Loblaw Companies Ltd. has been fined after an undercover operation caught an employee at one of its locations selling alcohol to a minor.
According to a court document, the incident occurred at the Wine Store inside the Loblaw-owned Real Canadian Superstore at 2322-160 Street in Surrey, BC. The document details how, on September 14, 2023, two liquor and cannabis inspectors were working with a 16-year-old minor agent who was part of the inspection process.
The inspector shared that the young agent entered the location, selected a bottle of wine, and took it to the checkout area.
“The minor agent presented the bottle of wine to the cashier, who scanned it and told the minor agent the price,” states the document. “The minor agent produced a $20 bill, the cashier accepted the money and made change, and gave the minor agent a receipt.”
According to the document, the minor was never asked to provide any identification while paying for the bottle of wine.
The cashier said she had “not been feeling well” and should have called in sick.
The store’s general manager described her as “a good employee” who had been with the company for 15 to 20 years. The cashier has been working at the store since it opened in 2016.
The document details, “The general manager said the cashier was suspended for two weeks without pay… It was the first time the cashier had to be disciplined. During the disciplinary hearing, the cashier admitted that it was her fault, [and that the] sale was a lapse in judgment and that her training was to check for identification.”
The employee returned to work and was re-trained in liquor sales.
“The Licensee admits an employee sold liquor to a minor but claims the defence of due diligence,” states the document.
The company was ordered to pay a fine of $7,000 before April 12, 2024.
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