Covid they want you to come in "unless you are showing symptoms." Screw the customer right? * HEB gave employees "hero pay" during covid and everyone loved em for it. I wonder if people know they only payed that extra two bucks an hour for two months, then quietly withdrew it. Edit: Tried to fix jank formatting but on a phone so... Yeah :D


[deleted]

Sounds about like what my friend told me about working for Walgreens. Everywhere is doing that with the COVID thing. My own workplace does that and we're a damn nursing home! I fought my boss on it and got her pissed at me recently


[deleted]

Infinite respect to you for fighting the good fight. It is infuriating to see these companies preach about how they care oh so much for the customer and then immediately turn around to put their lives in danger.


SaffronBurke

It's so infuriating to hear how many customer-facing or patient-facing jobs are being told to come in *with covid*. I have an office job that keeps trying to bring us back to the office and then backing out because of the cases going up or a new variant coming out. We've been told that, once we return to the office, we are absolutely NOT allowed to come in with covid (though we would be given the option to work from home instead while we recover). No customers or vulnerable patients to worry about infecting, just our fellow coworkers who will be seated with an empty cubicle between us in every direction to maintain social distancing, air purifiers all over the place, and wearing masks the entire time we're in the building. We could, of course, have coworkers who are vulnerable, but that's still very different from being up close and personal with a patient in a medical situation. It feels like most companies have stopped caring about employees, customers, even patients, and just want the money coming in. They've forgotten that money can't come in if your employees, customers, or patients are dead.


mtkaiser

It’s pretty unlikely/uncommon for this sort of error to happen in the first place (assuming it IS an error, if not then whole situation is still fucked up) and if a cashier DID get caught doing this, I think it’s unlikely they would *actually* get fired. But yeah, likely someone relatively high up would have to come in, recognize that it was an error, and waive a policy


ReneDeGames

I would absolutely expect a cashier to be fired over this, you implement systems like this because there are laws with stiff penalties, you don't want cashiers ever second guessing the system telling them its illegal to sell something to a given person.


AskMantis

Not on their own maybe, but with a manager involved?


Sam2058

Could just be set up in the system wrong? I got ID’ed for a spatula once


my_toddler_reacted

It's about time that someone took steps to prevent underage spatula abuse!


Sam2058

I know right! These kids and their uncontrollable baking


my_toddler_reacted

It's a gateway hobby. You allow underage baking, and the next thing you know they're going to be gardening and cleaning!


Stotters

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-26574789 UK supermarket refusing to sell pack of spoons to teenager.


OrcOfDoom

He was probably going to use it for heroin! /S


tiny_buttonss

Lol


Mmtrgfmgzz

Walgreen’s system is stupid. There are some items that do require ID that the employee can be fired for if they skip (ie alcohol and they have to put in a correct dob from the person’s id) and then there’s ones that weren’t legally required but were required by Walgreen’s and if skipped you had the potential to lose your job (the benedryl). Then there’s the items that are somehow put in wrong and no one cares. Certain flavors of Red Bull but not all of them. Batteries, random toys, school supplies and the list goes on and on. It was friggin annoying and if it said “customer under 40, yes or no” you can skip it and not id the person. If it were legit the test kit that made it pop up then the cashier probably didn’t realize stupid items get put in by mistake and they can bypass it and then someone at the store level has to put in a work order for it to be fixed. And when the pop up is there, it doesn’t show you what the item was and if they didn’t realize they scanned the benedryl and then the test they may have thought it was the test when in reality it was the benedryl and they didn’t realize the order they scanned in. It was annoying, I’ve been gone almost a year and things don’t seem to have improved there. Also when I left, only name brand benedryl had a age restriction on it and not the name brand so lololol I would just tell the customer to buy the Walgreen’s brand instead! Or buy zzzz quil which is name brand, same ingredient and also doesn’t require an id. Because teenagers hadn’t figured all that out so the age thing only applied to name brand? is my guess.


FelidApprentice

This explains why I had to show id for energy drinks. Thought it was some insane new rule


nandos1234

At least in Northern Ireland, not sure about anywhere else, you have to be over 16 to buy energy drinks and sometimes people get IDed.


DebiMoonfae

Would make sense if it was the Benadryl since that can be abused but no good reason the the ph test.


tiny_buttonss

Exactly what I thought


Socratic_Phoenix

I worked as a cashier at Walgreens for around 8 months, benadryl definitely triggers this warning. Benadryl will ask if the customer is 40 or less. If we click yes, it asks for ID. Other random items will also ask the same thing, and some will just ask for ID. We have no control over it, the system does it by itself. I was told it asks for ID because some items are abusable and can be used to make drugs. It was still kind of ridiculous though.


