To think this was petty

[Givemeabreak88]

I was just at my local coop, I used the self service check out and selected one bag as I thought all my items would fit in one, as I put them in it wasn’t going to fit, I had already paid so just grabbed an extra bag as there was no option to pay for the extra bag as I would have to remove all my shopping and had nowhere to put it, yes I know I should have paid but I had just spent £30 in the shop so for the sake of an extra bag I didn’t see the big deal, anyway as I went to walk out the security shouted at me in front of everyone that I had taken two bags and paid for one! I was made to go back and empty out all my shopping. AIBU for thinking this was really petty? Considering how much I had just spent in the shop it all seemed a bit over the top

Several times I went to the shop and left the bags in the car.
I estimate how many I might need and buy them. Yes,sometimes I get it wrong so I prioritise what goes in the bag and what goes loose in the boot.

Last time I ran out of bags and I really needed them so asked the shop assistant for help. I was happy to pay cash for them.I got them for free.

OP, you either pay for a bag or don’t take one but ASK first.

Of course there was an option to pay! You just chose not to use it.

@Mummy2niah

Very petty! Over a 5p bag seems so outrageous to me, how is it even effecting him??

It's literally directly within his job description. If he doesn't do his job properly, he gets sacked. So it clearly does affect him.

It was petty and I sympathise. You misjudged things and needed another bag, then got caught because you grabbed it after paying and couldn't be bothered to scan the bag and pay for it as a separate transaction. Scanning your own shopping when you have quite a lot of stuff can feel a bit like hard work and sometimes I feel like shops should give a discount to people who self scan, as it saves them labour costs.

I once saw a man pick out a doughnut at the bakery section, which he then gave to his small child. She ate it on the way around the shop. They used the self service checkout and I'm pretty sure he didn't pay for it - because he never called the assistant over, and he would have needed someone to override the "place item in bagging area" command if he'd declared it, because the system would be seeking to detect the weight of the doughnut, but it had been eaten. I think that is really taking the piss, and setting a terrible example for his child.

You misjudged things and couldn't be bothered to sort it, but in previous times the assistant would probably have just handed you another bag and let you off the charge, as an act of goodwill. Just chalk it up to experience.

The security guy is a jobs worth. He could have quietly told you to pay the extra 10p. Not make a public fool of you.

The thing is, OP isn't going to do it again now, is she? Whereas if he'd kept it quiet and discreet she might decide she has nothing to lose by doing it again.

Does the Co-op still give the money it receives from selling carrier bags to charity? If so, it's totally irrelevant how much money you'd spent on your shopping, because the Co-op doesn't get the proceeds of sale of the bag anyway. What is relevant is that everyone who steals bags deprives charities of money which is particularly sorely needed in current circumstances.

OP I have no idea why everyone is being so ridiculous and trying to make you feel so ashamed. It’s a 5p bag, it’s hardly crime of the century. I think he overreacted by shouting at you in front of everyone, he could have just spoken to you about it without trying to embarrass you.

There’s Tory supporters in every country, lots of them involved in these businesses. Retailers aren’t required by law to give the money to charity, they’re only “encouraged” to. So the government brought in a charge that makes retailers even more money but they get nothing out of it?

Retailers don't want to charge for bags it puts customers off. That's why the government had to bring in a law. Retailers make more money if shoppers feel able to nip in and buy things without worrying if they have or can also afford a bag, if they don't feel harassed when they don't pick quite the right number before checking out and then avoid paying because it's one more thing that makes shopping unpleasant. The people who want the bag charge are environmentalists not those trying to make money on the high street.

@Defenbaker

It was petty and I sympathise. You misjudged things and needed another bag, then got caught because you grabbed it after paying and couldn't be bothered to scan the bag and pay for it as a separate transaction. Scanning your own shopping when you have quite a lot of stuff can feel a bit like hard work and sometimes I feel like shops should give a discount to people who self scan, as it saves them labour costs.

I once saw a man pick out a doughnut at the bakery section, which he then gave to his small child. She ate it on the way around the shop. They used the self service checkout and I'm pretty sure he didn't pay for it - because he never called the assistant over, and he would have needed someone to override the "place item in bagging area" command if he'd declared it, because the system would be seeking to detect the weight of the doughnut, but it had been eaten. I think that is really taking the piss, and setting a terrible example for his child.

You misjudged things and couldn't be bothered to sort it, but in previous times the assistant would probably have just handed you another bag and let you off the charge, as an act of goodwill. Just chalk it up to experience.

You know, I am normally pretty scrupulous about this stuff, but I find it hard to be with these machines.

I've on numerous occasions got up to the self-check machine and tried to put through a certain type of discounted item, and it won't work. I would have to call over the one attendant who is busy and hold up the line and so in the end, I don't bother. I just pay the full price and have done with it. I once had a similar issue with a paper bag I was (I guess) supposed to scan, but I couldn't for the life of me figure it out. In the end they've made a lot more from their stupid discounting errors than they lost from the bag. It's exactly the same thought process in both cases.

The machines are poorly programmed in many cases, and there isn't enough staff to be there quickly when there is a problem, and for a lot of people it's just against their nature to speak up and ask for help when the whole point is not to use a cashier - they feel like they are being a bother. They stores have them because losses related to those kinds of problems cost them far less than the savings of hiring fewer staff.

But fine I get it, as if no one here has ever took a bag they didn’t pay for

Nope, never done that.

