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The nearest local Quick-E-Mart to me is a Co-operative Food, it’s not bad, a good range and some nice ready meals, prices a bit more expensive than the Supermarket, but that’s to be expected.
However it’s only 5 mins walk away and doesn’t need a car (So I’m reducing my carbon footprint, aren’t I the good little green warrior)
A few weeks ago they introduced ‘Under 25’ That if you look ‘Under 25’ when attempting to buy Fags or Booze you will be asked for ID.
Now my thoughts on this, is that as well as it’s stated purpose of reducing under age drinking, I believe an intended by-product is that those who are between 18-25 (or older) will not wish to be ‘Carded’ and so not buy alcohol or tobacco because it is one of the few ages in your life where you actually want to be thought of as older than you actually are, it is exactly as if they are calling you a child in public and how insulting is that.
So far, so standard to the progress of the new puritans.
Here’s where the further denormalisation comes in.
Two weeks ago (according to staff) a directive came from Head Office that ALL Alcohol and Tobacco sales to anyone, had to be approved by a specified staff member.
As this is only a smallish shop, this means only The Manager can sell or authorise the sale of Alcohol or Tobacco.
In practice, as managers do not like to work the check-out and would rather be off ‘managing things’. It works like this.
You rock up to the check out with your basket of sundries, the girl starts ringing them through an lo and behold she comes across a bottle of Chilean Cab Sav for £3.99 (on special , it’s quite nice if you hold your nose when drinking).
The bell is rung to summon The Manager
You wait
The people behind you wait.
The bell is rung again
You wait some more
The people behind you wait some more (they are beginning to ‘tut’ )
The Manager eventually arrives from whatever manager cubby hole he has been skulking in, emits a harassed sigh and gives you a filthy look as you have interrupted his 'managing of things'. (Have they had training in this, I wonder)
He inputs his 6 digit code
He fucks off again.
You complete your purchase and leave.
Yet just as you leave you hear the bell being rung again, some dirty bastard has asked for 20 Benson’s.
You can feel they level of frustration and hatred by those in the queue behind without alcohol or intent to purchase tobacco step up a little.
Now, it is not directed at the store policy or the stupid manager that doesn’t wait to see if anyone else wants booze or fags before fucking off.
It’s directed at you, by your selfish actions in wishing to purchase a perfectly legal product, you have delayed them.
You are no longer one of us, you are now one of ‘Them’
You have been denormalised.
.
My local Co-op has a similar policy in place. I was in there last week and a hell of a ruckus kicked off. One of the 18 years olds that works there had popped in to buy a bottle of wine. A young man waiting to be served (before her) was asked for ID under the 25 year thing and because he didn't have any he was refused. When the shop worker popped her bottle on the counter the shop assistant scanned it with out carding her. A young man (behind her) queried this. The till girl stated that she knew the buyer and new she was over 18, where upon the young man pointed to the prominantly displayed 'under 25'sign and demanded to see the manager. Manager tried to defend the buyer and the seller but she caved when the young man threatened to call the police. T'was all very embarassing for them and very humerous for the rest of us, especially the first young man who was still in the shop waiting for his friend (the second young man).
ReplyDeleteMummy x
Oh, just fantastic...
ReplyDeleteDivide and conquer - the oldest trick in the book. Mind you, as evidenced with mummy x's stry, they may have miscalculated. I do hope so.
All symptomatic of the disillusionment and falling away of service. It can be reversed with major changes at the top.
ReplyDeleteYes PC now you know what all that foundation money was sponsoring in the Unis research in the Sillybop department for years and years.
ReplyDeleteIt's got Tavistock all over it.
Smells like lad rats, looks like lab rats, PC you of all cats should know its RATS.
Do you know I missed that. Well spotted
ReplyDeleteBells ringing to achieve desired reflex reaction.
It's classic Pavlovian Conditioning.
Damn I just realised, if I had headlined this post
ReplyDelete'The Co-operative Code'
I might have got plenty of hits from Dan Brown readers wondering if it was the title of his next book and got my stats up.
Interesting theory, and you may very well have a point.
ReplyDeleteThe anti-tobacco and anti-drinks lobby continually talk of the underhand methods of their adversaries*. Perhaps they have learned and are employing the same tactics**.
* They have proof too, although it's from a long time ago. They have just extended such justification into wild claims that it is still going on at subliminal levels (sort of a NWO conspiracy for the righteous)
** No 'perhaps' about it. It's documented and provable, it's just that the MSM refuse to pick it up ... which sort of confirms that the methods they rail against in tobacco and alcohol interests are being faithfully replicated by themselves.
They don't recognise hypocrisy as a bad thing when it's they who are exhibiting it.
XX Mummy x said...
ReplyDeletethe young man pointed to the prominantly displayed 'under 25'sign and demanded to see the manager. Manager tried to defend the buyer and the seller but she caved when the young man threatened to call the police. XX
The manager should have let him.
It is, contrary to the Co ops opinion, NOT an offence to sell to under 25s. Under 18s it is. The "under 25" sign is not enforcable.
Update: Sat 21st Nov
ReplyDeleteJust been in for a bottle of cooking wine and half oz of Old Holborn
No bells, no manager.
The lad at the counter tells me that he thinks it has been quietly dropped as it was giving the manager a nervous breakdown.
(Whether it is just Saturday nights or all week I shall test next week )