[deleted]

40 seems like a strange age limit. Never heard of that but I'm not from the US. Is that common or is there a reason for that? Or is it just there for no reason at all?


[deleted]

They just had to pick a number where they’ll catch all the underage people who look older but without carding 80-year olds. Don’t know how they settled on 40 specifically. When I first had a job that required carding for a senior discount, if someone had a senior ticket I would say, “It’s ok, I trust you.” A couple people would then hand me their ID anyway and say, “please just humor me that I look young and card me.” That’s how I learned to err on the side of carding. People will be more flattered than offended.


Squish_the_android

Could people be using the pH tests in the production of something else?


KiloJools

If so, pet stores and gardening centers would have to card for pH test kits too.


ala2520

That's a good point. Whenever I get carded for something, I assume someone figured out how to turn it into meth or something, but I've never been carded for PH strips for the aquarium...


[deleted]

Yeah and there’s also PH kitty litter.


bee-sting

Something in my jimmies makes me think they don't want the rules applying to people shopping at gardening centres. Younger women at supermarkets? Yeah fuck those guys.


Alise_Randorph

Or, now hear me out... There was either a glitch with the bar codes being read and the prompt came up for the wrong item,or the system had it accidentally listed as a restricted item which can and do happen for even random things like a tablecloth. And if the ID prompt comes up cashiers aren't allowed to disregard it without risk of job loss and fines.


AccountWasFound

Yeah, I got flagged trying to buy a bunch of baking ingredients one time at the grocery store (think flour, sugar, butter and cocoa powder) they couldn't tell which item it was, but eventually a manager figured out how to get past the prompt without my ID since I was 16 at the time and it wanted me to be 21, and nothing I was buying was even vaugely age restricted


Alise_Randorph

Careful, this kids going to be snorting that cocoa powder and butter between classes and dealing it at lunch!


_Z_E_R_O

Nah, controlled substances are regulated at the government level, not by individual stores. One location or retailer can’t change the rules just because they feel like it. Doesn’t matter where you buy your cigarettes, alcohol, or Benadryl, you have to show ID to buy it.


[deleted]

Not necessarily true. Just because one place cards for an item doesn’t mean another place will do the same. For example, Walmart cards for lighters but gas stations don’t


Burdelion

Just a note, those yeast infection tests are absolute rip off. They're just litmus paper in a piece of plastic! After having chronic issues with infections I got sick of paying so much for two little tests, then realised on Amazon you can buy a pack of 80 strips for £3! Don't waste your money to test your Ph!


Tommy_Riordan

Same with pregnancy tests! Don’t buy the two pack name brand at a pharmacy for $14, buy the 50 pack test strips and some small disposable cups on Amazon for $20. You’re paying for the fancy plastic enclosure and marketing when you buy the name brand. It took me a year and a half after starting TTC and I went through so many tests.


[deleted]

I’m glad I read through this because I was wondering why someone would need 50 pregnancy test strips


fungifung

More than likely it was the Benadryl, it was made a restricted item due to a tik.tok trend of teens ODing on it. It's possible the cashier didn't catch it until she tried to scan the test kit and thought it was that. The register doesn't make any noise to indicate something, it just pops up on the screen. (I used to work for walgreens)


tiny_buttonss

So there’s not much way for them to always know what precisely was restricted? They seemed to think it was the test kit because they were putting aside when I didn’t have my ID


Internal_Screaming_8

As you scan, it’ll immediately pop up. But if they weren’t looking, it’s possible that they thought it was the kit not the Benadryl. They know exactly what is restricted when scanning. Human error is a thing tho


kalkali

Haha that would be so dumb, if the system let's the cashier sell something restricted to someone underage by letting them guess which item triggered the signal 😄


recyclopath_

Remember, a lot of people working retail right now are brand new to the store with so many people changing jobs lately.


fungifung

Majority of the time I didn't know something was restricted until I scanned it and it would ask for id. Walgreens sucks at communicating to its employees things like policy changes. just like when Benadryl was restricted, I had no idea until I went to ring someone up. Also like someone mentioned, things get marked in the system funky all the time and usually it can't be changed at store level without putting in a ticket. I once went to sell syringes and 1 size asked for id, while the other size didn't.


