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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I’ve stolen someone’s shopping. Do I own up?!

251 replies

RachyRoo1 · 26/09/2021 22:25

I’ve name changed for this. I feel absolutely awful….

My shopping was delivered tonight.
As I was putting the bags in the house, the delivery driver told me that my “meat” bag was on the top of the tray of bags.

I wasn’t really paying much attention to what was in the bag, but I do remember thinking that it was heavy that I didn’t remember ordering that much meat…. I then briefly thought DH must’ve added it on.
I did think to myself, I wonder if this is even ours, but brushed it off as me just over thinking.

Once the driver had gone and I was unpacking the bags, I was checking off my items against the delivery sheet and realised the items infact weren’t on the list.

I checked with DH and he hadn’t ordered them, so we have been given a bag of meats by mistake.

We have….
2 x pack of chicken breasts
1 x pack of diced chicken
2 x pack of sirloin steak
2 x pack 20% fat beef mince
1 x pack 5% fat beef mince
1 x pack pork meat balls

I feel really awful about it now. I should’ve spoken up at the time.
I was rushing and just trying to get my bags in the house as quickly as I could.
DH has often added things to our shop last minute and I did just think he’d most likely done the same this week.

So what do I do now. Do I contact the supermarket and take the items back?
What if these items belong to someone old / vulnerable and they were reliant on them…

I’ve stolen someone’s shopping and I feel shit about it now.

OP posts:
VeryLongBeeeeep · 27/09/2021 12:34

@DebbieHarrysCheekbones

Did I imagine a thread about missing meat on here this morning??
You didn't, but it's been deleted as a TAAT...presumably someone starting a joke thread off the back of this one.
snanagram · 27/09/2021 12:35

I saw someone had mentioned police. Surely I can’t get into trouble for this. I hope not anyway!!

Have you actually read any of the replies that people have spent time posting?

Original poster
RachyRoo1 · 27/09/2021 12:53

@Handsoffstrikesagain

Stop being ridiculous OP why on earth would the police care?!
@Handsoffstrikesagain

I’m not saying they would, but a PP has said in this situation they had been advised to report their missing items to the police!!!!

OP posts:
BurntO · 27/09/2021 12:57

It happens all the time OP. Just call them, they’ll tell you to keep it and will give the other customer a refund.

Rachie1973 · 27/09/2021 12:57

@RachyRoo1

Okay so I spoke to them this morning, customer services asked me if I could return the items to a local store.

She put me on hold whilst she checked my local store, and then came back to me saying she had discussed with her supervisor and they had forced that actually the local store won’t accept them and I should just keep the items…!! 🤦🏻‍♀️

So I guess we just keep them! I saw someone had mentioned police. Surely I can’t get into trouble for this. I hope not anyway!!

Do you catastrophise everything unusual in life this much?
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 27/09/2021 12:58

@RachyRoo1

Okay so I spoke to them this morning, customer services asked me if I could return the items to a local store.

She put me on hold whilst she checked my local store, and then came back to me saying she had discussed with her supervisor and they had forced that actually the local store won’t accept them and I should just keep the items…!! 🤦🏻‍♀️

So I guess we just keep them! I saw someone had mentioned police. Surely I can’t get into trouble for this. I hope not anyway!!

I don’t think there is any way you could get in trouble for this, @RachyRoo1. It was an honest mistake to begin with, and you have contacted the store as soon as you could. The store won’t take back chilled products because they can’t re-sell them - they can’t guarantee that they have been kept chilled at the right temperature.

We have occasionally had similar mistakes happen with our delivery - and when it was perishables, we were told to keep them. Sadly, when they delivered two bottles of very nice looking wine by mistake, they did come back for them. Sad

forthelaughs · 27/09/2021 13:02

Please get a grip lol, you're acting very melodramatic over such a minor thing

Willow19C · 27/09/2021 13:04

@RachyRoo1 you need to get out more OP!

girlmom21 · 27/09/2021 13:11

@RachyRoo1

Okay so I spoke to them this morning, customer services asked me if I could return the items to a local store.

She put me on hold whilst she checked my local store, and then came back to me saying she had discussed with her supervisor and they had forced that actually the local store won’t accept them and I should just keep the items…!! 🤦🏻‍♀️

So I guess we just keep them! I saw someone had mentioned police. Surely I can’t get into trouble for this. I hope not anyway!!

People are just winding you up because you're being so dramatic.
Hobnobswantshernameback · 27/09/2021 13:14

Blimey storm meet teacup

Bluntness100 · 27/09/2021 13:17

I had this with Ocado, they came back and took it all back. The driver was furious as he knew they wouldn’t give it to the right customer so would be binned and it took him well out of his route.

In that instance they were also missing a load of my stuff but the driver didn’t know where it was and no customer had admitted it, so he then had to come back a third time the next morning with the stuff they had been missing.

