Asda has led the way in tackling under-age sales through focused training and by measuring our own performance using independent test purchases. Every one of our stores is now independently tested each month to ensure they are always asking customers who look under the age of 25 for ID to prove they are over 18 when attempting to purchase alcohol.
We publish our pass-rate here each month so that you can see how we’re doing.
How are the tests conducted?
Each month a team of independent test purchasers visit every one of ASDA’s stores in the UK. Because of strict legal regulations surrounding the test purchasing of alcohol, we are only allowed to use ‘mystery shoppers’ that are over 18. However all of the test purchasers used are selected based on how young they look.
ASDA’s policy is to always ask for ID if you look younger than 25 to prove you are over 18, so each of the ‘mystery shoppers’ is testing whether they are asked for ID when attempting to buy alcohol. If they are asked for ID the store receives a pass. If they are not asked for ID the store receives a fail.
What do we do if a store fails?
A number of immediate actions need to be taken by a store if it fails a test purchase.
- The colleague responsible for selling alcohol without asking for ID must be taken off the checkouts and not allowed to return until re-training has taken place.
- All store colleagues must be informed that a test purchase exercise has been failed.
- The Challenge 25 scheme must then be re–briefed to all colleagues immediately.
- The store will then audit all of the training files to ensure all colleagues have received Challenge 25 training and that a signed record for each colleague’s training has been retained.
Should the audit highlight any colleagues that have not been trained or any colleagues that do not have a signed record on their files, they must be re-trained prior to working another shift.
The store must also ensure that sufficient numbers of Challenge 25 notices are clearly displayed along the Beer, Wine and Spirits aisle, and the correct signage is displayed at all checkouts.
Finally the store must ensure the Premises Licence is displayed at the customer service desk and all personal licence holders are fully aware of the licence conditions imposed on the store, and that the store is complying. The store will then be retested to ensure it is complying with the Challenge 25 scheme.
How do supermarkets perform compared with the rest of the industry?
An independent test purchasing company conducted checks between January and March 2008 and found:
- On–trade eg pubs and clubs – 60% pass rate
- Off–trade eg convenience stores and supermarkets – 67% pass rate
Who does the testing on behalf of Asda?
The company that tests stores on our behalf is an independent organisation that specialises in test purchasing for a wide range of retailers, both supermarkets and smaller convenience stores. They also test pub chains and nightclubs.
In a recent study it found that a significant number of underage drinkers (78%) admitted they simply ask their parents for alcohol, with 83% saying they were confident their parents would say yes to their request.
When it comes to buying alcohol illegally the “likelihood of being served” is by far the most important factor for kids when considering which shops to target.
According to our test purchase company nine out of ten underage drinkers think convenience stores are currently the easiest place to get served alcohol – with 85% of those surveyed saying smaller stores offered them the best chance of being served. Only 3% said they thought they’d get away with it in a supermarket.
What are the latest test results?
Our most recent test purchase figure is for February and shows a pass rate of 76% which is in line with both the alcohol market and the supermarket sector.
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Today is the start of Alcohol Awareness Week in Scotland and our Scottish stores will be promoting the campaign in-store to colleagues and customers all week.