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Supermarket shopping - eating before paying

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richw

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The rules of using a supermarket are that you pay for things before you eat or use them. It’s wrong to eat things before you pay for them in a supermarket - it’s not a restaurant.

where can I find a copy of the aforementioned rules?
 
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AlterEgo

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where can I find a copy of the aforementioned rules?

Oh it’s one of those rules which is so obvious that it isn’t written down in a big book or anything, but which mummy or daddy should have taught you when you were a toddler.
 

The_Train

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I've seen this many times and it never sits well with me to be honest. I mean how long are people in a supermarket for? 30-60 minutes max I would say - even if I'm feeling really hungry when I arrive, I can muster enough energy to get round the supermarket and back home before I drop.

That said, I have read somewhere that it's bad to shop when hungry because you're more likely to buy extra items, which are usually more 'unhealthy' stuff. Maybe these people are just ensuring that they don't fall into this trap :E
 

DynamicSpirit

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However, I do like the current practice of free fruit for kids to eat.

I've never seen that. But before you decide you like it too much, you might want to consider the dangers of eating while you're walking/running around... (Applies to adults too)

JakartaPost said:
When you eat food, it travels through the esophagus into the stomach for further digestion. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a valve that links the esophagus to the stomach. Typically, the LES closes when food has entered the stomach, to prevent the contents of the stomach from rising to the esophagus.

If you constantly move while eating, the LES fails to completely close or remains open for prolonged periods of time. As a result, hydrochloric acid produced by cells that line stomach walls move up into the esophagus. This condition is referred to as stomach acidity and manifests itself through a range of uncomfortable symptoms, including bloating and heartburn.

(The article lists a number of other problems caused by eating on the move. I'm not sure how good a source JakartaPost is, but this article matches my own experience, and with advice I've received from doctors).

Personally, if stores can afford to give away free fruit, I'd rather they spread the benefits by just reducing the price of fruit (and maybe increasing the price of less healthy stuff).
 

DynamicSpirit

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The rules of using a supermarket are that you pay for things before you eat or use them. It’s wrong to eat things before you pay for them in a supermarket - it’s not a restaurant.

I would agree - although perhaps it's more custom rather than rules.

Thinking about it more, I think I would say that eating before you buy is wrong (and if it's not illegal, it ought to be) because the food is the property of the supermarket until you've paid for it, and by eating it before you've bought it, you're not respecting that the food does not (yet) belong to you. It's also anti-social because of the likelihood of causing a mess and dropping crumbs etc. And depending on precisely how you eat, could be unhygienic.

In terms of not owning the food, I would say it's morally equivalent to these (which are more obviously not on):
  1. Try pushing through a ticket barrier without a ticket at a station that has ticket-buying facilities and explaining to the staff at the barriers that it's OK because you're planning to buy a ticket after you've made the journey... see what reaction you get!
  2. If you're in the process of buying a house, would you treat the house as your own and just wander into it, ignoring the people you're buying it from, before you've completed the purchase?
 

Gemz91

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I wonder if the apples are washed before being offered for kids to take. I don't know if other people are as fussy as me but I always like to rinse fruit that you're going to eat the skin of.

They offer oranges and bananas too for the more hygienic aware parents out there.

I've never seen that. But before you decide you like it too much, you might want to consider the dangers of eating while you're walking/running around... (Applies to adults too)



(The article lists a number of other problems caused by eating on the move. I'm not sure how good a source JakartaPost is, but this article matches my own experience, and with advice I've received from doctors).

Personally, if stores can afford to give away free fruit, I'd rather they spread the benefits by just reducing the price of fruit (and maybe increasing the price of less healthy stuff).

I'd never seen before too, until I start to see someone with a child. They sent me a photo of their child eating a banana whilst going around the super market, I was horrified to think that I'd started to see someone who was one of "those" people who would eat food whilst shopping then pay for it at the end. I was wondering how I could dump them gently because of this until they told me that kids get free fruit.

Still, its better then the guy I saw today filling up his car at the petrol station (in the boot strangely enough) and driving off with out paying
 

GusB

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I've always thought it a bit cheeky to avail oneself of the produce before getting to the checkout, but as long as the empty wrapper is scanned at the checkout, there's no real harm done. I certainly wouldn't get worked up about it.

I'm reminded of one regular customer from my time working at Safeway. She was heavily pregnant, and had a craving for cheese. The first time she presented the opened packet of cheddar at the till, I thought she'd maybe picked it up without noticing it was open and I was about to have it replaced until she shook her head and advised me that it was her.

Then there was "cherry tomato lady", and numerous examples of parents opening things to keep their kids quiet - if it prevents a toddler from screaming the place down, I'm not going to object!
 

PeterC

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Still, its better then the guy I saw today filling up his car at the petrol station (in the boot strangely enough) and driving off with out paying
My local garages have "pay by app" options either in operation or advertised as "coming soon". Did you definitely observe that he hadn't used any valid payment method or simply didn't go to the kiosk?
 

AndyCK

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In the last few weeks I’ve seen a number of people in Sainsbury’s opening food that is in their trolley, then eating some or all of it, before then putting the wrapper / pack on the checkout belt and paying for it. More often than not, it has been a hassled mum giving a young child a biscuit, fruit from a prepack, or some other snack from a multipack. However today it was a middle aged bloke who wolfed down both individual chocolate tortes from a twin pack out of the bakery section. (Hilariously, the rest of his shopping was entirely wholesome - fruit, veg, pulses, grains, lean meat etc. I suspect he was eating the evidence before he went back to a very healthy home!)

