AIBU to “steal” this?

The £10 a week is on laundry pods, softener , stain remover and laundry scent balls from persil or lenor.

WTF, you don't need all that shit if you're struggling! Just get basic washing powder from Aldi and Lidl like most people on a budget do.

You're bringing a junkie and a thief to your door every week so you can have high end cleaning products, it's ridiculous. Even stolen and at half price you're spending way, way more than I do every week on that stuff and I'm earning OK.

She shouldn’t have had another child if she needs to steal to feed it 🤷‍♀️

I believe you were there one implying they act as charities only increasing their meagre profit margins when people steal from then to cover the losses. As I understand it they charge the highest amount they can get away with in order to maximise profits, therefore the thefts actually make no difference to you or me and how much we spend whilst shopping.
FWIW I do actually think shoplifting is immoral and have no qualms with people being arrested and charged for it and no qualms with shops implementing controls to reduce shoplifting (even though this is purely to keep their profits up, not to reduce prices for you or me).

I have a vulnerable sibling who lives alone. Has been burgled twice, roughed up a bit the first time, properly beaten the second time, restrained in cable ties, face beaten into a pulp - on Christmas Eve.

So excuse me if I have no time for thieves.

The police identified the utter cunts but the PPS decided there wasn't enough evidence. We had the bastards on CCTV sneaking up the drive and kicking the back door in!!!

Food banks can help with things like laundry detergent and there are often big discount schemes, where you pay a few quid for a bag of groceries, in areas where there are high levels of people struggling.
I know of communities where it’s not uncommon for the local shoplifter to knock on with their goods, and those areas often have such schemes.

The real world where thieving isn't a way of life.

WTF should supermarkets act as charities? Don't be so fucking naive! They're businesses not charities, and if you don't like the price they offer, go elsewhere - don't steal from them and their customers, ie me!

Up to you if you’re happy to support that but it’s a no from me.

My scorn is aimed at thieves, and the enablers of thieves. You are totally twisting things. If the only way I could have afforded a 3rd baby was to buy stolen goods from a drug dealer, then I wouldn't have had a 3rd baby - but nice try at deflection.

Kudos to me absolutely for making sure I got it right. Most decent people do.

I still can't get over this or what a disgusting example you're setting your poor children.

Sorry OP but I still can't get over how much you're spending on laundry! (plus I find the fancy and scented stuff actually makes clothes feel worse and mustier over time - can't beat laundry soda)

The real world where all supermarkets are acting as charities and providing food as cheaply as possible to their customers without a thought to the dividend payments of their owners.. that real world?

I know, I hadn't seen any replies when I posted, don't worry!

Well that speaks volumes about your morals.

@Runnerinthenight I wasn't being off! I was just saying that the op had replied.

Oh do join the rest of us in the real world!

She has now!

So if you believe this, why does it bother you that your friend thinks it’s wrong? Obviously you can make your own decision on this, but it can’t be news to you that others might think this is wrong. Why are you suddenly asking about it?

I don't think this is entirely true. Stores are not pricing goods at the lowest amount and then adding a bit extra on when things get stolen. They literally price everything at the absolute highest they can get away with. Less thefts would not get them to reduce the prices. Their sole purpose is to generate wealth for the shareholders.

Sorry but in my book you're a thief and our friendship would be over

Surely baby milk is sealed though. Used to have like a giant metal ring pull underneath the plastic cap from what I remember

Kudos to you for getting it right, I'm so glad that you've never felt the need to stoop so low as to buy stolen goods from a drug user (his drug dealer probably doesn't need to sell stolen goods as he'll be making enough money from selling drugs). Is your scorn towards those who are too poor to have children aimed only at people within the UK? Or does it extend to include people across the world? When including every person on the globe, the poor in the UK are still like some of the richest people in the world..

I thought of something to say...... Will you be a proud mommy when your darling children grow up and only steal from supermarkets to fund their drug addiction?!?

I get the impression it means she's not left short for buying food.

And yes I imagine for the chap in question it IS to fund an addiction.

Stores don't lose out from theft - we do as customers! Everything in store is priced to account for the amount the store loses in theft. Stores are not going to just suck it up when they have goods stolen - it's all passed on to the customers

YABU for using 'scent balls' or high-end laundry pods or whatever in the first place. Why not use more eco-friendly products? You have 3 children and your ridiculous laundry habit is just trashing the planet even further.

I wouldn't have a problem with you walking into the supermarket and lifting either washing piwder or baby formula for yourself.

I do think there's a moral dilemma in exploiting someone's drug addiction in this way - you pay him to take the legal risk and this results in him taking more smack/ whatever, risking his health and wellbeing, enriching his dealers and causing a whole lot of other humans to be abused along the way...