Colleague did something shifty, I inadvertently helped - what do I do?

[ToastyBreads]

name changed for advice please.
I work for a large supermarket. We are not allowed to buy reduced items until the store is shut.
My colleague asked me to reduce something fairly expensive as low as it would go at the end of the day which I did without really thinking about it (I reduce a lot of items so not unusual for people to bring me things to do that if they see it’s priced too highly etc). They then took it and bought it. So effectively I reduced the item just for them which seems pretty dodgy. I can’t stop thinking about it and don’t know what to do. This colleague is lovely, worked there years and is known and well liked by everyone. Regardless, I don’t want to get in trouble for any part of what could be seen as fraud I guess?
what do I do?

Do nothing, and if she asks again say no.

What Tiny said. Not much you can do after the fact.

Can you go to a manager explain what happened , say you felt put on a spot and ask him to put out a memo to all staff reminding them about not asking for reductions? If the person says anything just say you were spotted in camera . If you feel you can't approach management just say when they ask for a reduction again ( and they will ) just point out the camera and say I can't as we are being watched in camera . If they insist just say ok let's find a manager and ask if it's ok . Tactics Tactics .

Don't do this

Just leave it and don't do it again for them

Well obviously we need to know what it was

my guess is a leg of lamb

Was there a reason for it to be reduced? Or have they basically got you to help them steal?

Was it out of date/anything wrong with it?

It hadn’t been sold and was expiring that day.

Thanks for the help. I was thinking do nothing as a) what if I report it and the manager doesn’t care and it makes me look stupid or b) colleague will obviously know it was me and then it’s awkward as we work together on most shifts.

but then what if they find out and they do care? I could lose my job.

I don’t understand, if it was expiring that day then it was right to be reduced? Looks like the colleague got lucky then as a customer didn’t buy it.

You won't lose your job. You didn't know what they were doing, you'd get some extra training at worst. Definitely just keep quiet and don't do it again, if the colleague asks just say you didn't realise what they were doing and don't want to get in trouble.

If someone else had come in and bought it would that have been OK?

Did you reduce the item, then put the transaction through the tills yourself?

If not, then you didn't see it happen.

It doesn’t sound that terrible, I wouldn’t worry. You’re not the one who bought it.

Doesn't seem that dodgy to me, presumably it would have been reduced anyway if it went out of date that day. I'd call it a little perk of the job, I imagine most people working in shops get first dibs on bargains and rightly so.

@Cas112

The thing is they have done it once so it's going to be awkward going forward saying no without an excuse otherwise they will be pressured again . I think mentioning they are on camera is the best way forward and if the other person gets nasty just say ok let's go and ask a manager if it's ok . That's should be enough to pout an end to it .

Well if they hadn’t bought it then it would have been thrown away. I wouldn’t mention it. If anyone says anything then say you just reduced it due to date. Which you did. And fair enough. Working in retail has few enough perks! If you’re worried ask for advice about reducing in future.

It's a sackable offence to reduce for colleagues. When I worked in retail a couple of staff were sacked for putting stuff to one side to be reduced later as it could have been sold on first markdown . The shop usually had 3 markdowns . The OP has now been put in the spot as the colleague will try this again and potentially take the OP down with her .

Hmm - if you tell your manager you've got to be clear you followed procedure or if you didn't why you didn't. When I worked in retail years ago there was an interesting statistic that nearly half of theft was by staff. A lot of that wasn't literally taking things off the shelves and not paying. Don't do reductions unless you've got proof of the price. You'll soon find out if this person really is lovely when she asks you for something similar again and you say no. Be ready to say the manager has spoken to you about following procedures and you can't do it.

I know someone who was sacked for this
Do not tell anyone. Just hope it goes unnoticed and don't reduce for anyone who asks again

The OP has now been put in the spot as the colleague will try this again and potentially take the OP down with her .

I agree with this - if it was correct it should have been marked down and you did so to the correct reduced price then that's what you say if questioned. If you reduced by too much you've potentially got a problem. Definitely refuse if she asks you again and don't get into a discussion. Just say you've been warned not to make reductions for colleagues and say no more.

Just say you though you were reducing it for her to give to a customer and you had no idea she was buying it for herself.
it will be fine.

Well I stand corrected, I thought it was just the colleague putting aside something that was going to be reduced to that price anyway and it seemed cheeky at worst.

So I agree with the others who said to keep quiet about it, but don't get involved again. It's obviously a serious matter so distance yourself.

youre overthinking it.

It's sounds as if the colleague hid the item to be reduced later . That's a sackable offence . They came to you because they saw you as a soft touch , knew you would do it, not caring that you too could end up being sacked along side them . Time to get more assertive OP definitely say no next time . After all they are not going to report you are they ?

You're not allowed to buy reduced items until the store is shut, and it's quite normal for colleagues to bring items to you to reduce.

Do nothing. You weren't to know they were about to buy it.

Just try and avoid it happening again or it could get awkward. Perhaps take the item and say you'll do it later if they ask again? What you don't want is to end up with them dragging you into something. If they do ask again, I think you'll have to say something to protect yourself.