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Original poster

Knowingly stealing - food shop delivery

681 replies

Ponter · 07/11/2024 13:45

We order from one of the main supermarkets. On the day of the delivery (last week), I decided to cancel the shop as many of my plans had changed so i didn’t need some of the stuff that had been ordered.

Anyway, the food van turned up and I had a hunch that if I accepted the order I could get the groceries and still get the refund. Which is exactly what happened. It was a risk but I still needed majority of the groceries ordered so thought I’d chance it. We had similar happen once before but we were honest in that scenario.

Even if the supermarket comes back and want me to rectify the error/pay up I can do so - that’s no problem.

I know it’s wrong but I believe the majority would do the same.

Be honest would you?

OP posts:
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AvidOpalBee · 05/12/2024 01:08

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Oopsadaisy92 · 04/12/2024 18:12

Ponter · 07/11/2024 13:59

Well I would just make up that there had been a communication error with husband.

Show quote history

So you are a liar as well as a thief... i knew i shouldnt have opened this chat, i knew it would disgust me. The decent and honest thing to do is to pay the supermarket or at least offer to pay and explain the error.

ProperPaddy1 · 15/11/2024 21:18

ElaborateCushion · 12/11/2024 15:31

I'm too honest, so no. I'd have to contact them to let them decide what to do about it.

We had a delivery error before where we got our shopping and most of someone else's. I called up to try and get that rectified and was told to just keep it!

I felt bad that someone else wouldn't get their delivery (even though they would either get it eventually, or would get a refund), so I posted on our local FB group, just in case they were on there and we could arrange a handover. They weren't, but in the meantime a young woman messaged me and said she was really struggling at the moment, so if it was going spare she'd be really grateful if she could have it.

It was all fridge stuff, so the local foodback wouldn't take it, and it was more than we could eat or freeze, so I said yes to her and took it to her the next day. She was so grateful that she was almost in tears. What she didn't realise at the moment she accepted the bags was that I'd put a gift card in there too for her.

I'd rather take the opportunity to do something nice, than snaffle it for myself or throw it away.

An elderly relative walked out of a shop, large retailer with a leather handbag. I ran back in as they have an organic mental health issue and asked to speak with the Manager. Out walked the Manager who I went to school with and told me ' I knew you would come back, it's you'. I started crying with the stress and relief in the shop.

ProperPaddy1 · 15/11/2024 21:15

StopStartStop · 14/11/2024 09:10

The test of a person is how they behave when no-one can see them, when they won't be found out.

OP, you know something about yourself now.

You are decent human being.

StopStartStop · 14/11/2024 09:10

The test of a person is how they behave when no-one can see them, when they won't be found out.

OP, you know something about yourself now.

Nanny0gg · 13/11/2024 19:40

Mamabear487 · 13/11/2024 14:36

I would absolutely do the same as you don’t care if everyone asks where my morals are 🤣 big chain supermarkets prices are extortionate and every little helps and all that

You do know how supermarkets generate their profits, yes?

Seriously, how stupid are some people...

Nanny0gg · 13/11/2024 19:38

Ponter · 07/11/2024 14:34

I don’t believe in karma. Plenty of examples of twats never getting their comeuppance.

The supermarket made the error.

I’ve never once stolen previously so i can’t be that much of a degenerate

Show quote history

Oh well, that's all right then.

So now you're a twat that won't get your comeuppance?

BlitheSpirits · 13/11/2024 19:36

I really dont believe the supermarket doesnt marry up delivery or picking notes with orders and payments. If they didnt the staff would be nicking stuff to sell on faster than you could say knife.
You hear about scam artists trying a small scam like this, and repeating it on many individual companies, getting caught, so i believe some information sjharing about thieves must go on.

ICantTakeItNoMoreWantToDie · 13/11/2024 19:21

Killjoy124 · 12/11/2024 16:43

Asda, the huge supermarket chain, will not notice this drop in the ocean of profits, take what you can bc you know they're charging above the odds anyway. Don't steal from people of course but this is a minor error on the part of a huge company that will not feel the difference

But if prices go up due to what is technically theft it's us who will feel the pinch. Us, who are are struggling with cost of living.

ProperPaddy1 · 13/11/2024 19:09

Good points, well made. I am.sincerely hoping this post is a wind up.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 13/11/2024 16:27

Mamabear487 · 13/11/2024 14:36

I would absolutely do the same as you don’t care if everyone asks where my morals are 🤣 big chain supermarkets prices are extortionate and every little helps and all that

A part of those extortionate prices that we all pay is to cover the cost of theft/shoplifting, @Mamabear487. It doesn’t come out of their profits, it comes out of our pockets.

Maggiethecat · 13/11/2024 15:29

Mamabear487 · 13/11/2024 14:36

I would absolutely do the same as you don’t care if everyone asks where my morals are 🤣 big chain supermarkets prices are extortionate and every little helps and all that

You might try not scanning a few items next time you do a self checkout shop then or perhaps you do that already?

