[graemep]

Its usually in the UK in my experience to give teenagers wine, beer or cider with meals.

16 year olds can currently have them with a meal in a restaurant or pub. Until a few years ago it was 14.

> It meant when I got to university I knew how much I could drink (although as a student I was too poor to drink much anyway haha) whereas there were people drinking like half a bottle of vodka.

I gave my kids some alcoholic drinks for just that reason.