Woman had to show ID to buy quiche
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:30 pm
Tesco shopper, 24, forced to show ID... because she was 'too young to buy slice of QUICHE'
Usually the only thing you need to eat quiche is a hearty appetite.
But according to Tesco you should be over 21 too.
At least that's what the checkout cashier told Christine Cuddihy when she took a 51p slice of cheese and onion quiche from the deli to the till.
At first, the 24-year-old office worker thought the cashier was joking when she refused to let the sale go through because she 'looked under 21'.
Eventually, as the shoppers queueing behind her grew restless, an embarrassed Miss Cuddihy had to produce her driving licence to prove her age.
'The girl told me: "You don't look over 21. I need to see some proof of age",' she said. 'I told her I was certain the proof of age laws do not apply to quiche but she just said: "We have to be really strict now and this applies to quiche bought over the counter".
'It was very embarrassing, what on earth is dangerous about a slice of quiche?
'There was nothing suspicious about me and it's not even like I was buying a whole quiche to binge on.
'It was rush-hour and the shop was really busy. I was so insulted that they thought I couldn't be trusted with a harmless snack.'
The incident happened at the Tesco store in Cannons Park, Coventry on January 21.
Miss Cuddihy, from nearby Leamington Spa, was on her way home from work when she popped in to buy the quiche for her supper.
But she ended up getting into a humiliating argument with the cashier, a woman in her mid 30s, as well.
'I was really embarrassed and just wanted to get out of the shop,' she recalled.
'There was a queue forming behind me so I just showed her my driving licence and rushed out.
'I was so hungry that I didn't even bother kicking up a fuss or complaining to the manager. I just wanted the quiche.
'The irony of the whole thing is that I've bought alcohol from there dozens of times without being asked for ID.
'I've racked my brains to come up with an explanation but I can't find one. The whole thing is ridiculous.
Yesterday Tesco apologised for the incident. A spokesman for the supermarket said shoppers did not have to prove their age to buy quiche.
'We're at a loss to say what happened here,' the spokesman said.
'We couldn't find the staff member who asked for the ID.
'Age-related prompts at till are set centrally and there obviously isn't one on quiche.'
The original source for this story is the Daily Mail. They say the incident happened on 21st January. If that is the case, why did it take so long for them to report it?
