to think that things in your supermarket trolley aren't yours until you have paid for them

[jandymaccomesback]

This morning in Tesco we kept passing a womanwith a child in a trolley. We first saw her in fruit and veg, as she peeled a banana and handed it to the child. Next time we saw her the child was eating from a packet of cheese strings. Finally we saw her opening a carton of juice. All of these things came off the shelf. DH was so enraged he wanted to tell the staff, but I persuaded him not to. To me this is wrong, even if you intend to pay,and definitely gives a message to the child that she can help herslf. AIBU?

[MrsMellowDrummer]

We have this rule. What if you get to the till and your card doesn't work or something?

Plenty of people won't agree though.

[valiumredhead]

Dh was so enraged he wanted to tell the staff? Seriously? He needs to get a grip and mind his own bees wax.

[WannaBeMarryPoppins]

Ah, at first I thought you would be talking about you taking stuff out of other peoples' trolleys as it's not theirs yet. Then I would have said YABU.

But in this case YANBU. I don't think it's right to consume stuff before you have paid for it. If you are really thirsty or whatever get a drink first and then do the big shop.

[Oakmaiden]

Hm... bit of a grey area really, I think. I mean you are RIGHT - but... as long as the items are paid for before they leave the shop then I don't really see it as a problem.

What bugs me is when parents feed their children things like (unwashed) grapes in the supermarket and have no intention of paying for them at all....

[southeastastra]

your husband was enraged does he have anger issues?

i drink juice round the supermarket quite alot

[Carrotsandcelery]

It would be highly if you got to the till and, for whatever reason, realised you couldn't pay.

I also wonder how they weigh the banana when it is eaten and there is only a skin. More understandable if they are pre priced.

[Maisiethemorningsidecat]

I can't get excited about this issue tbh. On occasion I've opened a packet of something to feed to the DCs when they were much younger and as long as it can be scanned at the end of the trip I really don't have a problem with it. Other people get very upset about it though - it's one of these MN threads that gets very heated

[Oakmaiden]

That said: I have 3 children - a 13 year old, a 7 year old and a 6 year old, and I have never found it necessary to feed any of them whilst we have been shopping. I don't really get how a child could be so hungry they couldn't wait 30 mins til you have finished the shopping....

[Geordieminx]

See I understand that snacks keep kids quiet in supermarkets. What I don't understand is why people can't take aforementioned snacks with you to the supermarket. It's not rocket science is it?

[NorfolkBroad]

Completely agree with you. Its wrong. That is not to say I would be horrified if someone did it as a one off in a very tricky situation but the way people do it casually and routinely like that is wrong.

[Thingumy]

it was banana.Your dh needs to get a fucking grip.

Hardly like taking a bottle of wine of the shelf and slugging while do the weekly shop

I've had coughing fits in supermarkets and needed water so have opened a bottle and then sung in trolley.Shoot me.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

You're DH is ridiculous, OP, he goes waaaaay beyond 'unreasonable'.

The constant stuffing that some people indulge in around the supermarket isn't necessary but, I suppose that as long as the stuff is paid for at the till, it's accepted. I wonder though what the percentage of stuffers who pay actually is though? I see plenty of half-eaten stuff on shelves and empty packets... Urgh

[Thingumy]

am currently eating a packet of crisps while mning in sainsbos so 'scuse my typos

[pippilongsmurfing]

Well, it's not strictly right, but it's hardly the end of the world or something to be enraged about either.

[jandymaccomesback]

DH doesn't really have anger issues he just has a strong set of morals and can't see why other people don't (maybe that is where DS gets his Aspergers from)

[reelingintheyears]

Thingumy you have sung in trolley? were you pissed?

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

They might be 'strong' morals, OP, but that doesn't make them 'right'.

[FrillyMilly]

If I thought my card was going to be declined I wouldn't be filling a trolley in the supermarket. I always check I have the funds before wasting an hour in tesco. I take snacks for my DD but inevitably she wants what is in the trolley not my handbag so I have opened things for her to eat. Ok she will probably survive the 30 mins / 1 hour but she will scream blue murder so I do it for an easy life. If you would rather endure a toddlers scream for your shop than see her eat a banana I will happily stop allowing her to have the food.

[Melindaaa]

I used to agree and frowned upon parents feeding their children as they went round the supermarket, but now that I have one year old twins I have changed my mind.

Quite frankly I have enough to remember when getting into the shop, without having to pack our own snack too - get babies into car, go back indoors for bags, get to shop, hunt out a twin trolley, load up twins, get into shop, go back to car for forgotten bags etc. etc. etc.

I don't necessarily feed them because they are hungry, I do it for a quiet, peaceful shop. Otherwise the screaming, hair pulling, biting etc wears me down pretty quickly. I don't care what other people think. I always pay for what they eat, and I wouldn't hesitate to tell a busy body to MTODB.

[Arion]

Even my 3 year old knows that things in shops don't belong to us until we've paid for them. No taking the free toy of the magazine, and no eating/drinking until it's been paid for.

If she's that desperate for a drink I have bought something before we start the shop or I bring something with us if I know she will need a snack.

[Roseflower]

Never mind telling the staff
I would have called the police, especially about the cheese strings

[AllGoodNamesGone]

I think think taking one cheese string out of the packet if the child was grizzly and it would keep her quiet for the rest of the trip, then OK as long as you intend to pay.

I have been known to take a tissue out of a box when caught out with a runny nose but have always paid for the box at the end!

I would say no to fruit though - a couple of strawbs from a pre-priced punnet, OK - but not something that would need to be weighed.

[FoxyRoxy]

Over here it's quite usual for people to give their kids a juice or packet of crisps at the supermarket and pay at the till for empty packets. In fact I've had my ds and his friend eat a packet of crisps and when I've given the girl at the till the empty packets she's just thrown it away and not charged me!

DH opened a tube of pringles today in the supermarket and then just paid for them with the rest of the shopping. Don't see the issue myself. And I always make sure I have 2 methods of payment (credit and debit card or cash and a card) just in case.

[reelingintheyears]

FrillyMilly...please just keep feeding your DD when you're shopping.

Can't stand it when children are screeching in shops.

[Thingumy]

If I said no,would it surprise you Reels?