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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:
LemonSherbertDabs · 07/11/2024 18:28

@Ponter Do you think this is different from walking out of the supermarket with a trolley full and not paying?

It's not.

Prices will go up because the margins for supermarkets are tiny. About 10%.
The more that is eroded by theft, the more everyone else (who's honest) will pay for your theft.

adriftinadenofvipers · 07/11/2024 18:26

MumOfOneAllAlone · 07/11/2024 16:16

Oh well I still don't think its a bad as what these companies are doing to innocent people who don't have lots of money

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That's a different issue entirely, and not a justification to steal.

ladyamy · 07/11/2024 18:26

Geranen · 07/11/2024 15:42

@TheSerenityPrayer it's not "a reward for your honesty," are you six? It was just more awkward for them to charge you.

That was uncalled for!

adriftinadenofvipers · 07/11/2024 18:24

MumOfOneAllAlone · 07/11/2024 16:12

I think there's no need to bring my child into a hypothetical debate

Mind your children and ill mind mine

But I think that stealing food in this way from a supermarket, when they treat the poor so badly is fine.

These big companies are shafting people, it's really awful, and no government is willing to stop them. Making record profits while people are struggling is immoral, far more so than a mum stealing basics or getting a free food shop when she could barely sfford it anyway.

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I think there is, if you are raising your child to think that it's fine to steal in this manner.

I've brought mine up to be honest, and they are, to a fault, as I am, and as were my parents before me.

KeepYaHeadUp · 07/11/2024 18:23

No way. I once noticed 3 x cans of Coke I hadn't ordered in my online shop. Told the delivery driver and he said they were a promotion, but I'd have given them back

Rosscameasdoody · 07/11/2024 18:19

Tryingtokeepgoing · 07/11/2024 18:16

I think that says a lot more about you than it does about the majority of posters to be fair, and not in a good way.

What is certain is that the retailer has the information to know that it’s delivered something that hasn’t been paid for. Whether it choses to do anything about it is another matter - and maybe they’ll just assume the delivery driver took it and investigate them instead.

Either way it’s likely to remain on your customer record, and so when you do actually need some goodwill from them it might be less than forthcoming. But,as they say, you reap what you sow!

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Yep, absolutely this. If/when they realise their mistake it could well involve the delivery driver at some point.

Rosscameasdoody · 07/11/2024 18:17

periodiclabel · 07/11/2024 17:56

But you said supermarkets acept cut-offs as late as 3am

I've never heard of anyone accepting a cancellation on the day, which supermarket did you speak to? Normally they tell you they won't deliver but you'll still be charged for the perishables, is that OK because it will cost x? No doubt because of CFs like the OP

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Morrisons. I explained what had happened and they cancelled the order with no argument. I wasn’t charged for anything and when the delivery van turned up I explained again that I had cancelled and the circumstances, and he took the order away with no argument. Some supermarkets do accept cut offs up to 3am depending on the delivery time, but I cancelled long after this and still wasn’t charged.

Tryingtokeepgoing · 07/11/2024 18:16

thebigbrownbear · 07/11/2024 17:36

Of course we all would and the posters who said they wouldn't are lying. Who wouldn't take a free food delivery from a large supermarket who wouldn't notice the loss

I think that says a lot more about you than it does about the majority of posters to be fair, and not in a good way.

What is certain is that the retailer has the information to know that it’s delivered something that hasn’t been paid for. Whether it choses to do anything about it is another matter - and maybe they’ll just assume the delivery driver took it and investigate them instead.

Either way it’s likely to remain on your customer record, and so when you do actually need some goodwill from them it might be less than forthcoming. But,as they say, you reap what you sow!

JaffavsCookie · 07/11/2024 18:14

Fuck me, do you have any morals. So shoplifting is ok ( as that is what this is), what next?

Rosscameasdoody · 07/11/2024 18:13

thebigbrownbear · 07/11/2024 17:36

Of course we all would and the posters who said they wouldn't are lying. Who wouldn't take a free food delivery from a large supermarket who wouldn't notice the loss

I wouldn’t. And it’s not lying, virtue signalling or anything else. Just old fashioned honesty. And of course the supermarket will notice the loss - it’s theft and we all pay higher prices because of it. It’s immoral, and the entitlement of those who think it’s fine is disgusting.

BettyBardMacDonald · 07/11/2024 18:12

No. I don't steal.

Runmybathforme · 07/11/2024 18:04

No, I wouldn’t do it, but then I’m not a thief.

fetchacloth · 07/11/2024 18:01

Absolutely not !

periodiclabel · 07/11/2024 17:56

Rosscameasdoody · 07/11/2024 17:23

I didn’t say I cancelled at 3am. I cancelled by phone the morning the delivery was due as we had had a family emergency. They cancelled the order and the delivery still arrived as we were leaving. I sent it back and wasn’t charged - I can’t comment on whether I would have been, had I done what the OP did though.

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But you said supermarkets acept cut-offs as late as 3am

I've never heard of anyone accepting a cancellation on the day, which supermarket did you speak to? Normally they tell you they won't deliver but you'll still be charged for the perishables, is that OK because it will cost x? No doubt because of CFs like the OP

FuckMiniBabybells · 07/11/2024 17:56

I would do it and not give a single shit, but I am a certified Broke Ass Bitch.
Id probably still do it even if I wasn't - because old habits die hard.

Biffbaff · 07/11/2024 17:54

Butterworths · 07/11/2024 17:08

I am fascinated by how many people think that prices are increased based on how much theft has happened. How do you imagine that even happens? So in a year with less theft the owners think "oh people are buying our beans at £2 but we've made enough money this year so we can reduce the price"?

They charge what they can based on market forces.

I'm surprised by how thick some people can be in thinking that it's only "the market" that is used to set prices and not the fundamentals of profit and loss projection, which factors in losses caused, in part, by theft.

StopStartStop · 07/11/2024 17:53

No . I wouldn't do it. I'm not a thief.

TunipTheVegimal24 · 07/11/2024 17:50

Lol I wouldn't think twice about it - I too had assumed most people would, but seems we are in the minority OP!

BestDIL · 07/11/2024 17:49

Plain and simple, it’s stealing! You should have rejected the order on the doorstep. Shame on you!

jannier · 07/11/2024 17:48

Surely once they process the drivers paperwork showing delivery accepted they will bill you just like if you return short dates are credited later? You normally can't cancel or amend after a cut off time the day before.

LemonSherbertDabs · 07/11/2024 17:46

The weirdest thing is that you're asking this on social media.

Do you have no shame?

Were you hoping that 99% of posters would agree with your decision?

U13579 · 07/11/2024 17:43

Butterworths · 07/11/2024 17:08

I am fascinated by how many people think that prices are increased based on how much theft has happened. How do you imagine that even happens? So in a year with less theft the owners think "oh people are buying our beans at £2 but we've made enough money this year so we can reduce the price"?

They charge what they can based on market forces.

There are lots of online resources to help you understand this. It obviously isn't as simplistic as you are describing here but theft does cost and costs are passed onto consumers. It tends to be already built into costs though if that makes sense and won't be on a product by product basis (like your beans example) worth reading up on as it is very interesting and much more costly than any of us realise. I quoted in another post retail theft cost £7.9 billion on 2023.

Barney16 · 07/11/2024 17:42

No it's theft.

Motheranddaughter · 07/11/2024 17:41

Well no,as I am not a thief

usernother · 07/11/2024 17:41

No, of course not. That's a very low life thing to do.

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