Tesco shoppers who look under 25 will be asked for ID when they attempt to buy alcohol, after the retailer said it would tighten its procedures, starting in May.
Challenge 25 is to be rolled out to all Tesco stores, following in the footsteps of Asda and Morrisons, which have both introduced the policy over the course of the last year in an attempt to stamp out underage sales. Sainsbury’s is due to introduce Challenge 25 in September.
This week, Tesco was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £250 costs after a Blackpool store admitted it has sold alcohol to children on more than three occasions.
A Tesco lawyer, Paddy Whur, told the court the prosecution had led to the change of policy, although a Tesco spokesman later said the move had been planned for some time.
“The company has operated a Challenge 21 policy but now as a result of this prosecution from May Tesco will roll out a Challenge 25 policy nationally,” Whur is reported to have told the court.