It was all a bit batshit to be honest.

queenmeadhbh · 27/09/2021 13:53

OP like everyone else here I am baffled as to why you are stressed/guilty. It was an error, probably the meat bag moved in the van and fell into one of your crates. You have no obligation at all to check the delivery before accepting.
When we order with Asda for some reason there is ALWAYS one thing we haven’t ordered. I used to ring them up to tell them but they always just said, keep it, our mistake.
It’s like if somethings missing you can ring them and get refunded no questions asked. That’s what the person who ordered the meat will have done so they won’t be out of pocket.

The bit that stood out to me is that you were worried the supermarket customer service agent would “tell you off”. Never mind the fact that they won’t, I find it surprising that an adult would be stressed about the possibility of a telling off from a supermarket! They have no authority over you and you are their customer. They need your money. They can’t punish you in any way.

Keep the meat, ring the supermarket to tell them, and then forgot about this.

DebbieHarrysCheekbones · 27/09/2021 13:54

@snanagram.

“It's probably in the same place where you left your sense of humour.”

Please explain since all I asked if there was a thread about missing meat which I thought of when I read this?

Assuming you posted on the wrong thread unless you’re referring to other discussions I’ve participated in other than this one which isn’t really in the spirit of these boards.

lottiegarbanzo · 27/09/2021 13:57

The 'lost meat' was a joke thread. A TAAT in response to this one.

kakeya97 · 27/09/2021 13:58

They likely wouldn't take it back now anyway so just as well keep it but if in doubt call the shop. The person who it belongs to has likely contacted them and it's been replaced anyway. It's not stealing, it's their fault and not yours. They probably couldn't care less where the original meat was!

I wouldn't check a bag of meat before brining it in either and I don't think they would expect you too either. I've had stuff recently delivered and on unpacking have realised it's out of date. I wouldn't have looked until after driver has gone so I just contacted and got refunded. Different to this I know.

DebbieHarrysCheekbones · 27/09/2021 14:00

@lottiegarbanzo

The 'lost meat' was a joke thread. A TAAT in response to this one.
I had thought I’d imagine it but assumed when it disappeared it was something along those lines
Chumleymouse · 27/09/2021 14:03

We had an extra tray of stuff the other week , I noticed it had dog food stuff in when I brought it in ( no dogs ). So I gave the driver the tray back , but not before we had accidentally removed 3 boxes of l’oreal Anti wrinkle cream and a bag of jam donuts 😉

When opportunity knocks, you open the door. ✊🏻

Lockdownbear · 27/09/2021 14:07

Police won't care but at least you know the driver isn't in trouble for theft.

That's my worry that he gets accused of stealing and potentially losing his job. I wouldn't be able to face the guy if he delivered to me again knowing he'd maybe had to pay it out his own wages.

Talkwhilstyouwalk · 27/09/2021 15:02

Tell them what happened but I doubt they would want it back. Too much hassle and they won't be able to resell it if they don't know how cold it was kept etc. It's an honest mistake.

BoredZelda · 27/09/2021 17:14

So I guess we just keep them! I saw someone had mentioned police. Surely I can’t get into trouble for this. I hope not anyway!!

Even if the police were in any way interested in mistaken grocery deliveries, surely if they came to the door you’d just say, we received them in error but the company told us to keep them. What do you think they would charge you with? Keeping what is essentially a gift isn’t a criminal offence. 🙄

LouiseBelchersBunnyEars · 27/09/2021 19:38

@LadyAdrianDangerous

Everyone is saying they'll replace it for the person it's meant for, that's not always true. This happened to my mum and the shop refused to replace or refund and told us to contact the police. Police said they couldn't help and we were left with nothing.
What shop was this?
LouiseBelchersBunnyEars · 27/09/2021 19:40

Police matter ounds like something they’d say if someone nicked your iPad or something, not meat from the weekly shop

shesellsseacats · 27/09/2021 21:21

If you report it to the police you will be wasting police time.

The contract for purchase of goods was between the buyer and the shop. The shop failed on its side of the bargain and now owe the customer some meat. This is nothing to do with you.

The other shop who told someone to call the police (if it's even true) were totally out of line and shirking their own responsibility to their customer.

Please, consider getting some counseling for your anxiety and tendency to catastrophise be and blame yourself. I would be very surprised if it wasn't a huge positive change in your life if you could learn to break free of this type of negative thinking.

TheHouseILiveIn · 27/09/2021 21:23

How is this thread still going? Slow news day?

HeadPain · 28/09/2021 16:48

I’m not saying they would, but a PP has said in this situation they had been advised to report their missing items to the police!!!!

They must have been taking the piss, OP.

No need to worry. The matter is sorted and closed.