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).

No, but her weight is irrelevant to that.

For arguments sake the apples are to display in a fruit bowl for when her skinny sister who she loathes comes to visit

It particularly annoys me when the offender is overweight

And here I was just about to start doing some work.......

I am guilty of having a snack and/or drink in the shops. What would you rather have OP, someone who passes out in the aisle, or that they take something from the shelf to keep them going until they get to the tills... good job the shop assistant was way more sympathetic than you.

Exactly - most people are not about to pass out if they don't immediately shove food in their gob, FGS.

And yes, it is 'shoving', and yes, it is a 'gob'.

most people are not about to pass out if they don't immediately shove food in their gob, FGS

Most yes, but in some cases they will. And I am one of them, but I do eat politely I should add and usually carry something in my bag to grab quick. So although, I agree, a full pack of pork pies is probably unnecessary, there are times when it is acceptable/necessary.

That said, maybe its a UK thing, as I rarely see adults grabbing food from shelves and shoving it in their gob in the shops. Children nibbling on something whilst sitting in the trolley, yes, see that often, hardly the crime of the century when it's being paid for in the end.

I love this thread, MN at it's best and/or worst.

Just to put people's minds at rest, just in case they feed their kids on the way round the supermarket and are now worried about the terrible damage they may being doing them, I used to do this when my DC were little. They are now 9 and 10 and no longer ask for food in the supermarket, neither are they obese, and I'm pretty sure that they're not entitled either - but that one's a hard one to judge.

Why is it less nice if she is overweight?

Personally I prefer a shovelling motion when it comes to public eating.

Of course if we subscribed to the nosebag idea I suggested earlier then none of you virtuous ascetic types would need to see me filling my craw with buns and shite whilst I cruise the aisles of Waitrose.

I looked out for the free fruit today in Tesco. No sign of it. I suspect my area isn't middle class enough

In the rougher areas I think they just have a trough filled with pot noodle and the hoi polloi stick their faces in and suck.

Ah thanks hazey. Will look out for that next time. Obviously I can't see properly over the top of my half eaten pork pie

Trough of pot noodle

hazeyjane. Poppy will not be amused. What a shame.

I on the other hand think that's hilarious.

Is it just me who is tempted to start eating in supermarkets now, after seeing how annoyed some people get about it?

If you see me, you'll know it's me. I'll be munching chicken legs, the bones of which I'll toss over my shoulder.

BadLad no it's not just you. But I plan to mess with people's heads by ambling round Morrisons shovelling smoked salmon and tarte au citron with lavender cream into my gob and see if anyone spontaneously combusts.

I've explained (as someone carrying an extra couple of stones)it causes more offence as it just screams fat-lazy-can't-possibly-wait-til-you-get-home! This is one of the reasons I'd never do it. Of course it isn't really acceptable any way but thin people at least have the possible justification that they thought they were going to faint/low blood sugar levels etc.

shrunken anyone can have low blood sugar. Whatever our size, people are allowed to eat.

Walking and eating makes you skinnier. Trufact.

When I worked at the checkouts (Sainsburys, in case it's relevant!) a customer came to pay for his shopping while munching on a sausage roll from the bakery.

As I'd scanned his last item, he thrust the half-eaten roll at me to scan, spraying bits of pastry everywhere and with me unsure how to unfold the wrapping to access the barcode without touching the chewed end of it!

Other than him though, I generally didn't have a problem with people handing me wrappers to scan. It's hard to know if everyone 'declares' their during-shopping-snacks though, so I can see why some places wouldn't like it.

Walking and not eating makes you skinniest #truth

Mummyoflittledragon I'm sure they are. And I know I have issues with my size/weight etc. always feel/know people are judging me. Eating a sausage roll/pork pie/anything lardy in public is always going to be frowned upon. And then eating it BEFORE paying for said lardy item just highlights a person's lack of self control.

I have not read all the thread. But wonder if there is anyone who works in a super market and what do they think. I have let my kids eat food before paying do anything to hush them in he super market. I lost baby bottle once I took one of shelf opened it and put water in it and gave it you him before paying.

Some supermarket workers have posted on this thread ghost, and they do care/judge, especially if they have to handle grotty wrappers.

However, they are paid to be polite to customers, so chances are you'll remain in blissful ignorance as to their actual thoughts.