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…

Never

No judgement from me, as long as we’re talking large chain supermarkets only.

it's not them that suffer. They've built in shrinkage to account for thieving. It's the people who shop there who pay the increased prices to cover that shrinkage.

Don't give us 'I'm sticking it to the big boys, go me, what a SJW I am' to justify your dishonesty,

Never. I did accidentally take some sausage rolls from M&S once, they didn’t scan properly. They were disgusting though so I figured it was karma!

Never, but I know my sister did when she was struggling financially.

Never.
It has never occurred to me to try.

Never!!!

Absolutely never. I would lose my job if caught.

Never

I wouldnt be able to use what I had stolen as it wouldnt be mine. It would always be tainted.

I can still remember the anger and frustration I felt when something was stolen from me at school. I couldnt do that to someone else even if it was a faceless corporation.

What is it that would stop you doing it…fear of getting caught or feeling like you’re a “thief” and feeling bad about yourself cos you’ve got strong morals?

I think you only have to have killed 3 times to be a serial killer, so I’m afraid I do think you meet the threshold of serial shop lifter

Never

"But we’re talking 3 or 4 times I year. I’m not some sort of serial shoplifter."

The same crime committed over an extended period is literally the definition of a serial offender.

Never

Once during lockdown, very sleep-deprived, I walked out of a big chain shop with a baby toy in the pram I had forgotten was there. I was too embarrassed and lazy to go back and pay so I kept it.

I still feel guilty every time I look at it. I was brought up knowing stealing is wrong. Were you not, OP? Or if so when did you change your mind?

Curious and no judgement, you obviously don’t believe you’re in the wrong here.

It just never crosses my mind I don't think about stealing

I have never stolen anything, not even when I was a child, BUT and this is a big but, I have never been in a position where I needed to to feed my family so I don’t judge. However I will say that the people in my life who I have witnessed stealing things (nice champagne glasses from restaurants etc) have always done it for the thrill rather than need, and those people I have judged and thought to be “bad people” because it is not a victimless crime, so your justification needs to be necessity.

Hand on heart? Never and I absolutely would never consider it. Like others I have accidentally not paid for something and gone back in.

You have a serious issue OP if you think it’s normal to steal on a regular basis. I hope you get caught and shamed.

Because I don't take things that aren't mine. If I can't afford it, I don't buy it.

Never!!! Once a thief always a thief

Wtf? Never. Why do you think this is a normal thing to do?

I don't see how you can ? Most tills weigh the items as they go in packing area and call a member of staff to it if it does not recognise an item surely ?
In my local Sainsburys some tills will do that if you put a carrier bag on it to pack as you go along ( my bags that are already paid for ) so must be very weight sensitive .
There are also cameras on the tills so you would be recorded .

LOL ok I’ll take that, maybe I am a serial banana thief!

You know you can weigh produce at the till, right?

Erm…that I’m not a thief?

What stops me from stealing is knowing right from wrong.