With dreams of winning the Big Wednesday jackpot, Shona Ledgerwood stopped at her local lotto outlet on Wednesday to buy a ticket for the $35 million draw and a couple of Instant Kiwi tickets selected by her children, Ashlee (9) and Cameron (11).
While she was able to buy the Big Wednesday ticket at the Foodlands Lotto shop, the staff member refused to sell her the Instant Kiwi tickets on the "grounds I was buying it for my children".
"I was shocked they wouldn't take me at my word when I said they were for me and not my children."
Speaking to the manager, Miss Ledgerwood was told the store could not sell an Instant Kiwi to anyone under 18, or anyone buying an Instant Kiwi for an under 18.
"I was highly embarrassed, I was made to feel like a liar and I feel this is just political correctness gone mad."
Miss Ledgerwood confirmed she had lodged a complaint with the New Zealand Lotteries Commission about the store.
Commission spokeswoman Karen Jones said Instant Kiwi was the only age-restricted product run by New Zealand Lotteries, as the low prices and scratch-type games "can be considered attractive to children".
It was one of only a handful of complaints concerning Instant Kiwi over the last four years and the commission would be taking the complaint seriously.
The manager of the store declined to comment when contacted.
