Supermarket shopping - eating before paying

[GB]

Then you don't do it then, do you?

Well there are people that do do it, that's the point.

Can I politely suggest there are better uses of time of people on this than debating the moral rights and wrongs of a 17 year old eating a banana?

Like most things in life, this is a grey area - there is no 'black or white' answer.

Anyway, I've already stated that it is reasonable and legal to age discriminate on matters such as this.

Emd of discussion.

Don't know who gave you your high horse but its not up to you to end discussions.

 

[trainophile]

There’s better uses of time than posting on a forum full stop. It’s what a lot of us do for relaxation, and we enjoy a hypothetical debate. Where’s the harm in exchanging views?

 

[Pyreneenguy]

There’s better uses of time than posting on a forum full stop. It’s what a lot of us do for relaxation, and we enjoy a hypothetical debate. Where’s the harm in exchanging views?

At least contributing to a discussion on-line has some creativity. All many people do is watch TV (mind-numbing soaps) and 'go round the shops'.

With this in mind, I'll start a new thread on................supermarkets !

 

[DynamicSpirit]

At least contributing to a discussion on-line has some creativity. All many people do is watch TV (mind-numbing soaps) and 'go round the shops'.

With this in mind, I'll start a new thread on................supermarkets !

Nah, start a thread about mind-numbing soaps. Then we can all go and spend a few days watching some, so we'll know enough about them to contribute to the thread

 

[muz379]

Not something that I ever can recall doing myself , and would expect that adults should be able to show enough self control to at the very least wait until they have left the shop . When its someone giving something to a child it is a little more understandable .

But either way its not really something i'm overly fussed about when I see other people doing it . Yes you do see the occasional empty wrapper indicating someone who has eaten/drunk something and not paid for it , but then every supermarket will have some degree of loss from theft anyway, of which that is just one type .

How do the people here who are seemingly outraged by this intend that supermarkets police this ? more security ? Taking peoples details and banning them if they appear at the till with empty wrappers ? staff members telling people not to do it when they see them in the shop ? Lets be honest , unless you stationed a staff member or security guard at the end of every aisle just to look out for this , people will continue to do it . And at a time when supermarkets are operating with less and less staff all the time they wont be doing that in a hurry .

 

[Calthrop]

I'd suggest that the only way to achieve a meaningful degree of reduction in the occurrence of this kind of stuff: would be to convert the majority of the population to zealous adherence to some severe and totalitarian religion, according to which they were convinced that the slightest act of theft would send them to eternal torment. Absent a situation such as this -- not the normal default state for most of humankind -- a lot of petty larceny will inevitably go on, anywhere; even with many "bodies" carrying out rigorous-policing duty.

 

[Clip]

(I know a couple of people have mentioned restaurants where you pay after eating - I'd argue that's different because in those restaurants, there is a clear understanding that the restaurant has chosen of its own free will to supply the goods and to allow them to be consumed prior to payment. That's not the case for most shops.)

Except for places like McDonalds and such like where you pay before you take your seat and eat.


And lets face it - there are no big signs as you enter shops telling you what to do - whether eat before you buy or buy after you shop - its just a presumption fed down to us by our elders who had no other choice when they didnt have the luxury of a large store to walk round and just an Awkright behind his counter to grab everything for them

 

[AlterEgo]

And lets face it - there are no big signs as you enter shops telling you what to do - whether eat before you buy or buy after you shop - its just a presumption fed down to us by our elders who had no other choice when they didnt have the luxury of a large store to walk round and just an Awkright behind his counter to grab everything for them

There are no big signs telling you not to belch out loud when you go into a shop either, but you’d be uncouth to do that as well.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

There are no big signs telling you not to belch out loud when you go into a shop either, but you’d be uncouth to do that as well.

In some cultures, burping isn’t considered rude at all. If you burp after a meal, it signifies your enjoyment of the food!

 

[wagwan my g]

I've never done this. But if you haven't paid for it, then you shouldn't eat it. Adults should be patient, and parents should be teaching children to be patient.

 

[richw]

I noticed this morning in Morrisons they’ve a sign up saying all products must be purchased before consumption

 

[trainophile]

I noticed this morning in Morrisons they’ve a sign up saying all products must be purchased before consumption

Quite right too.

 

[Pyreneenguy]

I've never done this. But if you haven't paid for it, then you shouldn't eat it. Adults should be patient, and parents should be teaching children to be patient.

Indeed, if you don't have the means to buy, you don't enter the supermarket, you go instead to the Foodbank. Even worse, taking young children with you, giving them the impression that everything on show is available to all. People should know their place in the big scheme of things, after all, if you are poor, it's entirely your own fault.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Indeed, if you don't have the means to buy, you don't enter the supermarket, you go instead to the Foodbank. Even worse, taking young children with you, giving them the impression that everything on show is available to all. People should know their place in the big scheme of things, after all, if you are poor, it's entirely your own fault.

It appears through an oddly sarcastic post you are advocating theft if you can't afford the item you wish to have?

 

[Pyreneenguy]

It appears through an oddly sarcastic post you are advocating theft if you can't afford the item you wish to have?

Oddly ?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oddly ?

So can I steal a new Range Rover because I want one and I can't afford one?

 

[Pyreneenguy]

So can I steal a new Range Rover because I want one and I can't afford one?

Being poor does not excuse eating and not paying for it in a supermarket, but in this time of extreme poverty, it does explain it. I am not advocating theft, but I can understand it and I'm pretty certain most supermarkets take an understanding position to first time offenders.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Being poor does not excuse eating and not paying for it in a supermarket, but in this time of extreme poverty, it does explain it. I am not advocating theft, but I can understand it and I'm pretty certain most supermarkets take an understanding position to first time offenders.

True, I suppose you can explain something without supporting it - terrorism is a classic example of something you have to understand to tackle (rather the other end of the scale to nicking an apple from Tesco's) - understanding why people seek to do it does not mean agreeing with it.

 

[Pyreneenguy]

True, I suppose you can explain something without supporting it - terrorism is a classic example of something you have to understand to tackle (rather the other end of the scale to nicking an apple from Tesco's) - understanding why people seek to do it does not mean agreeing with it.

If it goes someway to reassuring you, it is not something I would do myself.

However, if I saw someone doing this in a supermarket, I would not comment or seek to inform the shop's staff.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Strangely enough in The Philippines this practise seems very normal! My cousin and I popped into the equivalent of a newsagents because he was parched, went straight to the fridge where he proceeded to down a litre of water! I was speechless! But he said it’s fine, and went and paid for a near-empty bottle of water, of which the vendor didn’t seem fazed about!

I’ve seen in done here, usually with kids. Ranging from eating a single grape out of a whole bunch, to a full in Cumberland sausage out of the deli!

 

[Busaholic]

Strangely enough in The Philippines this practise seems very normal! My cousin and I popped into the equivalent of a newsagents because he was parched, went straight to the fridge where he proceeded to down a litre of water! I was speechless! But he said it’s fine, and went and paid for a near-empty bottle of water, of which the vendor didn’t seem fazed about!

I’ve seen in done here, usually with kids. Ranging from eating a single grape out of a whole bunch, to a full in Cumberland sausage out of the deli!

Hope the latter was cooked - would have made an interesting case for the HSE.