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?

are you stealing?

I'd mind my business. Stealing such inconsequential items I'm going to assume things aren't good

Same. The rule of witnessing shoplifting is, “No I didn’t.” I’m not going to ruin someone’s life and get them a record over food you need to live or diapers, etc. Don’t care if it’s lobster and steak either. If they have enough ingenuity to get a large sea cockroach out the store on their personal body without anybody noticing then they can have it and they totally deserve it 🤷‍♀️ 😂

No issue with the first example, no need to steal food to eat on the go when you can't afford to pay though, just don't eat then.

I find the changing attitudes really interesting, though! I literally starved as a child at times. My mum regularly stole (and taught me to too - security don't watch young kids the same) to feed us and we were definitely considered absolute scum, despite her stealing to live, not to sell onwards. It's nice to see some understanding for those in desperate situations, even if it did need a financial crisis to achieve.

I don't tolerate stealing from anyone for any reason don't care.

I could not care less of someone shoplifts a banana or a whole chicken. Shop lifting is just one of those areas where my moral compass just stalls. I just don't care. Sometimes I even think good for them 😅

All these people saying food banks.... have you ever tried to get a voucher.... I tried to get one for my sister.... it was really challenging.

Couldn’t care less
would not dob them in

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?

What's the context for this? Can't they just make a sandwich from the bread and cheese they stole from the supermarket?

There's desperation and then there's just taking the piss.

It's so unbelievably sad to see people are having to shoplift to feed their families in this day and age. Does not surprise me though with the cost of living today and an uncaring government thinking only of themselves.

I have sympathy but sorry big or small stealing is still stealing and what you steal puts the prices up for us that buy food which is real nice. Sorry no need to steal these days even the village I live in has food bank people go to. I would rather go there than be called a thief

What about if its a teenager living on their own, parents unable to help, all rent and bills fall on them while scraping by on the bare minimum?

I've had to steal essentials (basic food, nappies) in the very long distant past. There were no foodbanks then, at least not where I was living, and I had no friends or family to help. I had no choice while I waited for benefits to come through after leaving an abusive relationship.

I volunteer at a foodbank now and unfortunately PPs are correct - you have to be referred, and referrals can take a day or two in some cases. If you need food or essentials and you have nobody to help you're in a very difficult position.

I'd never judge anyone stealing essentials. Never never ever. I've been there myself and so could any one of us.

Already explained that the food bank provides 2 tins a bag of pasta one homemade frozen meal and some apples per person? And that the other food banks in other cities aren't available unless you're referred, which you wouldn't be unless you lived in that town?

As I said before,

Then I am very jealous of your privilege to be able to not care that a teenager would be stealing to survive.

Let's hope you never find yourself penniless with no help from anyone and young DC to feed, then.

I guess it depends what your ethical framework is. What metrics do you use to define right and wrong? Is it the consequences (teleological worldview) in which case, there aren’t really terrible consequences for anyone if you steal small items from a supermarket.

From a Christian moral standpoint, stealing is objectively wrong but sometimes you can’t help doing wrong if you are caught up in a sinful society. Eg if you’re stealing to feed yourself or your children you were really choosing between two bad choices.

(PER teacher here!).

I think the real sin is the government leaving people with no other choice.

How do you know they need the food to live as opposed to just general theft? If it was from a corner shop, are you equally happy to let people steal? I had my car stolen and the reason given was they needed to get home and had no money. Is that OK too?

My dc are growing teens who need a lot of protein. I fear for the day we would ever need a food bank, as it's all cereal, pasta and tomato sauces. If I knew someone was stealing to feed their family out of dire need, I'd turn a blind eye, regardless of chain or corner shop. And I'm very anti steeling.

If they're stealing cheese butter bread etc ESSENTIALS then I don't really know what else they're going to do with it other than eating it? No one chooses to get caught over something so little if they don't have to

I wouldn’t judge anyone shoplifting basic foods in the current situation with prices going sky high.

Expensive items are frequently shoplifted to sell, is been going on for years. A neighbour used to do it in the mid 80’s.

But you're only OK with the teenager stealing from certain shops, didn't you say? Some shops you'd think were wrong to steal from?

I was bloody tempted today! 2 piddly blocks of Gruyère needed for dinner was nearly £8 😂
obviously I didn’t steal them but I can see why people are tempted to steal cheese!
stealing basics because you can’t otherwise afford to feed your children/self I have some sympathy for. I’d do it if it was a choice between my children not having dinner or eating a warm meal.