To give my toddler a bit of bread?

[ChequeredPasta]

I imagine this has already been done to death, and would get the answer if I could be arsed to scroll...
At Waitrose the other day. Put a french bread stick in the trolley, which my toddler (2) saw, and started reaching for it. Told her no, to wait, but she is an untameable beast became upset. So..... I tore off the end and gave it to her BEFORE paying One of the staff saw, and gave me a stinker of a look.

Now, my Mum used to do this with us. But, my Mum's understanding of social convention is.... interesting.
WIBU?!

[DiegoMadonna]

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar

That does not mean that eating bread then paying for it is morally unacceptable. It just means that eating bread and then not paying for it is morally unacceptable. Which should be obvious anyway and does not need a thread on mumsnet.

[TheMasterNotMargarita]

I never understand why folk get riled by this.
You don't pay for food before you eat it in a restaurant or cafe - would you class that as stealing ? What if your card was declined there, what would you do?
It's totally ok in my book. Not like the woman I saw rip open a bag of babybels, give one to each of her kids and then lob the bag back into the fridge. Now that is not on.

[Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar]

No, it doesn’t, Diego. But the staff member who gave op the hairy eyeball didn’t know she intended to pay for it.
Until she actually did.

[5hell]

Solution = shop at Tesco and give child one of their free for kids bits of fruit (assuming they like fruit)

When shopping else where I to remember to pack snacks, but otherwise just crack open whatever's the least messy foodstuff in the trolley like most other people!

[Orangebird69]

For it to be theft, you have to have not paid for it when you leave the store. If you haven't left the store, it cannot be proved that the intention of the snacker was to not pay. It's that simple.

[DeadGood]

"Just don't let your sprog (or yourself) eat something then hand the empty package to the checkout person to dispose of - take your empties with you! As a student, working checkouts, that one of the most annoying things."

Why? Seriously - you take a package that you would have been required to handle anyway, then you put it in the bin by your feet instead of onto the packing shelf.

[Treysanatomy]

It's not theft unless you leave the shop without paying!

[Ttbb]

Usually this is a big no but when the child is too young to show restrain then I say go for it. No one really cares.

[YorkieDorkie]

What a rod up the arse world we live in. Eat the bloody bread . Maybe check you have your purse first in case thehungrydonkey works on the checkout .

[skankingpiglet]

I always thought you couldn't be done for theft until you'd attempted to leave the premises with the stolen goods? If that's the case the goods are indeed paid for before they leave (in the toddler's tummy).

Meanwhile the lovely manager of our local Waitrose took it to a new level of in-store toddler snacking a few months back when he passed DD1 sobbing her eyes out (she'd had a jab the day before and I'd accidentally knocked it whilst lifting her into the trolley). He let her choose any (small!) item to cheer her up. He suggested a lolly, she went with a 'chicken lolly' (chicken satay)

[LaMereDuChat]

Sorry - I think it's horrible. Not because you haven't paid for it, but because I really, really hate grabbing a trolley, only to find it is covered with sticky bread / 'fruity bear' goo where someone's toddler has smeared their dribbly hands all over the handle.

(Plus there are issues with vermin if crumbs are being dropped all over the place.)

[tomatopuree]

My toddler tiny dictator also eats as we go around. Thankfully always priced items not by weight. Mini sausages, grapes, strawberries...sometimes we just have empty packet left .

[Migraleve]

Has it? Just because some people deem it unacceptable does not mean that it is necessarily unacceptable.

Oh I would agree. However you asked why and the reasons have been covered. Whether right or wrong is irrelevant.

[Sayyouwill]

Why would you go shopping with a hungry baby? Surely it would make more sense to bring a snack with you or buy something to snack on on the way round? My local has a 'quick food' counter by the door with a small self service... is this not common? (Genuine question)

[Autumnskiesarelovely]

It’s fine, really. Lots of people do this with a young kid. Not adults though, we can wait!

[Autumnskiesarelovely]

Oh, and if anyone says it’s bad for crumbs, why do supermarkets have tasters then and they get hoovered every night.

[coldcuptea]

It's not theft unless you leave the store without paying . What an odd thread .

[mumtri]

Just tell someone, then it avoids any doubt, yes people might look stern or double take but that is because there are thousands of stealing, theiving scummers out there - from all walks of life, including those that use their children to conceal / steal


Yes I deal with this every day!

[WorraLiberty]

She gave you a look? I'm not sure I'd even remember that by the time I got home, let alone allow it to bother me OP.

But on the other hand, I was never one for just allowing my toddlers to have something because they became upset if I said no.

They do need to learn to wait for things.

[glitterlips1]

I don't see the problem. If other shoppers did then I would just tell them to mind their own business. They don't know me therefore, their opinion is irrelevant to my life.

[mumtri]

Theft is also leaving the premise with items that you do not have permission to remove and you make not attempt to pay for them

Beyond that...it gets complicated

[MrsDilligaf]

Greyhound you've asked why not bring your own snacks when you know this is going to happen, MrsDilligaf?

I do take snacks and stated as such in my previous post. I said that if my DD won't calm down and I can't distract her then I would let her have whatever... I don't know it's going to happen. She's 19 months old. She doesn't go "Mum, I'm a bit peckish, and slightly bored, I'm not in the mood for pom bears/breadsticks/raisins. can I have a babybel and I'll be behave?" I have a raft of stuff in my bag but occasionally she'll want whatever it is that's caught her eye.

You've then said It’s not the shop staff’s job to keep your child happy I do a bloody good job of doing that myself thanks and I don't expect that of the staff in anyway, shape or form.

I'll repeat...Food shopping is a necessary evil which she has to occasionally tolerate.

[DownstairsMixUp]

Mumsnet has officially lost its shit.

Next time I go Tesco I’m setting up a tartan blanket with candles, the lot, and hope I run into one of these cat bum faces.

Disclaimer, I have worked in a supermarket and regularly was handed packets, I still, did not give two shiny shits what others did!

[greatminds]

People are stuck up their own bottoms a bit on here.

There is nothing wrong with what OP did.

I am diabetic and have had the start of a hypo before in supermarkets and eaten food.

And given my toddler food. It’s hard work sometimes and you do what you can to get through it!

Most people don’t leave purses at home surely.

Shocked by how righteous people are. Honestly.

[Fitzsimmons]

I was in Asda once with a very hungry, screaming DD. Got to the till and explained to the checkout lady why she was upset. She said they don't mind if parents give their kids something to eat to keep them quiet as long as it's paid for at the till.