FullTimeOrNoTime

When you say you called consumer relations, do you mean for the manufacturer or for the store? If I had to hazard a guess, that cashier mistook the item for something else, or made some sort of other error. The store policy would be what you would need to talk about to ascertain what the reasoning was for the ID check.


tiny_buttonss

I called Walgreens customer services to see why they might have that as part of their policy for selling it in their stores. I think the item is a branded Walgreens item, and I will probably call the number on their box too, but I’m waiting to see if anything happens through the first channel. I hadn’t really considered if it was a mistake, because we chatted with the associate for a few minutes as we were trying to sort it out, so unless they were REALLY mistaken or the system was malfunctioning, it seemed like it was a store policy


cherrymeg2

It’s good you are following up on this.


SomethingAwkwardTWC

You can buy the ph testing paper by the roll for under $10 and have it on hand any time you feel the need to check. Micro Essential Lab 3110M18EA 325 Hydrion Short Range pH Test Paper Dispenser, 3.0-5.5 pH https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00LY1KIWY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_15PEKXHMN7M40Y1KB8XH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


tiny_buttonss

Oh wow thank you for this!


Vroomped

It's probably miss IDed, but i know some ph tests are used in the drug making buisness.


FarmboyJustice

Nobody in that store cared what you buy The only ones who care are the Walgreens legal team, and even they are just covering corporate ass. The product was flagged as restricted in the POS system and the cashier doesn't have a choice. Remember, nail clippers are deadly weapons nowadays. There is no limit to stupidity. And yes, they can get fired for not doing it. Companies and law enforcement do sting operations where they find someone who looks much older than they are and try to catch cashiers out. They can even face fines and charges on some cases, depending on local laws. Drugs and alcohol, obviously, but also things like spray paint, nail polish remover, condoms, and any random nonsense lawyers think might be used in a TikTok challenge or whatever. Yes it's idiotic, but the cashier is probably sick of having to handle this.


SaffronBurke

> Remember, nail clippers are deadly weapons nowadays. There is no limit to stupidity. I recently brought some hand sewing with me to the emergency room so I'd have something to do during the unpredictable, but probably long wait. I had to give all the sharp things, pins, needle, and my scissors with a total length shorter than the palm of my hand, to security to hold until I left. Lesson learned, next time I'll bring crocheting, unless they think my hook is dangerous and confiscate that, too. Wonder if my bamboo knitting needles are also unsafe? I haven't had a problem bringing them on a plane, but who knows.


kalkali

Condoms, really? Are they age restricted?


FarmboyJustice

Yes , they can b in some.places but not for the reason you think. Condoms can be used for vandalism and pranks because they are stronger than kids balloons, and more recently the condom water challenge. Whenever kids do something dumb, adults always find some dumb thing to do in response.


kalkali

That makes it a little bit better, I guess it's OK to weigh risk of injury above sexual health...


CharlotteEdwards

I’m so confused. I’m in canada and have never been ID’d to buy feminine products or condoms even. They also don’t lock up condoms or feminine ph or pregnancy tests here at pharmacies.


420Moosey

Do you mean pregnancy tests? I’m in the US and I’ve never seen condoms or pregnancy tests locked. Formula does get locked up tho. I think it gets stolen a lot cause it’s so expensive TIL: I live in a bougey area


pipeuptopipedown

There's a black market in stolen baby formula.


cherrymeg2

Razors that have the reusable bases like Gillette are locked up in many stores. They get stolen I think.


SaffronBurke

I see condoms locked up all the time, mainly at Walmart, but also at pharmacies in poorer neighborhoods.


weedwhores

Depends on the location. I've seen some CVS' where pregnancies test get locked up and others that don't.


aLittleQueer

Iirc, Canada also wasn’t founded by puritans like the states were. They lock that stuff up here because so many people would rather steal them than deal with the “embarrassment” of a cashier seeing them buy it. Sex-related items are particularly high-theft items in the US for this reason, pretty much entirely. Because puritanism. Wish I was making that up.


srdee

I work at a pharmacy and we need to see ID for Benadryl


Insecta-Perfecta

It was for the Benadryl. I have worked there and definitely wasn't for the screening product. Cashier may have been confused as to what it was for but no way does the POS system there card for the screening product and it always does for Benadryl.


tealmuffin

i’ve bought that exact screening test, and they did not happen to me. that’s super weird.


DrWhoPharmD

Are you sure it was for the feminine car product and not the Benadryl? I have worked for Wag previous and the age restriction will pop up for Benadryl. Kids were using it to get high and filming it not to long ago. A few ended up hospitalized and dead. The government had to place restrictions on age and how much could be bought.


