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Colleagues keep using my milk!

438 replies

Immo8 · 16/01/2025 11:34

I don't want to sound petty as in the grand scheme of things, milk isn't an expensive item and maybe I should leave this be, but it's really starting to grate on me...

Work in an office with around 30-ish staff, the majority are on shift work including weekends so people are in & out a lot. I work standard hours 4 days a week. The company provides tea & coffee but staff bring in their own milk etc. I buy a large filtered milk every month as it lasts and I only have a few cups of tea a day so makes sense.

However, over the last 6 months or so, people will ask me if they can 'borrow' some milk. I would never say no to someone asking but they NEVER bring in their own milk or buy one to replace mine that they've used over the weeks...

Today, I brought in a brand new milk, name on it, placed it at the back of the fridge so hard to find, and I've just gone to make a cuppa and it's been opened without asking, and a 1/4 of it has gone!

How do I word an email to my colleagues (if people think I should) that is polite and doesn't sound too petty?

OP posts:
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C152 · 16/01/2025 11:58

There's no real solution if you're going to continue keeping personal milk in a shared kitchen. (Don't get me wrong, you should be able to do so, but there'll always be at least one person who will dip into your supply.) Either accept it, go without milk or bring a small amount of milk in each day in a thermos.

Ohthatsabitshit · 16/01/2025 11:56

Put it in a different bottle. Why on earth don’t you all just pool some ££s to buy milk?

BarrioQueen · 16/01/2025 11:56

Some of these are good ideas - might be worth starting a milk kitty or float. Maybe people would be happy to contribute? But otherwise maybe decant some into a flask. I think it is a shame to have to take UHT milk in because the packaging is wasteful. How annoying.

Teanbiscuits33 · 16/01/2025 11:55

to be honest I know it’s an expense but you have 2 issues here, 1 is you can’t say no to those that bother asking and 2 you have some people taking without asking anyway, so if I was you I’d stop putting my milk in the communal fridge at all. I’d buy a mini fridge for your personal office space and put some in there. If a full bottle won’t fit then bring a flask in that will last for the day. I think it will be worth the £20-£30 spend on a mini fridge in the long run!

NotMeNoNo · 16/01/2025 11:52

Everyone is probably thinking you won't miss just a little from a big bottle. Can you write "SARAH SMITH /PLEASE DO NOT STEAL THIS MILK" in thick marker pen so anyone using it is obvious to colleagues?

Given they probably have no shame, decanting into smaller/non-obvious containers is probably your best bet. Bit of a faff.

It's miserable of the company not to provide milk though, I guess they found that got stolen too.

Imperrysmum · 16/01/2025 11:52

Weyohweyoh · 16/01/2025 11:39

Spit in it and put a note on the carton stating that you have done so 😁

Yeah dont do this lol someone will spit in it too out of spite

GivingUpFinally · 16/01/2025 11:50

Incredibly mean that the company doesn't provide milk. We have this at work. Not only issues with a free for all in the fridge but also the staffroom. And, I even someone nicking my squash from my office. Or my butter- i do love toast or a roll at lunch. Nothing is safe. The entitlement baffles me.

Buy a cheap baby bottle and put your daily milk in that.

Unfortunately, and wrongly I think that I'd you wrote an email or a note it would be seen as you being petty. Just quietly change your habits. Or alternatively suggest a whip - 2 quid each person to cover milk and butter. Or whatever they want and keep the money at work. Take money out to buy the bits that are communal and replace with a receipt. And then repeat as needed.

Huckyfell · 16/01/2025 11:49

MsVisual · 16/01/2025 11:41

Put a laxative in it

Definitely love this idea. And also buy some of the little pots for yourself.
Or just buy a pack of long life milk and hand the receipt into accounts. They won't mind.

Exhaustedtiredneedabreak · 16/01/2025 11:49

I had this in a work place and used the medela breast milk bottles after I had finished feeding. It mostly worked. The days it didn't made me deeply troubled about the people I worked with.

participlerule · 16/01/2025 11:49

I heard this about a girl at my university - her parent would bake her a cake, and somehow manage to post it to her. Her flatmates liked the cake, and started helping themselves, even if the girl didn't tell them they could have some. So she wrote on a bit of paper inside the tin "fuck off greedy." No cake was ever filched again 😂

InkHeart2024 · 16/01/2025 11:48

cstaff · 16/01/2025 11:42

Why doesn't your boss provide milk - that is the crazy part to me. Really tight fisted ??

If you work for a local authority you won't get milk or tea and coffee provided. It's public funds and not considered value for money.

SatinHeart · 16/01/2025 11:46

TishHope · 16/01/2025 11:44

I like some of the suggestions above. I would definitely label it 'breastmilk' in really big letters, and add 'special hormones added from childbirth placenta'. It's bloody awful that we are forced to do this. So many (not all) people are shits.

Love this! I was going to say decant into a plain bottle and label it 'goats milk' but this is better!

Stillafatknacker · 16/01/2025 11:46

Put it in a tuppaware container with a note on it saying "breast milk" Grin

Schmusimausi73 · 16/01/2025 11:46

zzpleb · 16/01/2025 11:37

My current employer avoids this by providing milk centrally. But we're big enough to have it delivered and paid via account.

Try decanting your milk into an unbranded bottle and labelling it 'breast milk'.

I tried that and people still kept using it!

Immo8 · 16/01/2025 11:45

Florencelatsy · 16/01/2025 11:44

Like these

I really don't like the taste of those but thank you!

I like the suggestions of decanting into a bottle though!

OP posts:
RepTV · 16/01/2025 11:45

They're called udder locks

RepTV · 16/01/2025 11:44

You can also get locks to put on the caps. I would buy one of those

PotaytoPotahhto · 16/01/2025 11:44

SleepyHippy3 · 16/01/2025 11:39

I would email everyone, and politely point out that the milk is in fact yours, paid out of your own pocket. I would actually ask for a monthly contribution from everyone, towards the milk, so you are not out of pocket. I don’t think anything else will stop people taking your milk, as shocking as that behaviour is.

This is a good idea. Email everyone to say you notice your milk is being used by others and you’re happy to share, subject to a contribution to the cost.

Bonjovispyjamas · 16/01/2025 11:44

People who take other people's stuff, won't care about an email.

Notgivenuphope · 16/01/2025 11:44

Keep it in a small cool bag. It will look like your lunch and people won’t go in there.

TishHope · 16/01/2025 11:44

I like some of the suggestions above. I would definitely label it 'breastmilk' in really big letters, and add 'special hormones added from childbirth placenta'. It's bloody awful that we are forced to do this. So many (not all) people are shits.

minipie · 16/01/2025 11:44

cstaff · 16/01/2025 11:42

Why doesn't your boss provide milk - that is the crazy part to me. Really tight fisted ??

Probably because there are so many different variations of “milk” that people want these days, it would be expensive and wasteful trying to have them all available.

Florencelatsy · 16/01/2025 11:44

Like these

Colleagues keep using my milk!
cstaff · 16/01/2025 11:42

Why doesn't your boss provide milk - that is the crazy part to me. Really tight fisted ??

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