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.



Daft: Christine Cuddihy, 24, holds up a cheese and onion quiche. She was asked to provide ID to prove she was old enough to buy a 51p slice from Tesco



CAN I SEE SOME ID? OTHER BARMY REQUESTS Tony Ralls, 72, asked if old enough to buy bottle of wine in Morrisons in Liverpool

Ellie Hargreaves, 28, asked for ID to buy child's Ben 10 advent calender in Debenhams, Blackburn

Grandmother Tina MacNaughton-Jones, 47, refused a bottle of wine in a Waitrose supermarket in Worthing, West Sussex - because she could not prove she was over 18. Her 22-year-old daughter then produced a driver's licence to buy the bottle but she, too, was turned down over fears that she would pass the alcohol on to her mother

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.

The Tesco store in Coventry where Christine was asked for ID. The company is at a loss to explain why this happened

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.'