To think my friend is wrong and this can't be classed as stealing?

[Keyansier]

Whenever I order a home delivery from Tesco I always get a refund on stuff that they have substituted in exchange for what I originally ordered to get money back and to keep the food, sometimes when I genuinely dislike their substitute choice or sometimes when I just want some money back.

My friend said "that is what is known as stealing". I replied "HOW can it be stealing when I call up and ask for a refund and it's at their discretion if they give one or not?" Also, I used to work in a few call centres and so probably speak to people who work at call centres politer than most other people, so that might factor their decision to give me refunds.

Unless someone tells me that they work for Tesco on the call centres and they are obliged to give everyone a refund that asks for one but they will later be punished or sacked for it if they say yes, then I can't see what the issue is if they say yes? I don't shout, or threaten or rant. I ask nicely and they say yes. If they were to ever say no, I'd simply say "okay then" and that would be that. So how is it stealing?

I just can't believe in this day and age someone would begrudge someone free food. Their tagline is "Every Little Helps". This is helping me. If they didn't want to help, they can easily say no. Or AIBU and out of touch?

The more you post, the more moronic you sound. I feel sorry for anyone who's mouth is bigger than their brain. You have my sympathy.

Correcting your false assertion that I don't donate food to food banks when I do is me being a moron? Okay.

😂😂😂😂😂

If they refuse to refund you would you go quietly cry in the toilet?

Sometimes I love this place.

Not stealing tho just getting a refund. So not really different to a money off voucher

When I don't want the substitutions, the Tesco driver always says "keep it anyway, I'll refund it".

Your opening line is literally you admitting that you are a liar, its hard to convince people that anything you say thereafter has any truth to it at all. You did this to yourself.

What you are doing is fraudulent at best and imo stealing.

So in your view someone who steals clothes then takes them back for a refund isn't stealing as the have had a refund?

You are delusional

HTH

Oh and going by your other thread as well as this in the kindest wsy you need professional help.

When you call them what reason do you give for asking for a refund? If it's because you haven't received what you asked for, fine. But do you tell them you just fancy your money back sometimes?

Theft as a crime is defined as the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention to permanently deprive. If you are dishonest about the reason for the refund then it could count as theft. It may also be fraud. Just because they give you the refund doesn't make it right. They may be acting on your dishonest information.

I wouldn't be surprised if you don't eventually flag on their system for multiple refunds.

Also, get the app. You can see in advance what subs are made and reject them on arrival.

It is not remotely the same. A clothes equivalent at best would be ordering clothes online and getting clothes that do not fit or are not what you expected or did not like and you phoned the company and asked them to refund what you paid for the clothes you did not want and they said yes and they did not ask you to return the items you did not want. Which part of any of that is the stealing part?

In the long run, Tesco’s will just pass the cost onto everyone. They don’t just absorb it out of the goodness of their hearts. So all Tesco’s customers will have to pay a bit more because of your dishonesty and entitlement. And some of them won’t notice, and some will be struggling and already going without.

Or they will stop refunding subs altogether, and again, honest blameless people will lose a perk because of your entitlement to free food. Thanks.

Personally, I think they should stop YOU getting refunds on subs, because clearly you’re abusing the privilege and I don’t see why the rest of Tesco customers should lose out. I don’t shop at Tesco regularly, or get deliveries, but when I have in the past mistakes have been refunded no question - because I (and most others) do not expect to be able to intentionally take delivery of food we don’t expect to pay for. I’d say that’s stealing.

I believe in law it is one’s intent that matters. So if you accept the subs at the door knowing you will ask for a refund and keep them, it’s stealing. If you unwittingly or unknowingly accept them in good faith and then ask for a refund, it’s not. So which is it?

I just can't believe in this day and age someone would begrudge someone free food. Their tagline is "Every Little Helps". This is helping me. If they didn't want to help, they can easily say no. Or AIBU and out of touch?

I can't believe in this day and age the banks won't give me free money. You know if they lend money then they expect it back . They're soooo out of touch with the feeling on the street. Who do they think they are? A business or something?

