Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Made to pay for a bag in the supermarket

698 replies

christmasfoodshop · 07/12/2023 12:43

Just picked up a few bits for Xmas food shop.

Had baby with me and she was tired so getting a bit irritable.

Scanned all my shopping at self checkout, ended up with a quite a lot more than I needed (as you do).

Baby crying. Paid for my shopping.

Realised I needed a bag at this point so got one and put all my stuff in there.

Go to walk out.

The shop assistant said I needed to pay for a bag. Fair enough.

She said I had to rescan it.

Baby now screaming and wriggling out my arms. Heavy bag of shopping in the other hand.

She made me wait there until she'd scanned a bag, pressed 'check-out' , selected 'pay by card' and then I had to scan. All for bloody 30p.

In hindsight, I do understand I had to pay for the bag but I was so bloody frustrated and just wanted to get out of there that I paid 30p for the bag and stormed off. Left my giant trolley in the middle of self checkout. I was at my wits end. I felt like I was at school being held back by the teacher.

It's 30 bloody pence. Let me go!!

She acted like she was earning money out of making people pay for bags.

YABU - everyone ALWAYS must pay for bags no matter what

YANBU - in the circumstance, she should have just let me go all for the sake of 30p plastic bag.

OP posts:
hangingonfordearlife1 · 10/12/2023 14:35

@Grammarnut not sure where i stated i was 100% ethical. Oh no! lock me up and throw away the key!!

IAmAnIdiot123 · 10/12/2023 14:38

Not the point as yabu but what drives me wild with rage is when I'm scanning, I scan my bags as I go otherwise the weight is wrong on the scale. When I get to the end, I press no bags to the pop up as I have already scanned them. Twice I have then had a shop assistant on my back saying I need to pay for the bags and then going through my full transaction list to see the bags scanned.

When I haven't scanned them to try and do it at the end, after 2 bags I get 'unscanned item' alert from the additional unexpected weight. Arghhh rant over!

MrsBrett20 · 10/12/2023 15:39

Personally, they should have bags on each of the self-scans. The amount of times that I've forgotten to grab one as I've walked past! We don't keep the bags at home as we don't have room for them (unbelievable I know, but our house is tiny), I don't drive nor do I use a handbag. I normally have my shopping delivered, but sometimes have to get some extra bits. I don't think you're being unreasonable.

Treesandsheepeverywhere · 10/12/2023 16:35

Flamingbow · 10/12/2023 12:20

No OP doesn't, lots of people are exaggerating what OP has actually said as an excuse to pour scorn on a mum and be nasty. I actually think if someone posted about any of the other things lots would say ah understandable you're doing your best don't worry.

Show quote history

You think she doesn't, I think she does. Two outlooks and as much as you're entitled to yours, so am I.

Like I said, lots of people would have experienced similar, difference is how people deal with it. OP is wanting to blame the shop assistant for doing her job. Not on!

Tessabelle74 · 10/12/2023 16:45

hangingonfordearlife1 · 10/12/2023 12:23

some really self righteous silly folk in here! it’s - plastic bag!!!! ffs i never scan them anyway. i’ve got approx 250 of them at home and never remember them because i actually have a life.

Do you know there's a term for you? It's cleptomaniac. You steal things you don't need for shits and giggles, for the little thrill it gives you. And yet, you're so proud of your sticky fingers. I have a life, a very full and busy one with 4 children, does that mean I can steal 4 bags at a time or is the limit one?

beanii · 10/12/2023 17:31

hangingonfordearlife1 · 10/12/2023 12:23

some really self righteous silly folk in here! it’s - plastic bag!!!! ffs i never scan them anyway. i’ve got approx 250 of them at home and never remember them because i actually have a life.

So what you're saying is it's absolutely fine to shoplift as it's only a bag?

Wow.

beanontoast · 10/12/2023 18:01

So weird how many people seem to think being a parent means they are entitled to do things like steal. 30p is still 30p you owe the shop for the item you’re taking, who gives a shit that you have a baby? Completely bizarre way of thinking

enjoyingscience · 10/12/2023 18:49

Agree - I asked a neighbour’s visiting relative to move their car once because they were totally blocking me in. Their excuse was that they had a baby. Baffling entitlement.

IndigoLaFaye · 10/12/2023 18:51

So basically you tried to steal a bag and was caught, but you think you should be allowed cos your baby was crying? Hmm no.

