People eating food they haven't paid for....

[maddiemookins16mum]

....It just really bugs me. To the point of utter revulsion.
In a supermarket, grown adults opening a pack of 4 pork pies and happily munching their way around the shop, only to toss the empty pack to be scanned as their shopping goes through. Why do people do that, have you ever, and why??? (DD had to wait until the car for her gingerbreadman biscuit from Waitrose).

[WorraLiberty]

What the actual fuck does the sex of the gingerbread have to do with anything?????????????????????????????????

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

I've never eaten things on the way round a supermarket before paying for it. But if I saw someone else having empty packaging scanned it wouldn't bother me at all. It's none of my business.

[pieceofpurplesky]

I know an eater who does not pay. Have caught him a couple of times. And he is bloody loaded.

As for feeding a kid who is hungry the OP clearly has never had a toddler with a meltdown in a supermarket!

[hopetobehappy]

I've opened a can of pop and drank it when I've had a hangover.

[squoosh]

Waitrose is the only supermarket where I've ever seen someone leg it from the self service tills without paying. And he'd bought a bottle of single malt amongst other things!

You don't get that kind of felonious behaviour in Morrison's.

[MerchantofVenice]

Cheby it's banned in most places.

Is it? Someone should tell people then.

Personally, I don't do it, and my children are old enough now that they can wait. But I seriously think the OP is being OTT here. She specifically mentions how they put the empty packet on the checkout, so she's clearly not referring to theft.

[PacificDogwod]

Well, it's the kind of behaviour I would expect in Aldi's or Lidl's, but Waitrose?? That's shocking, darling!

maddie, have a chill pill.
Nobody died.
No crime has been committed.

Don't do it if you don't like it, but otherwise? I'm not sure why it winds you up quite as much.

[GingerbreadLatteToGo]

No wonder child obesity is so common now

Oh my god. Apparently there are more calories in food consumed inside a supermarket than outside of it. Wow. Who knew hey!

[squoosh]

But I'm with you OP, I don't like seeing people scoffing food before they've paid for it. It doesn't effect me but I have a talent for having strong opinions on lots of things that don't effect me. Supermarket Scoffers bring my inner Hyacinth Bucket to the fore.

[PacificDogwod]

Worra

Finger on the crux of the thread, as per usual

[frikadela01]

Vashta supermarket security guards are more bothered about shoplifters taking the high value items, alcohol, coffee, razors, meat and obviously the homewares/clothes in the bigger ones. Someone eating a bit of a baguette or having some water are low on the list of priorities.

[angelikacpickles]

My toddler can survive perfectly well without eating in supermarkets.

But letting him eat makes for a much more pleasant experience for me, him and everyone else. I really couldn't care less what anyone else thinks.

I don't get the argument about realising you've forgotten your wallet, or tour card being declined, or whatever. The whole "eat now, pay later" system works fine in restaurants, I don't see why this is much different?

[brasty]

I agree with you op. Seems very uncouth

[neveradullmoment99]

Its not the best thing to do but...
if you have a wailing toddler, i don't see a big problem as long as you have intended to pay. My children are all older and have done it when they were little. I wouldn't do if for myself though.

[gamerchick]

Well people are entitled fuckers who think they need to eat or feed their kids constantly. Tis why we see loads of overweight and fat kids about now because parents can't say no when it comes to snacking.

Mind it's little old ladies that are the worst for it i've found.

[dillyduck]

What about the people who walk around Waitrose with their free coffee. Why cant an adult spend 30 minutes in a supermarket without needing coffee.

[Itsallgoodimtold]

Shoplifting occurs once you exit the store without paying. I think the acceptance to eat what you are clearly going to pay for is very civilised. The presumption that you may not pay is an insult....

[Stellabystarlight]

Well disgusting is probably overstating things, but I do think it's unnecessary and it simply wouldn't cross my mind to ever do this, not teach my DC that is it ok to do so.

I don't think it is the same as paying after consumption in a cafe at all for those who are making that comparison. You aren't just sat in one place and easy to spot/give a bill.

If you or your children are so unwell/lacking in nourishment that you can't make it round a supermarket without sustenance then perhaps you need to plan ahead and bring essential snacks.

[RainbowDashian]

It's not something I would do and my children seem to be able to manage without food for the duration of a supermarket shop but doesn't particularly bother me if other people scoff a bit of food before they've paid. They may have good reasons for doing so. I doubt I'd even notice as it's certainly not something I see very often.

[Eatthecake]

😂 the oh I don't agree with it posts- Awesome!

Do untwist your knickers and calm down

Ds normally gets a gingerbread but maybe next week I'll give him a 4 pack of sausauge rolls before I pay, and see if somebody was watching and so bored they have to start a mumsnet thread over it. They will of course be in waitrose I mean just imagine the outrage.

[maddiemookins16mum]

But why though.... a supermarket shop doesn't take that long, really, do we really need to feed or give our kids liquids or a bun during an average 30 or so minute shop??? They aren't going to fade away in that time??

[PacificDogwod]

People, maddie has lit the fuse and is now off.

Everybody calm yerselves

[PacificDogwod]

Ha!
Brilliant x-post.
I stand corrected.

[thecolonelbumminganugget]

ada it's really nothing to me, basically it's something I wouldn't do myself so I hoik up my internal judgy pants when I see other people do it, but mostly I just get on with my day and don't give it too much thought. Different things trigger the judgy pants for different people. My opinion really doesn't matter, I find that immensely comforting