86% say OP is unreasonable. OP refuses to accept it.

On another note, you better find another supermarket to shop with, as I bet the Tesco algorithm will eventually pick you up as a p taker and you will be banned. A lot of business do this.

This

OP will come along and say it's not remotely the same though. 🙄

Ok, so all you care about is whether this is legally theft. Not the morality. Not whether you’re a cheeky fucker. Not whether a million people think you’re an arsehole. I understand the question.

The answer is this: did you have any other options besides a refund? I think just about everyone answering makes it clear you did. Theft by deception was overwritten by the Fraud Act of 2006 and yes, hypothetically this could qualify as “services which were to be paid for were obtained with the knowledge or intention that no payment would be made.” Here’s why. The issue at hand is whether Tesco has made every legitimate attempt to provide you with a way to stop substitutions and the issue before it got to this point or return the products without the need for a refund. They have the system they do (allowing you to choose no substitutions, sending you an email when you order then ANOTHER email the day of the delivery once it’s packed that lists the substitutions so I find it strange you say you never receive this of-the-day receipt or notice, and then everyone in this thread seems to know that you can hand substituons back, except you, so obviously Tesco is disseminating that information well enough legally) so as to cut down on refunds as much as possible.

If you are constantly not returning goods BUT you are also asking for refunds, Tesco is not going to ask for you to be charged with fraud, though; even though they gave you many options prior to refund. They will simply ban you from their service, which they have every right to do. Another user shared an article earlier showing that many services (Waitrose, Amazon, etc) are banning users who do exactly what you do. If you have a lot of other options and can afford to lose access to Tesco delivery, then continue doing what you’re doing, ”not bothered about what people think about [you] morally,” until you are banned. If, on the other hand, Tesco is the only option or cheapest option in your area, I would cease this behavior.

Exactly. Either OP has comprehension issues or this is a wind up.

Sometimes it's not about what is legal or not, it's about what is right. What you are doing is not right. I am sure lots of people probably do it, thinking like you, it's Tesco's fault for allowing it. And maybe it is. But in the long run, this kind of deception is one of the reasons prices are rising.

Wouldn't it be nice if people had a look at their moral compass (or at least listen to the majority of others if theirs is broken) rather than looking for loopholes and rationale to justify their behaviour.

Fair enough then, I guess maybe naively I assumed that it would be a general nationwide Tesco policy, rather than just dependant on area if that makes sense?

Well anyway it’s not something I’d do but it is what it is.

Of course it's stealing! And you 100% should be and can hand things back to the driver. You get an itemised review on the paperwork that arrives. And in the email of what subs you are getting before it even arrives. They will always accept substitution returns. You're making up some lies to cover your back here. It's completely unbelievable that every single delivery driver you've had has never asked you about subs. And of course you have a delivery slot! You have to select it before you order!

It’s stealing if you take a refund and keep the product.

Sure you give it to food banks, you sound like that kind of person 🤔

And FYI that little handset the drivers have - all your subs listed on there. Just ask. HTH.

*I just can't believe in this day and age someone would begrudge someone free food.
*
Why do you think your entitled to free food?

When my dd first read Rodger the Dodger' in the Beano she couldn't understand why he just didn't do the thing he was supposed to be doing in the first place rather than the elaborate scheme he was running.

If you cracked on with your actual job you wouldn't need to run this scam. You aren't ever going to be successful in life getting a refund on some chestnut mushrooms.

I think you need to start thinking about morality differently. Things do not become moral simply because someone allows you to do them. After all, there are people who reply to advertisements for voluneteers to be killed and eaten.

The person who placed that ad said, just like you, 'well if they didn't want to be eaten, they could have said no.'

You are not paying for things that you have taken. As the vast majority of people are pointing out - this is stealing.

FYI, if you log into your Tesco account before the delivery is due to arrive, you will see the substitutions, so you can be ready to tell the driver.

As for giving to foodbanks and Tesco drivers running away with trays - I await your 'is it lying if it is on an anonymous forum?' thread......