to think eating products before you pay for them at the till is uncouth?

[lastfanjoinparis]

OH and I disagree. He thinks eating a packet of crisps then handing the empty packet over at checkout to scan is perfectly acceptable but I think this is a no-no.

Where do you guys sit on this matter?

I wouldn't do it as a matter of course, but on one occasion I'd had blood taken at the doctor, then had to get a prescription filled at the pharmacy. The pharmacy was mobbed, assistants all busy, and I realised I was going to pass out so picked up and ate a Mars Bar while sitting in the waiting area. One of the sales ladies noticed me looking wobbly and brought me some water - they were really lovely and said they'd far rather scan through an empty wrapper than deal with a person flaked out on the floor. I don't really care what other people do, tbh.

The breaking social convention comment upthread made me laugh. It's hardly a massive taboo - well not where i have shopped - I didn't even realise it was frowned upon till this thread. All the shop staff smiling indulgently and the other customers cooing over DS when he munches a sandwich must be secretly seething inside at my horrendous faux pas.

I don't feel it's normal to eat whilst doing your food shop, bubble. There's an appropriate time and place for everything.

Don't see any problems with giving a whining kid a biscuit, or the end of a baguette, but mindlessly snacking as you go round is uncouth, love that word.

I've had lo blood sugar moments and have chomped on a baguette in a queue rather than faint.

I've done it when pregnant and low blood sugar, I really couldn't wait. Also given screaming toddler something for a calmer shopping experience. Meh.

Jesus. According to this thread, my family are disgusting scumbags!

I do sometimes happen to be organised enough to have prepacked food with me, which they get given in preference to shop stuff. Otherwise, I feel there's a clear preference for quiet child munching over howling child not munching.

Just as an aside, the Tesco Euphorium bakery's happy-go-lucky attitude towards free samples in store has totally destroyed the 'Oh no you must NEVER eat in the shop' message.

I think "uncouth" pretty much sums this activity up perfectly. I used to open and drink a bottle of ice tea when I was doing a supermarket shop pretty frequently. And yes it's a bit uncouth, it doesn't meet with the highest standards of decorum, but it's not illegal as long as you pay, it's not offensive unless you're clinically uptight, it's not frowned upon by the supermarket, I was on a very tight timescale and having a slight bloodsugar crash (not diabetic just a bit wobbly). I don't do it anymore because Waitrose now give me a free cup of tea to drink.

It's like eating a sandwich or doing your makeup on the Tube. Not the most ladylike of actions, but if that's the only time you can do it, you don't litter and it harms nobody else then .

YY I hope the people who think its uncouth don't succumb to the free samples at the deli. That would be very hypocritical.

What do those who suffer low blood sugar episodes do when they're not in a supermarket?

I've never done this and I never let my dc do it either. It just seems indicative of today's culture of snacking between meals. Surely it's possible to go a couple of hours without eating? Nobody seems to leave the house these days without a bag full of snacks for their small children, even if they've just had a meal and will be home in plenty of time for the next one.
I do not include medical conditions in this, obviously.
My ds works in a supermarket and hates it when parents hand him the item straight from their toddler's mouth covered in slobber so that he can scan it.

OP, YANBU.

Bubblegirl, don't you think there might be at least a proportion of those who won't wait licking the salt off their fingers then pawing through other goods as well?

I do it with grapes and strawberries for my young children, particularly if there's a long queue (the ones that are prepackaged so don't need weighing). I, however, can wait, lol, and have never felt the urge to pig out at the counter!!

So after pondering overnight why this issue bothers me I have come to the conclusion it is because I am a buzzom hoisting twat on this issue and should get a grip.
My grip has been inserted and from now on I will smile at all snackers and might one day work up to picking at the goodies in my trolley.
I realise no one actually GAF, but given I have spent hours on this, I am posting regardless. Thank you MN and Good Day

Thing is salad, not everyone has the chance to eat before they go to the shops. I go straight from work, so might not have had much to eat all day, and sometimes I just need something, so I have it. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Some people on here are so self satisfied in their perfection! Does it really offend you or do you just like feeling superior?!

Oh, yes, Sparkling.

If the supermarkets are as disgusting and germ(and rat)-ridden as some posters would believe, how come it's ok to have tasting stands?

Or do they refuse to sample anything because it's unhygienic to eat in the supermarket?

I remember timing my supermarket shopping with my three (pre internet days) for Thursdays and Fridays after 11 when there would be about a dozen demonstration stands. I used to feed them all the way round.

It turned the supermarket slog into a fun learning environment.

It's amazing how adventurous fussy children become when faced with free samples.

My son licks the trolley anyway so I think the germs from food are the least of my worries!

I think it's awful.

I've only ever done it once- I was sick and had nipped out to pick up my medication and some bits for a light supper. Got halfway through Tesco and felt really faint, really quickly.

Owlina

Do you think this thread could segue nicely into the disgusting habit of allowing toddlers to sit in the main part of the trolley?

It was far less acceptable 30 years ago, but the current culture of constant snacking has changed this.
The food belongs to the shop until you have paid for it, but most supermarkets don't mind.

If you ever get distracted and forget to pay, you may be charged with shoplifting. This can be really scary in tougher countries like the US, e.g. child put in foster care

Eating say a few grapes, that should have been weighed, is normally ignored in the UK - it is paid for by other customers in higher prices, like all forms of shoplifting.

It is just grim. As is walking along the street eating.

I cannot fathom why an adult (and indeed a child) cannot manage to wait to eat until they've paid for the food (medical issues aside)

If it's a child or someone that's feeling ill(such as diabetic and they're low blood sugar)then I wouldn't take any notice.

I've always thought it was cute to see little ones munching on the end of the french stick as they sit in the trolley...but apparently I am in the minority

I'm failing to feel outraged too heyheyheygoodbye

I remember helping my mum carry the shopping home when I was about 5. She gave me the freshly-baked loaf to hold and I followed her.

When we got home the loaf was completely crushed where I'd held it too tightly and gnawed at the top - it was under my face and was just too hard to resist.

My dad took lumps of dough in his lunchbox instead of cheese sandwiches the next day.

Unless there is some sort of significant medical reason, I think it's really gross looking.

Even opening up food for medical reasons should be very rare, by rights. Diabetic people etc. usually carry things like orange juice and glucose pills with them, in case they have a blood sugar emergency. When I was pregnant I carried rice cakes in my bag in case I had one of those "I must eat something NOW or I will literally throw up" moments.