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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think I was being unreasonable in the supermarket?

70 replies

whyme2 · 31/08/2012 19:10

On our way home today we called into Tesco to buy something for tea and a box of eggs. Picture the scene, I was the only adult with four primary age children (all mine). I was holding a hand basket containing three large pizza in one hand and was keeping a hold of my wandering four year old with the other hand.

We walk down the egg/bread aisle and I ask my 7 year old DD to pick up a box of eggs from the shelf. So she carefully bends down picks up a large box, straightens up as she stands and then for some unfathomable reason drops the entire box of eggs on the floor upside down. For this act there is an audience of course of a man and a lady also shopping.
I put my basket down and pick up the egg box. Nearly every egg is broken I stand there while the lady shopper giggles helplessly and I make an effort not to cry (long day - don't ask).
Then DD says "Put it back mummy and I'll get another". I reply "I can't do that because we broke them so we should pay for them." The lady shopper whispers to me "Put them back love, Tesco can cover it."

So I did. I put the broken box back and picked up a new one myself, paid and left asap.

So WIBU? Now I think so, at the time I didn't.
I feel guilty.

OP posts:

MagicHouse · 31/08/2012 19:14

AH don't feel guilty. Tesco wouldn't have made you pay anyway even if you'd said. I've had similar happen and they've always been lovely - they accept accidents happen. Sounds like you were stressed and made a quick decision spurred on by someone else. Put it out of your mind now!

libelulle · 31/08/2012 19:14

wouldn't trouble me for a second - it was an accident, and it was Tesco, not the struggling local cornershop. I think their shareholders can cope with that minor loss of profits :) And if a store employee had been nearby I suspect they'd have told you the same thing!

BrevilleTron · 31/08/2012 19:14

Accidents do happen but you may have been a tiny bit U in not letting a member of staff know.
I've done similar but a member of staff was passing and told me not to worry.

Clean up in aisle 3!

NCForNow · 31/08/2012 19:15

Yabu to be whinging about such a minor incident!

startwig1982 · 31/08/2012 19:16

I'm sure you wouldn't have had to pay as it was an accident. Perhaps you should have told them though, although I suspect someone else will find them and let someone know!

lecce · 31/08/2012 19:17

I can't remember what exactly but I broke a jar of something once in front of a Tesco employee and they just came and cleaned it up. No mention was made of my having to pay and their manner suggested that they were following company policy, not doing me a favour.

Forget about it .

DanyTargaryen · 31/08/2012 19:17

The lady shopper should have kept her nose out and you should have at least offered to pay for the broken eggs. YABU

PuppyMonkey · 31/08/2012 19:18

Eggs is eggs - they break. Life goes on.

firawla · 31/08/2012 19:19

whats done is done, i wouldn't dwell on it too much now!
the lady shopper sounds nice, luckily you didnt end up in the aisle with some snooty cow having a go about "omg how could you let the eggs get broken, control your children bla bla bla"
hope you get a chance to relax this evening and rest of your day goes better

Happiestinwellybobs · 31/08/2012 19:19

My 1 year old DD picked up a box and threw them on the floor at the till. They were fine about it and offered me another box. Personally I would have said something - but I feel guilty about everything!! Don't worry about it!

minikimmi · 31/08/2012 19:20

I dropped a bottle of vodka just outside a Tesco once and a member of staff replaced it for me. They wouldn't have made you pay don't be daft.

anonacfr · 31/08/2012 19:21

Nice and friendly NCForNow. Where's the whingeing?

workshy · 31/08/2012 19:21

yanbu not paying for it -they wouldn't have made you anyway

yabu for not reporting it as some poor sod is going to pick that box up and potentially get egg all over their hands

Ilovedaintynuts · 31/08/2012 19:22

Tesco would not have expected you to pay. Their store policy is to replace any breakages on their property including in store and car parks.

Onwards and upwards!

gamerwidow · 31/08/2012 19:23

Not unreasonable at all. No supermarket in the land would have made you pay for those broken eggs. Well done that kind lady shopper who saw you struggling and made you see sense.

iklboo · 31/08/2012 19:23

I once dropped a bottle if wine after paying for it. I must have looked absolutely mortified as the duty manager went & fetched me a new bottle. I got my purse out but he said it was an accident so I didn't have to pay again.

Put it out of your mind & enjoy your pizzas!

JamieandOscarSittinginATree · 31/08/2012 19:23

4 children in a Supermarket. Are you quite mad?!!!

JamieandOscarSittinginATree · 31/08/2012 19:23

But you should have told someone so they could clean up.

AlwaysHoldingOnToStars · 31/08/2012 19:24

I broke a jar of jam just after I'd paid for it and they got me a new one for no extra charge, so I'm sure you wouldn't have had to pay for it. I probably would have done the same, and run off embarrassed!

YingTongIddleIPo · 31/08/2012 19:24

YANBU! Give yourself a break here. It was an accident and they happen often. Tesco would have replace the box and not given it a second thought, put it through as waste and got on with their day. Don't worry about it, please!!

UserNameNotAvailable · 31/08/2012 19:26

Shops have "shrinkage" its an allowable amount for breakages and theft.

Don't worry, you should have found a member of staff to clean up the eggs though.

I once knocked over a delicate but large glass display in a very busy clothes shop. I was mortified but the assistant said not to worry about it but everyone heard it smash so stopped to have a look.

wigglesrock · 31/08/2012 19:26

I have broken eggs in Tescos before, and can't even blame the children I always told a member of staff about it, but have never been asked or even hinted at that I should pay.

NoMoreNotNever · 31/08/2012 19:27

I had just stacked my shopping on the belt at Tesco this week, opened my mouth to say hello to the cashier, and SMASH goes the bottle of wine on the floor. I apologised profusely, she and the manager who scooted over were lovely, manager fetches a new one.

New one goes in the carrier bag she handed me, I lift it to move it out of the way, SMASH goes the bottle of wine through the hole in the bag. I apologise profusely, the manager goes to get a new one... they wouldn't hear of my paying for either and gave me the third free "in case you have bits of glass in your trousers". I think they'll stand the loss of a few eggs, whyme.

Floralcurtain · 31/08/2012 19:27

I used to work in Tesco-definitely would not have made you pay. Don't worry about - clear it from your mind! And people all sorts of random things to the food and don't tell staff about things that have been token/dropped so I wouldn't beat yourself up about that either!

JollyHockeyStick · 31/08/2012 19:30

DS dropped a jar of green pesto in Tesco. I went "SHI.....ugar" quite loudly. There was another woman in the aisle with me. She very nicely offered to keep an eye on my son in the trolley while I got a staff member. I quickly found someone. The staff member told me not to worry about it and to just carry on shopping. For some reason I was ridiculously upset by the whole situation and also nearly cried.

So please don't worry :)

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