The undercover mission involved a police officer accompanying (and observing from a distance) a sixteen year old who makes the purchase. Staff should ask to see ID if the customer looks under 21 and in the test cases they were 16 and looked it. If the customer looks underage and can’t produce proof to the contrary they should not be served alcohol. In a number of cases Tesco staff sold the alcohol without asking for ID.

Under-aged drinking is a serious problem in Brighton. It is a key contributor to the  anti-social behaviour for which Brighton is gaining notoriety.

Tesco has set out aims to be more community spirited and it will probably add training staff to check ID to its list of New Year resolutions.