Shoplifting food

[Bananavape]

What's your opinion on someone shoplifting food, sometimes the more expensive items within their weekly shopping (cheese, sauces etc), or sometimes when they're out and starving but no money to actually buy anything to eat (a sandwich or wrap etc), if they genuinely can't afford to feed themselves?

I saw someone shopping eggs, he also had bread in his bag. I was not shocked with the shoplifting but the fact that he had taken basic necessity food items, I can imagine he had children to feed. This was in Aldi.

Well stealing is stealing, no matter how you dress it up. There are lots of food banks around so this should be the first option, but if you're desperate with children to feed I have a lot of sympathy. I think stealing luxury items is morally very different to stealing the basics.

I can't have an opinion in general, it would depend on the individual circumstances, which I am unlikely to know in full, so

stealing basic food - no opinion at all

stealing luxury food - obviously, a PITA for everyone, and puts the prices up

Isn't the most commonly shoplifted item cheese?

Generally people aren't going to steal bread, because it's pennies. If you have kids they can't live on bread.

The consequences are so dire that I hope they use food banks, churches, gurdwaras and other places to get free food.

@Bananavape Where do you draw the line?

Food banks should be a better option than stealing. There are also lots of charitable organizations that distribute food to needy families. Stealing shouldn't be necessary.

Of caught then consequences could be police called and you would definitely be banned from the shop. Food banks are there for people in need.

My opinion is based on many variables!

in the first instance, surely there are enough schemes around now for people to get food, it should not be there only option & therefore should not be happening. But f for genuine reasons they haven't been able to get food, many shops will help, without the need to steal.

second instance, unacceptable. They're 'out' why can't they go home to eat (unless they're in the first situation) no one needs pricey bought wraps & sandwiches.

I don't think many people have NO access to food, with all the schemes & volunteer set ups.

if there are I'd like to know the circumstances, so we know where we need to 'do better'

Having gone without food many times in in the past in my life (didn't shoplift but only me to feed at time) I wouldn't judge anyone at all for stealing the basics from multinational companies (yes I'm well aware the cost is carried by the rest of us) Expensive cuts of meat, luxury items and alcohol are a different matter.

I used to but I was 15 to 16 and my mum would suddenly disappear from days on end leaving me with little money. Very basic essentials. I got caught once, I think the content can matter, like if it’s the bare minimum to survive they can be more lenient. In any case all I got was a warning, no ban. But very young so maybe different as an adult

Forgot to mention much younger brother to feed also. That shows in your items

The people I have known who shoplift are dishonest. They all used the excuse that the items were too expensive. Also very willing to ‘borrow’ other people’s money, not pay their way and basically take advantage.

Unless someone is snagging lobsters from Harrods (for example), I am ambivalent to the very small % of people who steal food.

Of course it’s morally wrong but is it morally right that supermarkets care more about returning supernormal profits to shareholders? Someone is either desperate enough to do it or silly enough to potentially get a criminal record. Both people need an intervention.

They were actually very nice, they asked if I knew about food banks and I said no, so they gave me adresses and bus directions. But I’d think there was an age factor.

And as pp mentioned no steaks no alcohol, didn’t smoke etc

Food banks and charities should not be required in a 21st century G7 (for now) country either should they?

Although lots around they are often only one day a week if you have no money today to feed your kids food banks not open until Friday and you can't get help anywhere else what would you do? Watch your children starve 4 days?

Many food banks operate on a referral basis and limit how many referrals someone can have. Not everyone lives in the vicinity of one and can afford transport to get there. Some people are in abusive situations where they're unable to access food via conventional means. Some people struggle to engage or are afraid of seeking support via services such as food banks and the agencies that refer into them for various reasons. Some people aren't aware that such services exist. Some people worry they'll be forced into further interventions that they don't want or that they'll be judged for accessing a food bank or that it will lead to SS getting involved or whatever.

For all these reasons and more, I can understand why some people might feel like stealing food is the least shit option from a selection of shitty options.

The only food bank in my area supplies a bag of pasta, 2 tins of beans, a can of tuna, a can item of homemade frozen food and some apples per person in the household, have to pay for long life milk and eggs.

And I'm not talking about stealing from a small business, I mean Tesco, Morrisons etc. And yes not steaks or alcohol, I mean cheese, butter etc

It makes shopping more expensive for everyone.
Which includes others who have kids to feed who are already struggling.

If I saw someone stealing basic essentials - bread, milk etc, then I didn’t see shit 🤷🏻‍♀️
I would never dob someone in who found themselves in a position where they are having to resort to shoplifting the basics.
Yes, there are food banks etc. But a lot of those require a referral from the council, social services, a GP etc, and I guess some people find themselves in a desperate situation before they have that referral? I don’t know. But I’m not going to report someone shoplifting a few quid’s worth of basic items from a company that makes millions.

Do you have a list of who it's OK for me to steal from and who it's not. It'd be good to know.

In my case, I was too young to work, had long days of school and pick ups drop offs for younger sib, and my mum would literally disappear without warning. I’m not completely sure what I grabbed tbh, just I had in my head milk, a protein, vegetables, and improvise mostly. It’s not a happy place to be.
And I’d just moved from my original third world country and she seemed thrilled (MH issues) at this babysitting opportunity, I had no clue of the system, so no I feel no guilt tbh.

After a while some of his friends parents and mine figured something was off and we’d often get invited over for meals/sleepovers (they’d just casually ask is your mum around atm, or my husband made a mistake in the supermarket I got this huge load of X the kids won’t ever eat

This is the West Yorkshire deputy mayor for policing and crimetake on it:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-64433118

But I’m not going to report someone shoplifting a few quid’s worth of basic items from a company that makes millions.

Would you report it from a shop that didn't make millions?