to think that things in your supermarket trolley aren't yours until you have paid for them

[jandymaccomesback]

This morning in Tesco we kept passing a womanwith a child in a trolley. We first saw her in fruit and veg, as she peeled a banana and handed it to the child. Next time we saw her the child was eating from a packet of cheese strings. Finally we saw her opening a carton of juice. All of these things came off the shelf. DH was so enraged he wanted to tell the staff, but I persuaded him not to. To me this is wrong, even if you intend to pay,and definitely gives a message to the child that she can help herslf. AIBU?

I was just thinking, wouldn't it be great if you could sit at home, and prepare the supermarket order in your own time, then get the supermarket to drive it to your home in a van, and deliver it to your door, or even carry it into your kitchen, at a time of your choosing?

I think I'll suggest to Tesco that they set up a service like that.

Incognito

If they didn't put the bloody 'flower carrier section' in the trolley we could fit a lot more in. I hang bags all round the side of the trolley on the little hooky bits. It's like an extra wide load trying to navigate my way out if the shop.

This has to be one of the most polarized issues I've seen on here, there is no middle ground....I suggest tesco opens some new stores for the non grazers.

YABU. And I don't see how it is a moral issue. I've never had the need to do this but have seen plenty of parents doing it in my local waitrose and I don't see the problem at all. I've never seen the staff approach a customer over it so I guess it's accepted.

Eating things from your supermarket trolley before paying for them is stealing.

If your kids are hungry, take food with you to feed them beforehand.

So low rent to eat food from the supermarket before you've paid for it

I love how everyone against eating in the supermarket considers it common. The UK is such a shining example of class divisions

That is just anarchy shiregirl!

I don't think of it as stealing as long as you pay for it when you reach the checkout which is what I always did. I never had a problem.

I must admit I don't like adults eating in the street either.

I asked DH his opinion. He asked if this was why I was asking...

'try proving the organics your dcs are eating came from home and not their shelves'
You don't have to prove anything in that situation. A store has to prove that you are stealing.

Loving all the cats-bum-mouth stuff on here about how 'common' it is to eat in the supermarket.

::I was just thinking, wouldn't it be great if you could sit at home, and prepare the supermarket order in your own time, then get the supermarket to drive it to your home in a van, and deliver it to your door, or even carry it into your kitchen, at a time of your choosing?

I think I'll suggest to Tesco that they set up a service like that.::

Ahahahahahahaah! Bazinga. Love it! I have two year old twins (the nasty, screamy kind) and I rarely ever shop at the actual store.

::last time I tried that - I had a weeks worth of food, most o which had 1 or 2 days left on the use by date, strawberries that were mouldy 2 days after being delivered et. - that's a great service for the supermarket - means they can dump all the nearly out of date food helpfully give you 2 weeks worth of shopping with 2 days life.::

Um, I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, but, you do know that theres no limit on how often they'll deliver right? :o I mean, I've had weeks where I've had the ASDA dude at my door four times. It's still cheaper than paying for the gas for our big ol van, and even if it isn't, isn't your time and sanity worth five bucks at the most? Produce on the store shelf rarely has a use by date of more than four days anyway? Of course the shop is going to send stuff that's closer to it's time, as they're trying not to waste it. Do you know how much perfectly good food goes into the bin in the UK because people want to be able to shop for two weeks at a time? It just doesn't work with things you can't freeze. (Strawberries freeze really well, by the way. Oh, and here's a wild thought...you can buy them...wait for it...ALREADY frozen!)

Regarding the "class" thing, I have to admit that we are considered to be fairly well off, and that my husband comes from old money. But, the other night in a club (he's a stand up comedian and actor) he made a guy come up on stage and apologize for calling a woman at the bar "common". So, not all "middle class" folk will tolerate the class slurs. In fact, I've known lots of middle class folk who do the "eat it before it's paid for" thing because they are just used to not having to be held responsible for what they buy or when they buy it, because they have that sense of entitlement. Which is the origin of the word. Just sayin'. I don't think letting your kids eat unpaid for items in the store is "common", and I don't think it's "immoral", I just think it's a damnably poor example for your kids, and very confusing for them about when it's ok to just take, and when it isn't.