To me, eating stuff in the supermarket before you’ve paid for it feels morally wrong, and I would never do it. However given that it is paid for before leaving the premises, I guess that technically it’s not against the law? In principle, it’s the same as being in a restaurant. And I suppose you could argue that you are simply repackaging the goods!

Opinions?

I have unfortunately been in the position a couple of times of a parent needing to open something whilst in the supermarket for one of my young children, who is autistic.

Anything opened was paid for, and I did go to the customer service desk to let them know. The alternative would have been a complete meltdown in the aisle as coupled with the supermarket experience he was getting overwhelmed at that point.

I would never open something for myself though - but there are circumstances where the supermarkets are OK with it from my experience. Luckily I’ve not had to do this in a long while as he enjoys supermarket shopping now he can help by using the self service hand scanner!
 

Ianno87

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I have unfortunately been in the position a couple of times of a parent needing to open something whilst in the supermarket for one of my young children, who is autistic.

Anything opened was paid for, and I did go to the customer service desk to let them know. The alternative would have been a complete meltdown in the aisle as coupled with the supermarket experience he was getting overwhelmed at that point.

I would never open something for myself though - but there are circumstances where the supermarkets are OK with it from my experience. Luckily I’ve not had to do this in a long while as he enjoys supermarket shopping now he can help by using the self service hand scanner!

The other thing to remember is the low value of this stuff to supermarkets. It's better to accept losing the value of a few packets of crisps (against store turnovers of multiple £millions/week) from the minority who take the piss with eating and not paying, to avoid the PR damage going uneccesarily hard on a parent just trying to keep a child satisfied (with full intention to pay)
 

Crossover

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I notice a lot of the major super markets have free fruit for children which is good

I have only come across this once - at Tesco in Huddersfield a couple of weeks ago.

Still, its better then the guy I saw today filling up his car at the petrol station (in the boot strangely enough) and driving off with out paying

My local garages have "pay by app" options either in operation or advertised as "coming soon". Did you definitely observe that he hadn't used any valid payment method or simply didn't go to the kiosk?

Pay by App or Pay at Pump being two options - I have done the latter a number of times. It did feel a bit odd the first time filling up and driving off without going to the kiosk!
 

Bald Rick

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I have unfortunately been in the position a couple of times of a parent needing to open something whilst in the supermarket for one of my young children, who is autistic.

Anything opened was paid for, and I did go to the customer service desk to let them know. The alternative would have been a complete meltdown in the aisle as coupled with the supermarket experience he was getting overwhelmed at that point.

Completely understandable.
 

Gemz91

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My local garages have "pay by app" options either in operation or advertised as "coming soon". Did you definitely observe that he hadn't used any valid payment method or simply didn't go to the kiosk?

Couldn't pay at the pump and no signs of pay by App. By the reaction of the lady in the petrol station it was clear he hadn't paid at all.
 

GB

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I understand why parents might give their young kids something to eat before paying for it (don’t understand when it’s an adult eating before buying) but things like fruit that are often priced by weight, when you do eventually pay for it, how do you quantify the cost of the product that’s already been consumed?
 

Ianno87

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I understand why parents might give their young kids something to eat before paying for it (don’t understand when it’s an adult eating before buying) but things like fruit that are often priced by weight, when you do eventually pay for it, how do you quantify the cost of the product that’s already been consumed?

Use the electronic scales where you print off the label and stick it to the bag.
 

Cowley

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...and those that are weighed actually at the checkout?
Weigh the child on it when you go in, and then weigh it again as you pass through the checkout. Foolproof.
 

Bletchleyite

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Or just, as I'd do, go and get the item for the child, pay for it, stick the receipt in your pocket in case anyone asks, and go do the rest of the shopping. That would take, at a self service checkout, what, a minute or two?
 

Cowley

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Or just, as I'd do, go and get the item for the child, pay for it, stick the receipt in your pocket in case anyone asks, and go do the rest of the shopping. That would take, at a self service checkout, what, a minute or two?
Yep. Or (as I used to try and do), take something with you like a little box of raisins. That used to keep them occupied for ages when they were small.
 

DaleCooper

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Weigh the child on it when you go in, and then weigh it again as you pass through the checkout. Foolproof.

Put a house brick in the child's pocket before you go in then dump the brick at the back of the shop and replace it with the same weight of steak.
 

AlterEgo

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I find it fascinating that some people are attempting to justify or excuse eating things from a shop before you’ve paid for them.
 

Cowley

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Put a house brick in the child's pocket before you go in then dump the brick at the back of the shop and replace it with the same weight of steak.
You’d be going straight on the naughty step if I had my way.
 

cb a1

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I find it fascinating that some people are attempting to justify or excuse eating things from a shop before you’ve paid for them.
Wonder how much this is a 'cultural' thing?

I remember the first time I went abroad [Turkey] as an adult like 30 years ago and was gobsmacked that I could go to a bar and they would give me beer and you paid when you left the bar, not when you ordered it!!

On a trip to the caribbean, I remember a supermarket which would open a bottle of beer for you to drink whilst you went round the supermarket doing your shopping and that you paid for when you got to the checkout.
 

Ianno87

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I find it fascinating that some people are attempting to justify or excuse eating things from a shop before you’ve paid for them.

Which isn't illegal or immoral provided you intend to - and do - pay (although I don't do it - I understand why some people do)

You eat in restaraunts before you pay

A plumber or electrician does work before you pay.

Etc etc.

*You* may not think it the proper thing to do (nor do I - just the way I was personally brought up)...but that doesn't make it wrong!
 
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Clip

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I do this - probably inherited from me mam who used to always eat the french stick as walking around the big shop - as long as i pay for it there is nothing wrong with it and never been told off for doing so
 
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