Every little helps…

HamptonPlace · 13/11/2024 14:58

Telesekuxe · 12/11/2024 23:27

No. You are a downright thief, who deliberately planned the theft, and deserve to go to hell after a stint in prison.

a bit harsh one might say! It's hardly infanticide!!

theilltemperedqueenofspacetime · 13/11/2024 14:36

scratchyfannyofcocklane · 13/11/2024 14:30

Really? Not sure what crime has technically been committed but if the shop still insisted on delivering the goods knowing that the customer has cancelled then it's up to the store to contact the customer direct and arrange collection at a time that is convenient to her. It was their mistake to still deliver the goods and I suspect legally it's their responsibility to organise the return? Regardless of the above surely the shop has her payment details and could have charged her card anyway....

Show quote history

I wouldn't go that far. Accepting a delivery is a positive act. But I would have done it, because I'd assume that if I sent it back I would have to pay for the perishables anyway.

Mamabear487 · 13/11/2024 14:36

I would absolutely do the same as you don’t care if everyone asks where my morals are 🤣 big chain supermarkets prices are extortionate and every little helps and all that

scratchyfannyofcocklane · 13/11/2024 14:30

Mh67 · 13/11/2024 07:17

This literally happened to a colleague and the shop prosecuted her. Unfortunately my line of work you can't have any conviction and she was gently told to resign.

Really? Not sure what crime has technically been committed but if the shop still insisted on delivering the goods knowing that the customer has cancelled then it's up to the store to contact the customer direct and arrange collection at a time that is convenient to her. It was their mistake to still deliver the goods and I suspect legally it's their responsibility to organise the return? Regardless of the above surely the shop has her payment details and could have charged her card anyway....

theilltemperedqueenofspacetime · 13/11/2024 14:24

Mh67 · 13/11/2024 07:17

This literally happened to a colleague and the shop prosecuted her. Unfortunately my line of work you can't have any conviction and she was gently told to resign.

How could they convict her without proof? She accepted a delivery that she had paid for, and could surely say she thought that the arrival of the delivery meant that her attempted cancellation had just failed. If it was me I probably would not have noticed the refund until I got my credit card bill.

And surely the store asked her for payment before contacting the police. Did she refuse?

ICantTakeItNoMoreWantToDie · 13/11/2024 14:19

MumOfOneAllAlone · 07/11/2024 20:46

I think that driving that lady home was lovely of you. But the bigger lesson from your story is how disgusting it is that an old(er) and seemingly of poor mobility eoman had to scrape together £3 in pennies for her food as she needed foodbank help but didn't want to lose her pride. She had to do this because supermarkets have not only protected their profits but have made records more whilst shafting the poor.

I've worked at a foodbank myself. I've seen the elderly and the disabled come in, and for the most part, be so polite and respectful and humble.

I can commend their fortitude whilst standing firmly on the fact that this shouldn't happen. The supermarkets who put up the costs of their food during a cost of living crisis, harming the elderly, are the only ones who need to be ashamed of themselves.

I don't think that being reduced to stealing basics means you lack morals or aren't a decent person, and I will never think that.

We've got governments thst fiddle their expenses and hand lucrative contracts over to their friends. Companies who care so much about us that they pay as little tax as possible. No way I can see that and sit around judging someone for making the difficult choice to steal from a large chain.

And as for the post by op, again I don't care. Once those with the power to influence the daily lives of so many, are held to account, then I'll hold someone I don't know to account for playing a rigged system

Show quote history

But the trouble is that stealing from big supermarkets means that the costs are driven up and this means that those of us who are disabled/elderly/struggling do end up paying more. Not all of us are eligible for food banks and some of us are still struggling. We are the invisible poor and we aren't seen because it seems that we are just about managing.

ICantTakeItNoMoreWantToDie · 13/11/2024 14:14

If you had cancelled and the van turned up with the shopping and you had paid for it that would have been fine IMO. Taking it for free is not ok. Could you ring them back and explain you changed your mind and wanted the order and paid with your card?

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 13/11/2024 13:16

I've had that happen a couple of times, @TheBerry, and each time I've rung the supermarket to let them know. In my experience, if there's perishable food in the bag, they always tell you to keep it - they can't pick it up again, and deliver it to the person who ordered it, because they can no longer guarantee it's been stored at the right temperature.

The only time they sent the driver back was when he'd wrongly left us two bottles of very nice wine. 😪

TheBerry · 13/11/2024 12:11

I’d do it for a small number of items but not for a massive shop. I’d feel too guilty! But I don’t think you’re a terrible person OP.

One time after we’d unpacked our delivery we realised one of the baskets was somebody else’s shopping. We didn’t contact the supermarket about the mistake, we just kept the shopping. I trust that the people whose shopping it was got a refund! I don’t feel great about it… but I don’t feel terrible about it, either.

bows101 · 13/11/2024 08:06

You cancelled at very short notice in hope it would still turn up and now you are delighted to get it for 'free'

Im sure if you really cancelled, the shop didn't turn up AND you didn't get a refund, you'd be the first on the phone complaining!

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