Woman, 25, asked for ID to buy teaspoons as they could be used as drug paraphernalia

A woman was asked to prove her age when buying a pack of teaspoons as a shop worker claimed they could be used as drug paraphernalia. Elinor Zuke, 25, was told by the self-service checkout at Sainsbury's that she needed age verification as she tried to buy a £1.19 pack of spoons.



When Ms Zuke, a reporter on trade magazine The Grocer, asked why the purchase had to be verified, she was told that the six-pack of spoons 'could be used as drug paraphernalia.' A shop worker then intervened and said it was because of the risk they could be used for drugs - heroin users 'cook up' the drug in teaspoons.

Heroin, which comes in powder form, is put in the spoon with water and citric acid and heated with a lighter to rid it of any impurities. Ms Zuke said: 'I could not understand what the problem was when the supervisor said it was because they could be used as drug paraphernalia I was completely shocked.



'I would imagine the vast majority of spoons sold by Sainsbury's are used for nothing more nefarious than stirring a cup of tea. Having to prove I was over 18 to buy them seemed total madness.' The supermarket giant apologised for the blunder at the store in West Green, Crawley, West Sussex, and blamed a fault in their system.