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?

It's not the same thing, eating in a supermarket may show lack of decorum but it does not directly affect people in the way that dropping litter and putting feet up on chairs on public transport does. A workmate of mine say in dogs shot from someone's shoes on a bus, nice.

Hmmm I don't see the similarity really. Eating a hot chicken wing in the supermarket hurts literally no one, whereas littering is damaging for the environment, wildlife etc so it does cause harm.
I agree with whoever said I'm not justifying the fact that my DP sometimes has a snack before we reach the till, he has no medical disorders etc, it's just that he fancies it when it's warm and fresh and so he eats it and then pays for it.
It's just not a big deal.

It's exactly the same actually... some people will not leave dog-shit on chairs they've put their feet on - some will. All will say that they have the right to do it, regardless of how other people feel about it.

The same with litter. Some of it will lay undiscovered and unseen for years because of where it is. Other litter will be a source of constant frustration, anger and cost a fortune in routine removal because it's prevalent and highly visible.

People think they are entitled to do what they want and have myriad reasons and excuses for it. You'll never change their minds just as certain as you'll never change the minds of those who won't do these things.

Is the key issue about the effect on other members of the public though?and again, at no point did I say that littering,throwing rubbish from windows or putting feet on seats were equally unpleasant - although I do think all of them are indicative selfishness.

What about the effect on the supermarket.....or isn't that important?
It has been stated numerous times by people who have worked in supermarkets, that they would prefer customers not to eat the produce before they pay for it - that it creates difficulties in monitoring shoplifters, makes it difficult to identify those who eat and then dump the packaging rather than paying etc.
Are people saying that they are happy to disregard the fact the supermarket would prefer they didn't eat before paying? Are do they jusify because there isn't a sign specifically saying don't do it? Of course there also aren't signs asking people not to do all kinds of other things, but we manage to realise they wouldn't be appropriate.
I would suggest that people do it, because they don't care that the supermarket would prefer they don't. There is a lack of respect for the supermarket and again a sense of 'I can do what I like'. And at the end of the day, isn't that really the same attitude behind littering, putting feet on seats etc etc - perhaps having a more direct effect on members of the public than eating in supermarkets, but displaying a similar attitude.

I purchased some pick and mix nuts today. The ones where you scoop them from a 'bin' and pay at the check out. I thought of MN as I walked round the supermarket eating them and putting the empty packet on the conveyor belt with the rest of the groceries.

Genuinely interested, ToastedorFresh: are those the nuts that are sold by weight? How do you ensure you pay the right amount at the checkout?

My point is and always was that the affect is not the same, surely you would be more adversely affected by living in a polluted city, sitting in dogs hit or other unseen nasties than you would be seeing someone eat in a supermarket?? Read back and you'll see I understand the point about it being a symptom of decline and don't disagree. On a separate note I can't believe I forgot what a time leach this website can be! I must go and do something productive

I don't recall ever doing so, but just yesterday I HAD to open a box of tissues so I could wipe my DDs nose!!

I wouldn't for myself,but I've been know to half a croissant between DD and DD (1+5)

I doubt that anyone working in tesco would get upset by having to scan a plastic bag without a samosa in rather than a plastic bag with a samosa in.

I don't see how i can reason with anyone that sees throwing litter and putting dog shit on a train seat as equivalent to eating in a supermarket...

I doubt that anyone working in tesco would get upset by having to scan a plastic bag without a samosa in rather than a plastic bag with a samosa in.

Maybe not, but they might be slightly inconvenienced if the open packet spilt crumbs on the conveyor. And the security guards might be slightly inconvenienced by having to check that the customer didn't ditch the empty packet before paying, etc etc.

Yes those points seem petty and not an especially big deal, but if everyone routinely ate produce before paying for it then the staffing and environment would have to change to effectively become a cafe type place rather than a shop, with the associated staffing, health and safety and cleaning costs.

Fine, then that would be a natural change in their business model driven by customer demand. Surely nothing for anyone other than the supermarket to be concerned with?

So basically you're trying to silence people who don't agree with you, McColonel? As you have been throughout. You don't seem able to reason because it would appear that reason very much equals agree with you. There are many people who do and there are many more people on this thread who don't. I don't mind people having different views and not agreeing at all.

What's odd is that it only seems to be those who eat their way around the supermarket who feel the need to change the views of those who don't. Nobody's trying to change your behaviour, you think it's acceptable practice and, as you rightly say, the supermarkets will ultimately decide. You've had clear controvertible evidence from those who work in supermarkets that whilst they tolerate this, they would rather people didn't do it. What's so hard to understand about that? They don't tell people not to do many things that would be unacceptable in society. As already mentioned, there are many supermarkets now that prohibit the wearing of nightwear in their shops... even in a recession, they were fed up enough of the increase in this behaviour to risk upsetting some of their clientele who continued to do as they pleased. Does that make it any clearer?

Yeah that's a good point, how do you expect the staff to target those who aren't going to pay for items? It's all well and good you saying 'well I am going to pay for it!' but everyone would say that wouldn't they.

*uncontrovertible

Lying - surely the fact that people disagree is what makes these threads interesting, and allows a debate? I'm not sure how anything I've said is different to anything other people have said, but from the opposite point of view! We are all arguing our points!

People who work in supermarkets might prefer people not to eat (actually, posters on this thread who work in supermarkets have been on both sides of the argument) - I prefer to eat. Why is their preference more important than mine?

Grays - I always pay for the food. If other people don't, why should that stop me eating mine?

I always eat openly in supermarkets and have never ever once been asked not to. I always get a smile from the person at the checkout as they scan the empty packet.

Someone else eating in a supermarket doesn't do me any harm, but that doesn't stop it being uncouth.

Walking round a supermarket in your dressing gown is uncouth. Picking your nose and eating it is uncouth. Failing to say please and thank-you is uncouth. Can't people understand that you can be minding your own business and still be a bit off?

Surely eating something before paying for it is theft?

It's slovenly ....lazy....entitled and minging....

Oh and uncouth

Pseudonym99 - no, not unless you leave the shop without paying.

Only1scoop - that's very rude.

I find people who trough around the supermarket rude.

Fine, then that would be a natural change in their business model driven by customer demand. Surely nothing for anyone other than the supermarket to be concerned with?

I don't know, turning supermarkets into 'shop while you snack' emporiums would put up costs and make the environment potentially unappealing to shop in. I'd rather not have my shopping trolley handle smeared with the grease of the previous shopper who was eating a fried chicken wing, samosa or packet of crisps whilst using the trolley.

I find people who trough around the supermarket rude.

I give you credit for realising that the issue is your perception of it, rather than wild accusations about people spraying grease and crumbs all around them as they smear chicken wings across their faces.

I don't know, turning supermarkets into 'shop while you snack' emporiums would put up costs and make the environment potentially unappealing to shop in. I'd rather not have my shopping trolley handle smeared with the grease of the previous shopper who was eating a fried chicken wing, samosa or packet of crisps whilst using the trolley.

I'm an adult, and perfectly capable of eating something without getting everything around me covered in grease. My home and office aren't covered in grease.

Its a bit like people who go to the shops in their pyjamas - thinking that you are rebelling and being different but coming across as a bit of a knob

Well Supermarkets sell loo roll after all to entice....

Perhaps factor in a free range dump in that aisle on your shop.

If you can't wait.

Only1scoop - good analogy. Eating in public is on exactly the same level as having a dump on the floor in public.