Do you allow things to be eaten before paying?

[georgousbold]

In a supermarket etc

When I walk around, I do open something to keep DS quiet. Works a treat.

Nobody has ever told me off or questioned me on it

Is this the done thing in the UK? Can think of a few countries it would be allowed in and nobody would say anything

But you could never do that in Japan for example, South Korea either

No I have never done that as don't really like the message that sends to my kids. I just take my own snacks they have to wait if there is something nicer in the trolley that they want!

@Ilikecheeseontoast

Some of the horrified comments on this thread are a bit weird. I bet most are from people who’ve never had to shop with a stroppy bored toddler or those too old to remember how hard it is!

I’ve got 4 kids, at one point had 4 under 7. Still never done it. I’m not horrified that others do but it’s not something I would do.

I always use scan as you go at the supermarket.

As far as I'm concerned once I've scanned it, if I need (for example) to open a bottle of water because I'm thirsty, it's fine. I'm not expecting staff to handle a used water bottle to put it through the checkout and I'm not going to remove it from my scanned items once I've drunk it. It's as good as paid for once scanned.

Not sure what the issue is, tbh.

Eating as you''re going around the shop is a known shoplifting technique. I wouldn't want the association.

My Saturday job as a teen was also in a supermarket and I second the PP who said it is disgusting to be handed an empty packet that has been dribbled on by a toddler. It is even worse when the semi-chewed remains fall out of the packet and into your hands.

It isn't difficult to feed your child before going to the shop.

My nan used to fill my palm up with sugar out of the sugar bag when I was little. I'd sit in the trolley dipping my finger in 🤣

Very much something I had a view on with my first. Not so much by no.3.
I've never not paid and if I remember at some stage, tesco used to offer free fruit to kids?
Either way, giving a toddler a biscuit seems sensible to me.

Never.

Without sounding smug, I never needed food to "keep a child quiet" in the supermarket. My modus operandi was in and out as quickly as humanly possible, or preferably go shopping without the kids. Avoided shopping at snack times. Just never started offering snacks/food in the supermarket so it was never something any of them ever asked for or expected.

Until you have paid for it, its technically stealing.

No, it isn't. You can't just say 'technically' and make something true. The legal definition of stealing is dishonest appropriation with the intention to permanently deprive. Giving your child some food with the intention of paying, at the point of payment, does not fulfill either part of that definition.

Maybe it's a cultural thing? Seems quite common German/Austria and have never heard of anyone considering it inappropriate. I often let DD eat a bread roll from the bakery section and I always get a duplicate one for our cart. Then I just ask them to ring up two at the till. I also get duplicates for any drinks so obviously the cashier doesn't need to touch any toddler smeared packaging during covid.

It's also part of the culture here to give toddlers and small children free food so maybe that's why people don't mind. Eg if you're buying ham at the deli counter they will often add a few extra slices for the child to snack on. In many bakeries, toddlers get an entire free pastry (this was awkward because DD was very late eating solids so I had to pack her out of the shop quickly before she gagged on their bread).

No I don't and make it clear to DS that it's not ours to eat until we pay for it. I quite often take a snack with me for DS if doing a big shop. It was good when Tesco did the free piece of fruit, he liked to choose and then would be quite content.
There may be every intention to pay but what if you're card doesn't work, or the machines go down but you've got to leave to be somewhere else etc? I use scan as you shop but also agree that it's not nice to have a cashier something half eaten/dribbled on to scan.

I would never have dreamed of doing it with my older one but since I’ve had twins I do anything necessary to keep them quiet!

I do use the self scanner though so it’s scanned before I open it for them.

Not a chance, and I judge. Especially seeing empty wrappers, and I think it must be awful for the checkout person too.

There may be every intention to pay but what if you're card doesn't work, or the machines go down but you've got to leave to be somewhere else etc?

I suppose in that quite unlikely circumstance I'd owe a billion dollar corporation 89p and wouldn't lose too much sleep over it?

@FoxyFoxyLoxy

Never.

Without sounding smug, I never needed food to "keep a child quiet" in the supermarket. My modus operandi was in and out as quickly as humanly possible, or preferably go shopping without the kids. Avoided shopping at snack times. Just never started offering snacks/food in the supermarket so it was never something any of them ever asked for or expected.

SMUG!

Although to be fair I used to be with my older one as she was very well behaved.

My toddler twins. Not so much. And I need to go shopping with them sometimes, it’s inevitable and nicer for everyone in the vicinity if they’re not screaming the shop down

No, by my partner will open something for the kids and I could just die.

I do try and stop him but he thinks I'm overreacting

It seems unnecessary and maybe kids should learn they have to wait as eating whilst shopping isn't great manners apart from anything else.

No I don't do this. I distract my 2 year old going round the shop by pointing to things, counting, she holds the scanner and scans items, she gets to choose something for a treat and hold it until it is paid for and then she gets to eat it in the car.

Yes I used to give DS something like a bun from a multipack. It get him happy for the duration of the shop and therefore made for a happier time for other shoppers!

No but then I wouldn't judge. Some parents have to shop with children and not all children could understand if they are hungry and their favourite food is in the trolley then why they can't eat it. I also realise some children might not have eaten since their last school meal. I see completely empty packets a couple of aisles later for some products only adults would eat and again wouldn't judge. I saw what looked like a drug-dependent woman being manhandled by two security guards twice her size and felt sick at their delight in the violence. Not everyone has choices though many of my most wealthy and privileged acquaintances are the most judgmental. 'We can't pay ourselves what we can't afford', unless it's their industry privatising the profits and socialising the losses and costs. Different tune for an hour on Sunday, unfortunately.

Can't believe how many people are saying no.
Yes, every time. Last time I took 22 month old DD with me she ate 5 from 5 different packets.
I can't get worked up over this and can't imagine the staff do either. "Bring a snack from home" - I am shopping because I have run out of food from home?! My DD is a food monster and can't understand why she's being dragged round a shop and made to sit next to a load of food in the trolley and can't eat it. She is a toddler. She will cry and winge if I don't feed her. She is allowed to eat fruit and probably a biscuit or similar....I pay for it at the check out. It's really not a big deal.
I will caveat this by saying that I always always check I have my purse with me before letting her eat anything.
Judge away, I don't care and neither does my DD (and I bet 99% of the shop staff don't give a shit either as long as it's paid for and we don't make a mess.)

No, absolutely not. However, I’m not sure if it’s technically stealing until you try and leave the shop.

I just think it’s bad practice and sets a precedent that every time they make a fuss or are bored, they get a snack. It links food to the wrong thing (feelings not hunger) which causes issues with their relationship with food imo.

No, never have.

'It isn't difficult to feed your child before going to the shop' - unfortunately perhaps not for everyone.

Not so much “give” as “once attempted to stop DD eating the bread and failed, so now I allow bread as the lesser of other evils, and always go through self-checkout so no cashier has to deal with toddler-gnawed bread”. Yes I bring water and snacks everywhere – what parent doesn’t? – but who wants an approved mum snack when you can gnaw a bread corner?

No way. Have always told my kids in supermarkets to wait until we've paid, despite them trying to burst into the sweets/chocolates/football sticker packets.