Underage drinkers as young as 12 are using supermarket debit cards on the internet to get hold of large quantities of alcohol, it has been claimed.
Shrewsbury youngsters are using the cards to buy beer and spirits online and then arranging home deliveries when their parents are out at work.
Shropshire councillor Tony Durnell said several residents had raised the issue with him during surgery appointments and he subsequently told fellow councillors about the problem during a recent committee meeting.
In his work for Crimestoppers, which involves travelling to different parts of the town to talk to teenagers, he says the matter has also come to light there and that more youths are choosing to drink at home or in quieter places.
He said while talking to a group of youths in a town park recently about local issues he noticed they were all hung over – even children as young as 12 and 13.
“Supermarkets have debit cards which parents can purchase for their child and put money into that account, but some youngsters are buying vast amounts of alcohol with it. They can then get someone older – sometimes even their own parents – to arrange a delivery to their house and it seems to be a rising problem.
“My great concern is how secure this process is as there seems to be no way of monitoring who actually buys the alcohol,” added Cllr Durnell.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s, said: “All drivers are trained to operate our Think 25 policy at the doorstep. If the person receiving the shopping looks 25 or under and is unable to provide ID, the driver will remove any alcohol from the shopping bags.”
Tesco operates a similar policy.
By David Seadon
