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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To open the carrots?

37 replies

YouAreTheWeakestLinkGoodbye1 · 21/11/2015 13:37

So, I'm in the supermarket and they've run out of loose carrots. AIBU to open a bag of pre packaged carrots and take a few out to buy separately?

DH thinks I am but my DM says she does all the time.

DM once got to the till with a single parsnip taken from a bag only to be be told they don't sell them loose. The checkout guy was really confused! AIBU?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 21/11/2015 13:38

Just ask a member of staff.

They might have some more out back anyway.

saraht84 · 21/11/2015 13:41

Doesn't sit well with me. If they'd run out of single bags of crisps would you open a multipack and take one? You're creating shrinkage because they won't be able to sell the carrots afterwards.

BrokenPots · 21/11/2015 13:48

Is this technically some sort of theft? As the price of the carrot (i.e per kilo or something) in the bags will be different to the loose ones. Just curious if a shop could prosecute for doing this? (not saying would!). Any legal types in?

WorraLiberty · 21/11/2015 14:02

I have to say this thread is so very 2015 Grin

I mean when your first thought is to stand in the supermarket, log on to the internet and ask some strangers.

Instead of finding a member of staff Grin

wowfudge · 21/11/2015 14:08

Well, the individual carrots won't have 'not to be sold separately' stamped in them, will they?

Worra - that made me snort with laughter!

Gottagetmoving · 21/11/2015 14:17

I opened a pre packed bag in add a to get 4 carrots. It was the third time I had gone in where the loose carrot tray was empty. I did look for a staff member first but there was no one about. I shouldn't think they would be bothered so long as they sell the stuff.

Outfoxed · 21/11/2015 14:19

The ripped open bag and its left over carrots will have to be thrown away now...people complain about supermarkets throwing good food out, and it's because of things like this...

TinklyLittleLaugh · 21/11/2015 14:31

But if the OP leaves the excess carrots in the loose carrots tray then someone else looking for just a couple of carrots will buy them.

RJnomore1 · 21/11/2015 14:32

Why can't you putvthexrrst of the carrots in the loose carrot box so other people can pick them? Confused

rubymallorywhite · 21/11/2015 14:36

Go wild & if it's all that's available just buy the bag of carrots??

In this day & age you think it's okay to burst open a bag & spoil the rest of them?

Oysterbabe · 21/11/2015 14:36

Yes yabu. Just buy a pack of carrots.

antimatter · 21/11/2015 14:37

I can imagine shop giving you warning for non payment of the bag you've just left opened and expecting you to pay for it.

Crankycunt · 21/11/2015 14:48

On it's own a bag of carrots isn't a problem, it's the multiple bags of food that gets open and disregarded, someone needs to change stock levels and who gets to pay for that? The consumer.

HackerFucker22 · 21/11/2015 14:48

Carrots are so cheap..just buy a pack!! If you don't want them all palm them off on someone else your mum? or else make a carrot cake / do something with the ones you don't "need"

MoriartyIsMyAngel · 21/11/2015 15:57

Why would they throw the others away? Surely they'd just put them in the loose carrot bin?

Eminybob · 21/11/2015 16:02

I would have asked someone.

Not quite the same thing but when I have wanted a 4 pint bottle of milk and there were only 2 pinters left I asked and got two 2 pinters for the price of one 4 pinter (50p difference!).

So my point is, it's not your fault they have run out, they should accommodate you. I don't think I'd just do it though without asking first.

Outfoxed · 21/11/2015 16:28

Moriarty- because as far as the shops stock goes, they're different things. If they have 5 bags of carrots, and no loose carrots but then sell loose carrots, the system will say they've sold carrots that don't exist. And then the system will continue to say they have 5 bags of carrots when they actually have 4, which will throw the ordering out. It might not seem like a big deal but it all adds up and some poor bastard will get pulled up to their manager and have to explain why their stock estimates are all wrong. Can you tell I used to work in a supermarket? People destroying the stock might not seem like a big deal but it causes problems for the staff.

BarbaraofSeville · 21/11/2015 16:38

I can't see how it'll make any difference if you put the leftover carrots in the loose carrots tray - I bet someone else will buy them within the hour.

With shoplifting, damages etc, supermarket stock measuring won't be accurate enough to reliably account for every single bag of carrots.

But thank you OP, I'd have never thought of doing that, but I will in the future especially if it is bastard Asda. I went in for five things the other day and they didn't have three of them.

Oysterbabe · 21/11/2015 16:44

Loose carrots are generally cheaper per kg than packaged, which tend to be a more uniform size, they're a different product so it is sort of stealing. Would you open a pack or organic carrots and buy them as loose carrots?
It's wrong whatever, like a pp said, you wouldn't do it with other products. Supermarkets run out of stuff and it's tough shit. They have no obligation to have stock of everything you want.

elephantoverthehill · 21/11/2015 16:53

Go to the greengrocers instead Smile

MoriartyIsMyAngel · 21/11/2015 16:59

Oh, I see Outfoxed. You need to have a word with your mum then OP!

Naoko · 21/11/2015 17:00

Don't be ridiculous. Carrots were 57p a kg in Aldi yesterday when I bought a bag. They keep forever. Just buy a bag, don't cause the supermarket any waste (because they will have to throw the rest of the bag away), and put what you don't use in the fridge. They last weeks. Surely you'll find another use for carrots in the next three weeks?

ElderlyKoreanLady · 21/11/2015 17:03

Nothing to do with theft really, but Outfoxed gives a good run down of why you shouldn't do it. You'd cause a retail worker quite a bit of work to correct it for a saving to you of what must be about 20p.

Just buy the bag. If you really can't think of anything to do with the excess, chuck them on the compost heap. Or feed them to the dog. Dogs love carrots.

Enkopkaffetak · 21/11/2015 17:32

Explained well above thread I will also add if you do this and others follow suit then you make the system think there is lots of the bags of carrots so it doesn't order more in and then when aunt Betty comes to buy her bag of carrots she can't get any because the system thinks we have loads. Later when the bags are marked as out of stock the system makes you go to double check and count what is there. - Aka none as people have opened them. The system also sends you to count the loose carrots as your selling stock they shouldn't have.

When the opened bags are found you then create more work for staff who have to mark this as wastage and if the wastage is high well they make a TV programme about how poorly this is managed by the supermarkets....

So really for your few carrots you create up to half hour of work for one person.

carbsfoundme · 21/11/2015 17:42

Just don't do what my DM did in Tesco. She tried to open a bag of carrots with her Swiss Army Knife (yes, I know...) and ended up slicing the top of her finger off.

Poor Tesco staff had to deal with the carnage including trying unsuccessfully to get hold of my dad to come and pick her up (his mobile was switched off) and also DM refusing the offer of an ambulance or a lift to A&E. Sometimes I can't believe I'm related to that woman Grin