Unintentional theft - what do I do?

[OneGreyBiscuit]

I work at a supermarket and was just getting some bits when I finished my shift. I scanned the items through, put my discount card through and then got distracted by a customer asking me something. I've just checked my balance and it looks like I've not paid for what I bought because of being distracted. I'm really stressing on what to do. Do I take it back and explain and pay for it or do nothing. It was an honest mistake.

Look up what happened with a policeman, a doughnut and payment in a supermarket

I always go back - it used to be an issue when the cashier scanned items and I’d get home and find I’d not been charged for things

the only self scan issue I’ve had is when I accidentally scanned two large items but one was small. I got pulled for a random check and it got picked up. Obvs the cashier laughed as I’d over charged myself but I had a check everytime for about 3 months after that! I literally had the two packs of cheese - nothing else and I mis-scanned 😂. The cashier still works at Tesco and a few years on she still remembers I was the lady who mis-scanned with only two items 😂

Thats what I didnt understand either!

Glad it's sorted OP.

But you weren't thinking that anyone would tell you not to mention it were you?

You reason doesn't make sense

I guess she was panicking about the possibility of getting into trouble when she told the manager and wanted to talk things through. Why be so harsh?

Glad it all worked out ok, OP. As a customer, I'm often scared that I have (e.g.) forgotten to scan something. It hasn't happened yet, but I expect and hope that if it ever did happen the staff would be understanding of a one-off honest mistake. So I would absolutely want the same understanding to be extended to the staff themselves.

Your update reads to me as if you paid for the items but didn't keep them! I hope I misunderstood, and that you have what you have paid for

What you don't do is ask other people what to do..when you know exactly what the right course of action should be.

Nah..you clearly asked if you should do nothing...
Don't try to gaslight or embarrass other people about the answers you received to a question you posed.

There's always the possibility that you will get charged; so I recommend making a Donation to charity, buy a homeless person a Sandwich and a drink if the guilt is eating away at you. If it continues to eat away at you, go to church and confess, the buy more sandwiches for homeless. I'm sure these measures will help you regain your PEACE abd self esteem.

I did something similar at a local supermarket. A whole weekly shop £97.
I got home realised I hadn’t paid.
I felt awful
went back the next day (as it has closed by the time I got home it was a Sunday) and they said there is no way to track it (crazy given it was a self scan and there’s cameras!) and they told me not to worry and keep
it!!!!

Just go in and say what happened and have them check. It’s not a crime if you go and check with intention to pay. Theft is taking something without intending to pay.