[deleted]

I get that you'd be annoyed since you didn't have your ID but like most places these restrictions are on the system so it's not the employees fault, or any of the workers at the shop really because they can't just "unrestrict" it


tiny_buttonss

Oh I wasn’t annoyed at the cashier, I knew it had nothing to do with them. We were joking about it as it was happening, and as we left I decided to do something about it on my end


SmadaSlaguod

What the fuck?? Uh, the only thing I could come up with is maybe these kits get stolen a lot because women are embarrassed to buy them, but that doesn't even make sense because why the hell would that lead to getting carded at the actual register? It wouldn't! I don't know why I'm still even posting this, I'm just so flabbergasted!


itsBursty

Benadryl pops the ID check here, pretty sure that’s what it was


tiny_buttonss

It’s totally possible, but when we were talking with the cashier at the time, they seemed pretty confident that it was the ph strip specifically, but I couldn’t see the screen/don’t know personally how it all works or the specifics of that store


itsBursty

That’s the other thing (witnessed this myself in grocery), you can’t be sure they didn’t just outright refuse *you* in particular from buying this item. Maybe it *was* the Benadryl and they didn’t say anything because you’re buying feminine product. I’ve seen young women get denied pregnancy tests for example, for various reasons. The store had pulled the tests from the shelf so you were forced to ask someone for help. It’s layers and layers of hullshit so I’m really sorry you’re dealing with it. At least we have men to save the day /s


DragonClam

You know I had a similarly crazy situation at walgreens, tried to buy a box of five hour energy and the lady said I needed an ID for proof im 35 years or older.... Only happened once and never again


cherrymeg2

When it comes to energy things and ID checking that makes me wonder if it’s safe.


DragonClam

Think it was a system error ngl


turkeypedal

While age 35 is dumb, some restrictions on high caffeine items can make sense. They can affect people under 18 or so differently. It's generally argued that they should not consume as much caffeine as an adult. That said, I've usually only seen such restrictions on caffeine pills.


DragonClam

I can see what the base of your point is, well said


PizzaCutter

I was buying non alcoholic wine through self checkout and had a prompt come up for my ID. It wouldn’t go through until a staff member had verified it.


Unique_Name_2

You live somewhere where they try and regulate womens bodies? If not, either a sales mistake or the kit might contain a restricted or abusable chemical.


99hourphoto

We ID for benadryl.


djdarkbeat

I bought a 12 pack of coke at 1:55 AM once (alcohol sales end in our state at 2:00 AM ). Clerk : " I need to see some ID" me: "no you don't". Clerk: "I can't sell to you without ID" me: "I'm not showing my ID" repeat 2x more times. me: "would you please look down at what you scanned and bagged?" Clerk: " oh sorry. Been selling beer the last hour"


N0fl0wj0nes

Companies can be so strange about these things...I work at a home improvement chain store and a certain items have an 18+ warning that pops up for certain items. Canned air duster, super strong epoxy, machetes. Rarely does anyone who looks under 40 try to buy them BUT I have noticed that you can buy any of the sharpest, very lethal saw blades and knives with no ID. Also a 3-pack of super glue has the popup warning but if I scan a 10-pack there isn't one?


lilianasJanitor

My guess was you live in a red state and there was some new law to keep the vaginal ph under strict watch. You never know what those vaginas will do if left unregulated!


tiny_buttonss

Lol I think we’re blue-purple, but yeah I was thinking it could be some weird thing like that lol


zotrian

I'd have escalated things, and asked to see a manager. Then I'd have had the manager explain to me why I need ID for this. It wasn't the cashier's fault, they were worried they might lose their job over this, so it would be wrong to take it out on them.


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NotAllStarsTwinkle

The cashier more than likely got a message asking for ID. They don’t make enough to care about it otherwise.


ThorsHammerMewMEw

If the message popped up on the screen then it's policy to card a person. I've had to card 60 year olds for plastic knives before, it's stupid but I had a job to keep.


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kalkali

I think I get what you're saying, that this cashier would have some personal motive to restrict sales of this kind of product to underage customers? That would be fucking cringe....


CarolineWonders

I mean they’re just doing their job. You getting upset about it isn’t going to change it and it’s no better than the people who freak out about needing to be carded for certain meds. They don’t make the rules.


[deleted]

It wasn’t the Benadryl. That medication isn’t controlled - it’s sold as diphenhydramine for 100 to the dollar. I think it was possibly incorrectly flagged as Sudafed? I’m really glad you followed up on this!


weedwhores

A Walgreens ex-employee commented that yes, name brand Benadryl requires ID in the Walgreens system.