I didnt do it deliberate

Course you did. You were at the till packing. You could have scanned the second bag and paid for it separately or called over an assistant. You're pissed off because you thought you'd get away with stealing a bag and you were caught out.

I don't honestly understand why you didn't just do a second transaction for the price of the bag, once you'd realised that one wasn't enough. So the security guard should have juts allowed you to steal the bag? Theft is theft- sorry, but I don't find degrees of theft an excuse. You were unreasonable and right to be stopped.

But fine I get it, as if no one here has ever took a bag they didn’t pay for

This made me laugh for some reason

I'm sorry you were embarrassed op but I think you just need to take it on the chin, you were in the wrong so no leg to stand on.

@SD1978

I don't honestly understand why you didn't just do a second transaction for the price of the bag, once you'd realised that one wasn't enough. So the security guard should have juts allowed you to steal the bag? Theft is theft- sorry, but I don't find degrees of theft an excuse. You were unreasonable and right to be stopped.

Several people have said this, bit it's been explained - though not by the OP IIRC and people don't seem to find the OP's own explanation clear.

In some stores you can't scan the bag. Instead, after you scan you punch i the number of bags you used and it attaches the cost to your order. You can't buy a bag separately.

This normally wouldn't matter but the OP didn't scan into the bas and misjudged how many she would use. Which is a bit of an odd method, but I have had the experience of needing another bag after picking one up and realising I've over-packed. It's not an unheard of scenario.

In a set up where you punch the number in the only option would be to go without, or call the attendant. Who almost certainly would just give you the flipping bag.

Death by hanging is too good for you it would appear👮‍♀️

You stole the bag, they caught you and told you off. Personally I couldn't give a shit if everyone in the entire country stole a 5p bag from the supermarket, but if they catch doing it then you can't really say much. You don't have a leg to stand on.

A lot of you are being way over the top with OP! Yes, it's wrong BUT I completely get what she is saying and am surprised at how many cannot read her post properly and understand.

To all of you that are saying 'easy, just put all the shopping in one bag and place on floor to do another transaction' - well the OP has said, the goods didn't fit in one bag! And some shop tills wont reset until all the shopping is removed from the bagging area.

And the pack as you go comments, seriously, not every self check out is compliant with that method. Numerous times I've tried and had to constantly call the staff over to help as the bagging area doesn't recognise it. For that reason, I am also a scan first pack after kind of person.

The story doesn’t make sense, you pack as you scan, if you realise you need a second bag you take a second bag scan it and then continue to scan your shopping.

You cannot steal bags because you have spent £30. The 10p is not the point anyway, the charge is really to discourage people from using plastic bags anyway.

@Goosefoot

In some stores you can’t scan the bag. Instead after you scan you punch in the number of bags you used.

Well OP should have done that then! Not punched I one less because she spent £30. I have never, ever seen a self service check where you do not pack as you go, so she knew how many bags she had. And even if for some utterly bizarre reason she had not packed as she went she should be able to use her eyes and judgement.

Good one, OP! I’ll try that with next month’s electricity bill. I’ll knock a bit off when I pay. Considering I pay so much every month I don’t see what the big deal is if I round my next payment down.

It’s theft.

@BLASTPROCESSING

"Oh fuck off with all this indignant theft chat. You people are probably the ones phoning the police on your neighbours for having an extra person in their house just now as well.

The stupid bag charge is ridiculous in the first place. Supposed to be a way to reduce plastic waste and make money for charity, has it actually happened for real? I know I’ve still got as many as before and anything I’ve read said retailers were “supposed” to donate to charity but it isn’t law. I believe it’s just another way of the government making money out of us. While they and their rich pals ACTUALLY steal from us we’re busy pointing the finger at each other for a bloody plastic bag angry

The bags have went from 5/10 pence to 20 or 30 pence in some shops. Daylight robbery. The security guy is a knob, I bet he doesn’t pay for all his bags all the time either"

Hi OP

Ireland introduced a charge on plastic bags before the UK in 2002. It led to a 90% reduction in their use, massively reduced roadside litter and plastic bags in landfill, and generated nearly 200 million euro for environmental projects (before plastic bag use got so low it pretty much stopped making money, which was the point, not raising funds.) It’s integrated with VAT returns so retailers can’t not pass on the revenue.

The whole point of the charge is to make you use reusable bags, not think it’s a bargain.

Oh god are you one of those awful people who scan everything, don't o op sci as you go along and then take extra time to pack? No wonder you had a queue behind you!

Lesson learnt, lack as you go along, you'll know how many bags you'll need and you'll stop irritating the people in the queue behind you!

[quote BLASTPROCESSING]"@BLASTPROCESSING I believe it’s just another way of the government making money out of us.

Do explain to us how the government make money from the plastic bag charge. I’m fascinated."

Don't know why you're asking me, I didn't say it.[/quote]
It's a direct quote from your 22:37:10 post.

@NotOfThisWorld

i have never known such a bunch of sanctimonious, pious, smug arseholes as there are on this thread. FFS!

Exactly this.

My thinking too..

It's a direct quote from your 22:37:10 post.

They were quoting from another poster just shortly before.

I get that it's such a small amount and you just did it for convenience rather than because you wanted to avoid paying 5p. I think the security guard could have handled it better. In most cases, they don't shout in front of everyone. I've been in the situation of needing another bag. It's usually no big deal to scan another bag and use it. I'm not sure why you're saying you needed to remove all the items to add the bag.