Be honest, zero judgment - how often do you steal from supermarket self-checkouts?

[Alwaysthelastone]

My theory is, “decent, up-standing” people do it a lot more than they’d ever admit. Let’s try to stop this thread descending into judgement and criticism of people who are just answering the question honestly. Otherwise they just won’t be honest. No judgement from me, as long as we’re talking large chain supermarkets only. I’ll admit that I sometimes forget to weigh fruit & veg, get to the till and can’t be bothered going back so don’t bother paying. Occasionally in the past when money’s been tight I haven’t paid for a few of the more expensive items like laundry detergent, nappies, the odd bottle of wine. But we’re talking 3 or 4 times I year. I’m not some sort of serial shoplifter and I consider myself a decent person (although I’m sure I’ll swiftly be told I’m not on here 🤣) anyway, would be interested to hear how often the mostly upstanding, middle-class MN population really does it…

This is such an obviously rage baity bullshit thread.

I think for some people shoplifting is a kind of hobby.

I wish those who do steal would fess up and share the why. I know there is a large proportion of society who get a thrill out of it. But why? Id be mortified to get caught - the social embarrassment would just kill me. But do those of you who do this - just for the thrill - is it like extreme sports or something? The risk of getting caught is so adrenalin fuelled, so exciting it makes you feel alive? And does the embarrassment when you do get caught not just kill all of that supposed joy? Or do you just not get embarrassed - claim ignorance or something?

One person made comments. Your post is quite a stretch

Never. I even pay for the carrier bag. I can't get particularly worked up about shoplifting from multinational supermarkets but ours is so oversensitive and bleepy that there's no way it's worth the hassle. To get a Pink Lady for the price of an onion or whatever? Get a life.

Never have, never would.

I always help myself to the bags for free, as payment for me doing the job of someone who was once employed there doing the job I'm now doing.
I am always directed to the awful self service machines that are often wrong and I have to wait ages for someone to come over to resolve it. It's a piss take! I sometimes feel like stealing stuff as a protest
No guilt regarding the bags - they always used to be free!

Never! Unless I accidentally forget to scan something on scan as you shop but I'd never do it intentionally.

Well, it certainly isn’t mine!

I once forgot to pay - I had swiped my loyalty card and was distracted so thought I'd paid! I realised as I was walking back to the car, went straight back and spoke to the security chap, mortified. He seemed a bit puzzled i had come back and was very nice about it.
I would never steal intentionally, and I don't think there's any justification to steal a bootleg if wine, certainly not an essential item, sorry!

Never, I make a point of scanning slow just to ensure that everything scans.

In our local shop several items are now in plastic cases that have to be opened by staff. It’s a pain when you’re using the self checkout but it’s obviously been caused by too much shoplifting.

I don't understand why people don't just take bags with them when they go shopping. There's no need to pay for new ones every time

Never

Not stealing but one time when I came home from Tesco and went to unpack the boot I realised I'd put the whole tesco shopping basket (the one you carry) into my boot with the shopping in it! Total ADHD /perimenpause moment ! I just brought it back the next day.

I’ve never once done this

I don't dispute it happens - a local M&S foodhall has some self checkouts with scales and some with no scales. People will stand and wait for the ones with no scales even when scales ones are free. It's scummy though. You're not talking people stealing baby formula to stop a child going hungry - nobody needs to shop in Marks and Spencers! I hope you get caught

I really don't. I would be too scared of getting caught and I am not desperate enough to take the risk.

I am more flexible with morality than a lot of people, I think. I believe in the hierarchy of morals. It may not be acceptable to steal but if your child is starving and you have no other way to feed them then is it morally wrong to steal some food so they can eat? No. the need to keep your child alive supersedes the morality of theft.

It's never crossed my mind to.

I once left a pub without paying for some food - it had only been a starter to share as a snack and we'd just not thought about it because it had been on a tab, while the drinks weren't.
When my friend thanked me for paying the next day and we realised, I drove back to apologise and pay. I've not been in again since (just not been in the area) so it's not like I was worried about getting barred or something, I just felt horribly guilty.
I will admit I stole a lipstick as a dare when I was a teenager. I felt awful then too but was too scared to go back!

Never

It just wouldn’t cross my mind to steal. It’s not ethical. It’s not mine to take. It’s not how the world works

I think the key thing about stealing wine is that no age verification is necessary because it's not scanned in the first place...

I would (clearly no morals) but I'm too scared of being caught.

Never. Wouldn’t cross my mind.

Never - 3-4 times a year is a serial shoplifter.