Grocery Liquor Department Compliance Walk

Inspection template for a grocery liquor department compliance walk focused on age verification, carding signage, ID checks, and staff training readiness.

Department Entry and Signage

• Age-restriction signage is posted at the department entrance
  Confirm a clearly visible sign informs customers that valid government-issued ID is required for age-restricted purchases.
• Carding policy signage is visible at point of sale
  Verify signage instructs customers that ID will be checked for age-restricted alcohol sales.
• Signage is legible, unobstructed, and in good condition
  Check that signs are readable from customer approach paths and not blocked by displays, promotional materials, or equipment.
• Required age-restriction notices match store policy and local requirements
  Confirm posted notices align with current store policy and applicable state or local alcohol sales requirements.

ID Verification Practices

• Staff request valid ID before completing age-restricted sale
  Observe whether the cashier or associate requests government-issued photo identification before ringing up alcohol sales when required by policy.
• ID is inspected for photo, date of birth, and expiration date
  Verify staff check the ID for photo match, date of birth, and whether the ID is expired or otherwise invalid.
• Staff follow the store's approved age-calculation method
  Confirm employees use the approved method for determining legal age and do not rely on guesswork.
• Refused or questionable IDs are escalated to a supervisor
  Check that staff know when to refuse a sale and when to involve a manager for questionable identification.

Age-Restricted Sale Controls

• POS prompts or age verification controls are active
  Verify the register prompts for age verification or requires a manual age check before alcohol sale completion, where applicable.
• No evidence of bypassing ID checks during the walk
  Observe whether any transaction, override, or customer interaction indicates an attempt to bypass age verification requirements.
• Age-restricted products are separated from non-restricted impulse items as needed
  Confirm product placement does not create confusion about age-restricted sales or encourage improper self-service handling.

Staff Training Readiness

• Assigned staff can explain the ID-check procedure
  Ask a working associate to describe the steps they follow when verifying age-restricted purchases.
• Assigned staff can explain refusal steps for invalid or suspicious ID
  Ask a working associate to describe how they refuse a sale and escalate concerns when ID is missing, expired, altered, or suspicious.
• Training records are current for employees assigned to the department
  Verify that required alcohol sales or age-verification training has been completed and is current for staff working the department.

Manager Follow-Up and Corrective Actions

• Deficiencies documented with corrective action owner and due date
  Record each non-conformance, the responsible person, and the target completion date.
• Immediate corrective action completed for critical findings
  Confirm any critical deficiency was corrected or the department was escalated according to store procedure.