An Age Limit to Buy Newspapers?

On Sunday 11th Feb my wife drove into town with our son and stopped at the local Co-op to buy a newspaper (Mail on Sunday). Him being 11 years old and capable she sat in the car while he went in with the appropriate money to buy the paper. He returned a few minutes later somewhat flummoxed and without the newspaper. She asked the reason why and he replied that as he wasn't 15 years old the staff couldn't sell him the paper as it contained a freebie DVD rated as '15'. This was of a TV mini-series with Joan Collins called 'Sins'.

Now, while I applaud the vigilance of the staff and the Co-op's attempts to adhere to the laws of the land regarding film certification there are a few questions this incident raises.

1. The DVD was in a sealed cellophane package containing two newspaper magazines and various loose advertising supplements. Was he going to view it on the way home?

2. What if he had traipsed there as a favour for a disabled neighbour/family member? Would the staff have removed the offending DVD from the package?

3. What about the shop sending out paper boys and girls to deliver the paper and its freebies? I'm sure many of many of them are under 15.

4. Is it not the case that in this day and age many kids under 15 seek out or have been exposed to much worse than a Joan Collins mini-series on regular television never mind satellite and the internet?

5. How the hell did the DVD get classified as a '15' in the first place?

I guess that this week I'll have to purchase my own copy of LSA Express (Readers Wives Spring Special)!