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…

For me it’s about a holistic view of society, what would society be like if everyone did this? Absolutely horrible. So I don’t do it. It also compels me to do positive things, eg what would society be like if everyone picked up 3 pieces of rubbish on the beach? So I will do that.

Literally never.

Never 👎

Literally never.
Reason?
I'm not a thief.

Umm I just don't want to live in a society where stealing is normalised. It's clearly wrong and if everyone was doing it all the time then society would eventually break down.

You don't need especially 'strong morals' not to steal. Most normal people living in reasonably functional societies don't.

Never because I’m not a thief

It doesn’t even cross my mind to do it, that simple really.

If I was stupid enough to do it and got caught, I’d lose my security clearance immediately, which has a much wider impact on me.

Never. I’ve never done it. Sorry but if you are doing it 3 or 4 times a year then you are indeed a serial shoplifter. You’re a thief.

I’m a stickler for rules. I HATE breaking them. Part fear getting caught, part a deep rooted desire to follow rules, part absolutely no desire (it’s never crossed my mind) to steal, partly no need as I can afford what I want/need, part I think it’s important we are all contributing members of society for the world to function properly.

I don’t know as I’m not a thief but I think some people work out how much eg 6 apples is in equivalent weight to more expensive stuff, and put the expensive thing through as 6 apples.

Never, nor do I know anyone who does.

Nope. We got rescanned once (happens all the time at Sainsburys if you’re indecisive like me and change your mind about stuff on the self scan as you go round) and I’d forgotten to scan a bottle of milk. I felt awful!

No. I missed something off my scan the other day and went back to pay for it. I'm not a thief. If I were desperate then I might think otherwise but I'd use food banks and other sources of support before resorting to theft.

Never. But I have "enough". I do not know what I would do if I did not have enough.
I do kind of know because I grew up poor... didn't steal then either, but was in the 60s, on an island, so
a. There was nothing to steal.
b. You'd be beaten by your parents if you did.
c. Everyone on the island and beyond would know. It would become a mentioned characteristic... MD, Peggy's girl, you know... the thief.
The shame...

Feeling like a thief. It isnt about strong morals so much as a strong sense of 'thine and mine'. Not taking other people's stuff simply because it isnt mine.

In the same way I cant consume something while walking round the supermarket even if I am planning to pay for it at the end. It isnt mine to eat/drink until I have paid for it.

You do realise that people stealing things just results in shops putting up prices cover the losses?

You're not saving money, you are kicking yourself in the foot.

I once accidentally stole a lasagne from Sainsbury's when a week pp. I did ring them and they weren't all that interested and when I mentioned it when I went back the next day they laughed at me 🫣

@Alwaysthelastone you ARE a serial shoplifter.

just because you currently do it 3 or 4 times a year doesn't matter. Like a serial offender you're normalising to it so you'll do it more and more often if you don't have a word with yourself.

Absolutely never, I've never even stolen a penny sweet as as child. And yes I absolutely will judge anyone who does, badly.

Genuinely never. It's never crossed my mind, even when I was really struggling.

Never. Obviously.

The reason I don't is because I'd rather stick to the agreed social order we've all created. Slippery slope isn't it, first you're sticking a banana in your knickers as an illicit snack, short time later you find yourself running a county line gang of primary school kids. Not cool.

Never. Literally wouldn't occur to me.

Never

I contact the supermarket if i have taken something by mistake ( they ignore the email but at least I sent it )

It just wouldn’t occur to me. If I want something, I pay for it.