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

[Frazzled50yrold]

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

I'm sure if there was 'no need' they wouldn't steal

You think all people that steal have a need? Okkayyy then
Maybe sometimes they do, but it's a well known fact that not everyone who steals or grabs handfuls of free stuff is in poverty, or desperate in any way!
Some take the piss just because it's free and they can.
This thread illuminates that there are some out there who think it's fine to be greedy,take it all as after all it's only Tesco, or think nothing of taking three pieces of fruit for their kid to eat on when one would have been ample to eat whilst going round the shop.
Where there's free stuff, there's always grabby freeloaders. Not always due to poverty.

It's not like she's planning to sell it on or anything, maybe she was hungry or she grabbed it to take home for her kids... You shouldn't judge without knowing the facts

They used to be able to get through an entire punnet of strawberries in the time it took us to get to the till

I just don't get why kids have to constantly be stuffing their face. Seriously, why do they have to eat an entire punnet of strawberries round the shop? Are they really that hungry?
Also, if it's a punnet of strawberries - how did you pay for that? Fruit's usually done by weight.

We can judge and discuss something on the information we have, yes.

I have a banana for myself

If someone does that / well let them be as they clearly are not chartering yachts are they ?

You shouldn't judge without knowing the facts

And you shouldn't be so naive as to think everyone who steals is in dire poverty and can't feed themselves without resorting to free handouts of fruit in the shop.
This thread and some of the attitudes on it shows the "it's free so I can take as many as I like as it's only Tesco's" mentality is rife.

Our local Tesco does this but it specifically says on the sign it is for children and only one piece per child.

If someone does that / well let them be as they clearly are not chartering yachts are they

Where do you draw the line with that attitude though? You think it's OK if it's low level theft. Where would your cut off point be in thinking "just let them get on with it" to "that's theft."
Or is all stuff that doesn't belong to you fair game?

Totally agree Hudson.

Actually she's not stealing from Tesco - she is stealing from us. As with any shoplifting the stores pass the cost on to the rest of the shoppers, including those who are struggling to feed their families, but doing so without resorting to stealing.

Wonder if this woman, being defended for stealing so that her children could eat, was only buying food and other essentials? Presumably no alcohol, cigarettes or other luxuries?

Hudson you are very naive. Watch the documentary poor kids then come back and tell me you'd begrudge this lady a bag of bruised, unsaleable, fondled, leftover fruit. Some of you disgust me..... selfish.

If it's for poor kids that haven't had breakfast or lunch then take the fruit! Come to mine and I'll give you what I can! Such horrible people in this world, judgmental and bitter. Let's hope hang of you are never struggling to provide for your kids!

Hudson and you're nasty enough to think that everyone in that situation is basically just a scav, or their kids are grabby? Get real

How many of you against pinch the posh earl grey teabags at a fancy hotel?! I rest my fucking case.

Hudson you are very naive. Watch the documentary poor kids then come back and tell me you'd begrudge this lady a bag of bruised, unsaleable, fondled, leftover fruit. Some of you disgust me..... selfish.

Were there? How the bloody hell do you know she was a poor lady feverishly taking all the unsaleable leftover fruit?
This thread clearly shows that you don't have to be poor to take as many free fruit as you can.

My kids will often have 2 or 3 pieces each while we walk around.

taking something from fucking tesco fgs? It's not like she mugged the bloody dali lama or something. Tesco are not nice people.

My 22month old Dd eats several free oranges while we scoot around doing the shop

I could go on. Do you really presume everyone's in poverty and haven't been eating? I don't, as some of the attitudes on here show that grab as many as you can is a common outlook and not always a poverty issue.

Anyway, you could argue that the selfish attitude isn't the ones wanting everyone to have a chance at a free piece of fruit but the greedy fuckers who take handfuls leaving the chance of none left or hardly any for other children coming in after they've gone.

and you're nasty enough to think that everyone in that situation is basically just a scav, or their kids are grabby? Get real

Eh? Where did I say that?

and you're nasty enough to think that everyone in that situation is basically just a scav, or their kids are grabby? Get real

Kids are never grabby, kids learn their behaviour off the adults around them.

I don't think anyone should be castigated for taking food. There's just something mean about that.

I still regret to this day not being quicker off the mark when I could have stopped that happening.

I was queuing in a shop for some buns and this guy who was obviously a rough sleeper rushed in front of me, shuffled a bit, turned to go and then this other guy appears and grabs him. The "other guy" was in fact a plain clothed police officer and he arrested him for stealing a sandwich. A fucking sandwich. When he was living on the streets. It all happened really quickly but if I'd been a bit more on the ball I could have bought him the sandwich and stopped it. It was really horrible to watch. I only had enough money for the buns but it would have covered the sandwich.

Where there's free stuff, there's always grabby freeloaders. Not always due to poverty. There's your mention of grabby and also "kids stuffing their faces" you don't know the reasons behind it, so you have no right to pass judgement. I'd rather give them the benefit of doubt rather than get over invested about some free fruit.

there's always grabby freeloaders.

Yes, the PARENTS!!! The parents being the grabby freeloaders
That's your take on it that I'm referring to the children in that sentence, I was doing nothing of the sort.
As I said earlier on, kids aren't grabby. They learn their behaviour from the adults around them.

Half an hour before closing Hudson? Pah ha ha okay.....

I have no idea what you're talking about. Have I mentioned half an hour before closing anywhere? Apologies if I have but I don't think I have as I don't know what you're on about.
Yes, I donate to foodbanks. Have done several times.

Hudson10

Because one of my sons has ASD and the other didn't like shopping. Eating some fruit kept them occupied and stopped my son from having a full meltdown because of his ASD. Strawberries are usually sold in a plastic box and they have a price sticker on them...

Bingo! Bring on the ASD for shit behaviour. Dear of fucking dear.

What an unsurprisingly vile attitude which us becoming all too common on here. So much for the #ThisIsMyChild campaign.

Sensory overload is not 'shit behaviour'.

Educate yourself.