Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that the free fruit offer in tesco shouldn't be abused

215 replies

Frazzled50yrold · 27/07/2017 00:11

Was shopping in tesco about half hour before closing last Sunday. I noticed a 30 something yr old female filling a plastic bag with the oranges/apples/bananas which are provided free for children. Initially I wondered how she would pay for them as they were all mixed together then realised she wasn't going to as she went up to her husband at the self service till and walked out with him. I'd estimate she had at least 20 pieces of fruit, it made me so cross

OP posts:
Gunpowder · 27/07/2017 04:36

Grin Only on MN could your parenting be villified for letting your child eat some strawberries and a cucumber.

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/07/2017 04:38

Only on MN could your parenting be villified for letting your child eat some strawberries and a cucumber. Ironically it's considered performance parenting where I am. Damned from both sides. Grin

Gunpowder · 27/07/2017 05:09

You can't win. There is another thread I'm on where people are in trouble for letting their DC drink water!

kateandme · 27/07/2017 05:38

ok was it a bit cheeky.but how do we know his isn't a great step up in healthy eating on her part.and who is she giving it to.
people on here all to quick to judge people on face value appearances or actions.when we no nothing of them or their story or why they are doing what they are.
I always thought this is the opposite of what a forum like this is mean to be.
shouldn't we be coming if we are senstivie or vunerable to not be judged and just helped by woman and men there to be kind.
shouldn't we be open to discussing without turning cruel.
sometimes on here comments on here only go to people who say this forum is a bunch of bitchy woman bitching bout people.
ok have a little what the f88 if something is a bit left field.but then it always seems to go further passed into crueltly judging and down righ tnasty.

Pikachuwithyourmouthclosed · 27/07/2017 05:45

Any other old gimmers remember back when all this were fields and childten eating supermarket grapes was a thing on mumsnet?

rightwhine · 27/07/2017 05:58

This type of abuse of a service is what ruins it for everyone else, when said service is subsequently withdrawn.

It doesnt personally affect me but I can still see that is cheeky.

PeachPearPotato · 27/07/2017 06:04

pika yes [clutches zimmer]

softlyspokensophie · 27/07/2017 06:07

Amazing how many people abuse the system in Tesco.
I work there and watch people take the piss regularly!
They'll take it away.
Probably depriving children who need it the most!

DrablittleCrab · 27/07/2017 06:15

Our stores sign says the free fruit is specifically for children to eat while you shop so it shouldn't be taken away by anyone.

HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 27/07/2017 06:19

Ffs, really? Stop judging. You have no idea what she needed the fruit for. Get worked up over sonething that really matters instead.
(Food bank woman might have asked the staff first, you just don't know)
pika I remember too when mn was just fields. Fields filled with poorly paid workers picking fruit destined for Tesco et al.

londonrach · 27/07/2017 06:27

Thats strange. My daughter enjoys a banana as we go around. Wouldnt have thought of taking it out of store as if they run out they take the fruit from the ones for sell. Taking it out of store without eating is stealing!

Wonders71 · 27/07/2017 06:33

Next time I'm in Tesco i will tell my child to grab about 6 apples and to put them in the trolley so they can eat them later would that be ok? No it bloody would not be ok it's taking the piss!

Original poster
Frazzled50yrold · 27/07/2017 06:33

Why make an assumption that I could afford a bag of fruit. This was a lady packing a plastic bag full to the brim with fruit which is meant to help parents who are shopping with young children and who knows it may be the only fruit they get that day. . In actual fact I was shopping there with a pretty hefty overdraft myself. The fruit was perfect and was not going to be thrown out that day.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 27/07/2017 06:34

This type of abuse of a service is what ruins it for everyone else, when said service is subsequently withdrawn

Exactly. Look at all the fuss over free coffee in Waitrose. Fruit woman probably goes there after Tesco to buy a single banana so she can get a free latte.

blubberball · 27/07/2017 06:48

They will end up taking away the free fruit due to piss takers, which is a shame. My dc usually take one piece each when we go to tesco, sometimes they don't want any. The sign at ours says that it's for children to take one piece each.

Groupie123 · 27/07/2017 06:52

I actually think having the free fruit there in the first place is a piss take. Kids who can't handle a shopping trip without scoffing something need to be parented better.

choochooo · 27/07/2017 06:53

My son loves to have the free fruit when we shop at Tesco but he's allowed one piece only, as I always thought taking more was taking the piss.

I get angry seeing the number of trollies left for the next person with orange peel, banana peel or apple core in them. It's disgusting and is such a shoddy thing to do when getting it for free. I wouldn't be surprised if they take it away as people do take the piss.

CircleofWillis · 27/07/2017 06:54

They do run out. I've had to do an evening food shop with my daughter many times and the kiddy fruit tray is almost always empty. Sometimes a staff member will find a stray apple or banana but just as often we are told they don't have any more for the day. No idea why the woman took the fruit so won't judge but I do have bitter thoughts towards the parents of the theoretical kids who came before us and took handfuls just because they were bored. My daughter has ASD and will eat an entire piece of fruit in the trolley while it will probably take her days to get through an apple at home.

Also I don't get the vitriol towards these large companies. No need to mug them off when they are doing something kind helpful and useful (of course it benefits them too). If you don't like them don't shop there.

choochooo · 27/07/2017 06:55

I do actually agree that children should be able to get through a shopping trip without having to eat. I never ate in a shop when I was a kid. We only take a piece because it's there and he enjoys it. If it wasn't there he'd be given some before or after the trip.

Esspee · 27/07/2017 06:56

OP you are 100% correct to find a customer stealing fruit (regardless of whether it was free or not) completely unreasonable. Stealing is stealing and I am shocked at how many on this thread think this is OK. What sort of example is this setting for children? Isn't parenting about teaching right from wrong a lot of the time?
If people abuse the free fruit offer it will no doubt be removed and all the children who take one piece will miss out. Hope to see the CFs who help themselves challenged by security and charged for stealing in the future. Think I'll suggest it to my local store manager.

choochooo · 27/07/2017 06:58

I was really Blush at my mum once who asked could my son have one of the red apples on sale instead of the little green ones in the free fruit bit. So embarrassing. She did it before I knew what she was going to do. He'd have eaten the green one no bother.

I insisted on paying for it but the guy was lovely and said he could have it for free. I was so cross at my mum though - I felt it was cheeky.

Sparklingbrook · 27/07/2017 07:05

People get very odd around free stuff.

RockyTop · 27/07/2017 07:11

Exactly. Look at all the fuss over free coffee in Waitrose. Fruit woman probably goes there after Tesco to buy a single banana so she can get a free latte.

And then return the banana after drinking the coffee (yes, happens regularly...).

ConfusedDotty · 27/07/2017 07:12

Children should not be eating in a supermarket. It's just wrong, mushed up banana and sticky apple fingers where food is being sold is not hygienic. Feed them before you go, this snacking (shutting children up) is getting beyond ridiculous.

TeaCake5 · 27/07/2017 07:19

Letting your child eat food you are purchasing when going around the shop is awful.