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…

I think you should be ashamed of yourself, stealing is morally wrong and illegal. Calling people "pearl-clutchers" might make you feel better, but it's still wrong.

I have an acquaintance with a similar entitled attitude, she used to clean my house twice a week. When she told me, laughing, about "nicking a few bits" from Tesco, I found a new cleaner as I knew I couldn't trust her alone in my home.

You ask for our comments stating "honest, zero judgment comments", you get that and then you accuse people of having double standards and moralising - so you are blaming and judging. YOU invited comments, we did not just start saying these things to you on a whim. And the overwhelming response is NO, most people do not steal in the manner you describe. This seems to surprise you so then you throw shade by referring to our moral compasses.

Having a "good moral compass" is not stealing something that you do not need to survive, like wine - that is entitlement. You are trying to reclaim what you do as reasonable - it is not. As I said earlier, if you steal because you are starving, its still theft but there are mitigating circumstances that shape the response. You stealing from a shop and stealing wine, does not fall into that category.

You make a reasonable point about the complexity of morality and the hypocrisy that often exists in online judgement. But but you are not really making a convincing defence of the theft itself. You are changing the conversation from "Is stealing wrong?" to "Are the people criticising me morally flawless?" Those are different questions. And this is called a diversion tactic or changing the subject when you realise you are in the minority.

Life tends to be shades of grey. An occasionally shoplifting but otherwise warm and compassionate person may well be someone I'd rather spend an afternoon with than a scrupulously honest person who delights in humiliating others. But if we're being consistent, we'd probably acknowledge that the theft is still wrong and the bullying is still wrong. The existence of one doesn't cancel out the other.

Are you dragging my past in here, too? This seems to be harassing now.

But yes, a charge like shoplifting would be mortifying. It's the type of thing that crackheads and bored housewives do.

never ever but I despise self checkout and avoid it whenever possible so my opportunities are less than most. However none of my friends or social circle has ever admitted to it either.

And I'm one of those Fuck the Man anti-corporation liberals who might be thought to see it as okay. It's not. Its theft and I'm not a thief.

I'm not a scumbag

Never. Why would I? I’m not a thief.

Yet!

I've never been to an Amazon store, but I think the shelves know what you've taken - you specifically, not just anyone picking that item?

I would never dream of doing it.

Literally never. Have not read the whole thread, but I hope you’ve had your arse handed to you- this attitude is the start of the slippery slope that breaks the social contract.
and don’t come at me about money being tight- you’ve literally laughed about stealing a bottle of wine. Unacceptable. You might not like it, but you are a serial shoplifter/ thief.

You’ve backtracked a bit by claiming it’s a lowly banana here and there but in your OP you said you have swiped nappies, wine and washing detergent and you do it 4 times a year. That is proper shoplifting, and mark my words people will have seen you do it.

It’s just behaviour of a rotten, deceitful individual. You keep calling everyone pearl clutchers but that’s just not the case, you don’t have to be some do goody member of the WI to think shoplifting is wrong.

Scum.

Never.
I once walked out of mother care with baby wipes in my pram. But as I was loading the car I realised and returned to pay for them.
I'm not a thief

Never. If they undercharge me and I become aware of it before I'm too far from the shop, I go back and pay the difference.

I'm not a thief.

I've never shoplifted anything from the supermarket self checkout or at the tills. But if you want an honest answer, I have stolen items in the past (going back a long way). What do you want out of this thread?

I absolutely never would

Never intentionally, but if an item doesn't scan properly and I spot it's missing when I'm checking the receipt at home, ie I haven't paid for it, then I'm not going to bother returning and paying for that item, so that's technically stealing. Happens maybe once or twice a year maybe, not often because of the bag loading area weighs your items and throws a wobbly of you are a few grams out, so it's pretty difficult to put something in the bag that hasn't been scanned. Would normally be something light, like a packet of crisps.

Because it's morally wrong.

Ha! Mental gymnastics is exactly the phrase I thought of when I read that lamentable post.

“the complexities of different types of stealing” FFS 🤦‍♀️

There are no complexities, grey areas or nuances; stealing is stealing, and if you steal you’re a common thief.

I once watched a couple of geezers doing a full trolley dash. It made me quite angry - those people are, ultimately, making us all pay for the stuff they've nicked. Checkout pilferers are doing the same. Doesn't matter that they do it more gradually, it mounts up.

Another 'never' here.

Why not ? Because I know right from wrong.

I know it can be normal for people who don't have morals to try to 'justify' their actions to themselves, but hopefully you will take from this thread that no, it is not acceptable to steal from anyone, including shops, even including multinational organisations.

How do you steal a bottle of wine? Asking for a friend 😁
I once left Sainsburys without paying for a pumpkin as it was under the buggy and I forgot it. When I realised I went back and tried to pay for it and the staff were like oh god don’t worry about it!
About 10 years later I did the same with a ring from Tesco. I don’t go there that often so didn’t go back to confess my crime, then I lost the ring so I got my comeuppance!
If I’m completely honest it’s the fear of getting caught/criminal record that puts me off rather than any moral code.

Why would you ask that here.

It seems like you've got really fixated on me in another thread. Advanced searched me to find a post I made in this very active thread some time ago, and then you've started to accost me here and attempt to derail the thread askimg about my past.

Do you realise how weird and creepy you seem by doing this?

I have a AMA. Ask me anything you want there after you read it.

Never as I refuse to use self checkouts on principal. If there are no checkouts open I politely request a staff member to scan things for me.

I was only refused once and they changed their mind once I started to leave without my shopping.

I would never steal. It's quite grotty behaviour imo. I think as well as morals its also a pride thing. If I were so hard up for money that "getting one over on the man" by saving myself a £1 on a banana gave me a thrill I'd think that was pretty sad. I have had friends who have boasted about stealing from supermarkets or slipping past the barriers to see a film for free and honestly it's just made me look down on them and ultimately distance myself. I could be wrong but I feel like if you're the kind of person who thinks nothing of being a thief there will be other things you probably think are ok that I wouldn't agree with.

Never. I’m not a tramp. My dignity is worth more than a bottle of laundry detergent