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Original poster

Eating in the supermarket

416 replies

tallulah · 11/05/2003 11:48

As an aside from my other thread about children misbehaving in shops- the other thing that wound me up yesterday is this trend for letting children eat in the supermarket. The child in the trolley at the next till had a bag of grapes she'd been eating. She must have had 1/2 lb, so that's about 50p? Would her mother have thought it OK to give her, say, a twix, or a Begian Bun without paying for it?

I don't agree with this on 3 counts

  1. people shouldn't be eating in any shop & teaching a child that they can is not a good idea
  2. this is theft & if everyone did it then the supermarkets losses would be passed on to everyone
  3. children also should be taught that you can't have something until it's paid for.

Before you all jump on me and say it's better than having them screaming, I have got 4 myself & I have been through this. Mine quickly learned that no screaming inside meant they could get to eat a treat outside when we'd finished.

OP posts:
snickers · 12/05/2003 21:17

Flippin ell gals - talk about a winner of a thread...

My vote

Thought about you all in tescos today - wondered whether there were any other mumnsnutters around having a crisis of concience with me! So obviously went around to the grapes section - but there were none left, just a smattering of spat pips. The security staff looked fraught and there was a police van with dogs outside, and a set of stocks had to be setup to teach errant mums a lesson. However, overripe tomatoes had to be paid for before you could throw them...

Come on ladies. Let she who hath not sinned cast the first stone (tomato).

griffy · 12/05/2003 21:13

Not only is it OK - I'm beginning to think that it should be made compulsory!!

happyspider · 12/05/2003 21:11

I was in M&S today and again ate my sandwich and water while waiting at the till!
Is it wrong? I don't care, it would be worse if they had to lift me because I have fainted...at my current weight!
Again I paid, but I was very self conscious of all the mums around me, I am sure one of them winked at me as to give me her approval...
Eating in supermarkets will never be the same now!
My vote is :-) yes, as long as you pay at the end, it doesn't matter when you eat your food!

whymummy · 12/05/2003 21:05

YESYESYES

willow2 · 12/05/2003 21:04

Not suggesting that you personally would look stupid wearing a packet of Quavers - I don't think it is a look that does anyone any favours.

willow2 · 12/05/2003 21:04

Sed - have you ever been clothes shopping and found something you liked so much that you decided to wear it then and there? If so you would, I presume, have gone up to the till wearing said item of clothing and then paid for it (unless, of course, you are some crazy exhibitionist who, having paid for the item of clothing, then stripped off and changed in to it mid-store). The only difference between this and items of food is that you would look very stupid wearing a packet of Quavers.

WideWebWitch · 12/05/2003 20:54

My vote

mammya · 12/05/2003 20:49

Tigermoth
And here's my vote:

Clarinet60 · 12/05/2003 20:45

It is OK!

Ghosty · 12/05/2003 20:42

... It IS OK ....

XAusted · 12/05/2003 20:26

This thread gets funnier. Can't wait till Tallulah starts another one! Here's my vote.

breeze · 12/05/2003 19:55

Has anyone actually seen a sigh saying do not eat any food until its paid for, because I know I have not.

yes I think that it is okay.

And for the record I wouldn't lose any sleep if ds had eaten 3 grapes. The amount these shops throw away for wastage is unbelievable. (yes I know its not the point before someone gets back on their soapbox)

whymummy · 12/05/2003 19:54

i say chop the mothers hands off!! the day before our local sainsburys closed for renovations people went in there thinking that meat,dairy products an fruit and veg would be cheaper,WRONG!,at the end of the day they took everything to the nearest sainsbury`s,greedy buggers!!

Bobsmum · 12/05/2003 19:45

Shall we exercise our democratic right and vote laydeez?

Yes eating food from trolleys is ok
No eating food from trolleys is not ok

and it's a from Bobsmum

edgarcat · 12/05/2003 19:39

Message withdrawn

judetheobscure · 12/05/2003 19:35

if it was one or two grapes I wouldn't fuss, but my ds eats a bunch (he's a bit like edgar ) I can't not pay for that.

edgarcat · 12/05/2003 19:26

Message withdrawn

edgarcat · 12/05/2003 19:20

Message withdrawn

whymummy · 12/05/2003 19:13

no wonder this country is going downhill if all of you allow your kids to eat three grapes everytime you go to the supermarket

katierocket · 12/05/2003 19:03

Mum2Toby - could not agree MORE. I just cannot understand why eating in supermarkets is "not a good idea". I always give DS crips or whatever and then scan the empty packet but really, a few grapes when we spend so much money in there.

Or is eating grapes in supermarkets the thin end of the wedge.....??? perhaps it's just indicitive of how this society is going to rack and ruin.. I'm sorry but I can't take this seriously

SoupDragon · 12/05/2003 18:30

When DS2 is old enough to understand the concepts involved, he won't get fed in supermarkets.

Lil, great comment about paying for your meals in a restaurant before eating them

oxocube · 12/05/2003 18:22

Tigermoth . I dare you to send it to Carrie, Justine et al as a genuine parenting tip

oxocube · 12/05/2003 18:20

sorry sed, I must be without morals because, given the amount of money I spend in supermarkets, I would not be particularly upset if I left without (accidentally of course ) paying for a 24p triangle of brie. Wouldn't encourage kids to deliberately do this naturally, but I certainly wouldn't loose sleep over it. Now I'm off to join th 'World's Worst Mother' thread

tigermoth · 12/05/2003 17:52

mumsnet tip : to keep your children happy while you are shopping in a supermarket, feed them grapes along the way.

doormat · 12/05/2003 17:52

Actually been to solicitor and got some very good news
did go to tescos though. I held myself back from eating even though I was bloody starving.

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