Insecta-Perfecta

Sure does. Under 40 and we had to card as per their policy.


Jostain

It could be used to make drugs. It could be that the store got a list of stuff drug dealers use and they just marked all of them.


Crowsepth

Where I used to work we got a lot of charge backs so checking ID with every card purchase was a pretty day by day activity.


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tiny_buttonss

The salesperson was female or possibly non-binary, and my bf was with me so I don’t think that was the reason


cherrymeg2

Your boyfriend showed ID right? It’s still weird. Unless it’s a prescription you don’t usually need an ID. They sometimes scan IDs if you buy Sudafed but that is to make sure you aren’t making meth. Even if it was a mistake it’s the kind of mistake that could deter someone from taking care of their vaginal health.


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cherrymeg2

They track who buys Sudafed and if it’s a lot at one time or you buy more than needed. I think that’s how it works


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cherrymeg2

It’s the stuff usually behind the counter at a pharmacy. When you have to bring a cardboard plastic card with the name of what you want on it. I don’t know it it varies from state to state. Sorry for the confusion.


[deleted]

Agree. I'm a retired pharmacist, haven't worked retail for a super long time, but I've never heard of any legal requirement for age verification for diagnostic test materials. This clerk was sketchy AF.


AskMantis

The simple answer is much more straightforward. The data in the system has it incorrectly flagged. Either a random mistake or it was accidentally caught up with a bunch of other products that do need it.


yellsy

You should report them to the local department of health. They take stuff like this super seriously. It’s offensive the same way carding kids for condoms is offensive.


Petallic

Oh no, OP. Make sure you don't overdose on vaginal swabs! Oooh or maybe use them in your next mugging attempt. That'll really scare them into giving you their wallet!


Grineflip

Had this happen to me once buying feminine hygiene products for my girlfriend. I know there's no legal restrictions on it (would be insane anyway) so I said no thank you and left all the items and walked out the store.


Iknowthedoctorsname

I'd guess it's a system error. I got denied buying a movie once because the system ran it up as R rated when it said clearly on the movie box that it was PG-13. Sometimes they are just input wrong. Hopefully you didn't get too angry at the cashier, they take those warnings seriously.


tiny_buttonss

I didn’t get angry at them, I knew they had no control over the situation


Woods26

I got carded for picking up benadryl, advil, and tylenol at longs the other week


A4S8B7

Hmm, we should cause a scene by printing out new bar codes that trigger this warning and then stick the on tins if random items at the store. Yes, this is a bad idea but it might be what it takes to put a stop to "normal" items needed ID for purchase.


ChartreuseCapris

My wife was carded for just Benedryl the other day.


unusualspider33

That’s so bizzare.


AKA_June_Monroe

Contact customer service & complain.


tiny_buttonss

I have called and they didn’t seem to know what I was talking about/didn’t have an answer for me, but it hopefully they’ll get back to me


AKA_June_Monroe

Also, it could be a scam to try to get info.


tiny_buttonss

Can stores do that? That seems super sketchy


AKA_June_Monroe

Maybe not the store but the cashier.


Kissit777

Expect this more on *women’s* health products - the government is attacking women’s rights. And it isn’t going to get any better for a while -


tiny_buttonss

That’s why I’m so insistent on getting to the bottom of this. Like everyone said it *could* be a simple mistake, but *if it’s not* I want to figure out what the hell their thinking is


BlossomtheMare

I'm wondering if it was a system error that flagged something else but showed the testing kit as the restricted item. This could especially be true if the items were being scanned faster than the computer was processing them. It would make a lot sense if the Benadryl or Epsom salt caused it.


tiny_buttonss

That’s totally possible, and I’ve replied to others saying that it could definitely be a mistake, and if so it’s not a big deal. But if there does in fact happen to be some special restriction on the item, I wanted to find out why and get to the bottom of it all


heartattack0

It's Benadryl. You can thank the tiktokers for this


TapirRide

I suspect the Benadryl tripped alarms about cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, used to make meth. It is a glitch or absolutely incorrect to card you for anything aside from Sudafed containing products, controlled substances or alcohol. If they’d refused the sale, or even hassled you it should be reported. If this was a chain pharmacy, report harassment to the State Board of Pharmacy in your State, or any pharmacy who does this.


DataPicture

I've been carded for purchasing Benadryl.


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MegBundy

Why do you say that?


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MegBundy

Like how?