ScartlettSole · 10/12/2023 20:18

Shootin · 09/12/2023 21:13

Because she wasn’t juggling with a baby and heavy bag.
If she was ‘mum tired’ she would have sympathised with her. And turned a blind eye.
It’s not rocket science.

Why should she turn a blind eye? Mum tired doesnt mean you can shop lift ffs! It also doesn't give you the right to have a tantrum and be a dick in the middle of a shop.

GLM4 · 10/12/2023 20:48

We all have ‘those’ times with children but having one grumpy baby with you means you are entitled to not pay for something?!?!
Ha, best stick at just 1 then love

Livelifelaughter · 10/12/2023 21:07

Well @beanii do you think the store would have called the police and described OP as a shoplifter ?

Shootin · 10/12/2023 21:27

Livelifelaughter · 10/12/2023 21:07

Well @beanii do you think the store would have called the police and described OP as a shoplifter ?

Good point 🤭

beanontoast · 10/12/2023 21:50

A Freddo is 25p, should Mums be allowed to nick them if their kid is screaming bc he/she is hungry? If not, why is pinching a 30p bag okay? Of course a store assistant cannot ‘let it go’, it’s stealing

ExTheCheater · 10/12/2023 21:50

You sound very entitled. Finding shopping with your child difficult doesn't mean you don't pay for stuff.

backtowinter · 10/12/2023 22:16

hangingonfordearlife1 · 10/12/2023 12:23

some really self righteous silly folk in here! it’s - plastic bag!!!! ffs i never scan them anyway. i’ve got approx 250 of them at home and never remember them because i actually have a life.

I'm jealous

Living the dream

Zooeyzo · 10/12/2023 22:23

Why should a shop assistant risk getting in trouble for you? I'm seeing a lot more of this entitlement especially the oh I've got a crying baby so should get preferential treatment or things for free. Grow up.

Suka84 · 10/12/2023 22:40

I work in a shop, I have given folks a bag for free. The shop didn't fall down, nor did the owner go out of business but it did make things a little easier for the person involved. Have a bit of empathy, there are enough arseholes without making a mum feeling bad for having a wee rant about a bloody plastic bag!!

Maverickess · 10/12/2023 22:48

Yet someone else who thinks shop assistants (and similar roles I'd bet) are there to take the blame when someone is having a bad day, and to have the customers feelings and emotions projected onto them because they are there and work customer facing.

It's your bad day, it's your emotions and feelings - deal with them instead of taking them out on someone else because you know they can't give you the mouthful you deserve!

Honestly all these people preaching about being kind to a stressed mum, stressed mum expecting understanding, compassion and kindness and yet quite willing to dish out the exact opposite for someone doing what they're paid to do, what is expected of them and what is generally accepted as what happens in a shop - you get stuff and pay for it!

That shop assistant would be all kinds of rip off merchant if she'd accidentally scanned a bag twice. Wouldn't 'just' be 30p then would it? It'd be all about the principle then I bet.

We really do treat customer facing staff like absolute shit in this country and then wonder why service is getting worse and no one wants to do those jobs!

Stellastag · 11/12/2023 01:21

YABU

twilightmoon3 · 11/12/2023 01:34

Tessabelle74 · 10/12/2023 16:45

Do you know there's a term for you? It's cleptomaniac. You steal things you don't need for shits and giggles, for the little thrill it gives you. And yet, you're so proud of your sticky fingers. I have a life, a very full and busy one with 4 children, does that mean I can steal 4 bags at a time or is the limit one?

Show quote history

I'll give you 5 4 for the children you've got and a bonus bag for being so honest. For I have just appointed myself the Bag Queen. With a bit of luck and a few hundred years of monarch washing the legitimacy of me being able to dispense things I don't own will be solidified In law. We will call it monarchy and we will all bow down before its divine authority.

Mummy2mybear · 11/12/2023 01:34

Wow the amount of responses on this thread 😅

twilightmoon3 · 11/12/2023 01:39

beanontoast · 10/12/2023 21:50

A Freddo is 25p, should Mums be allowed to nick them if their kid is screaming bc he/she is hungry? If not, why is pinching a 30p bag okay? Of course a store assistant cannot ‘let it go’, it’s stealing

I think in the thread we gave established that the 30p is a nominal amount determined to influence behaviour not a costs plus that would apply to the Freddo. As such I would surmise their is a lower threshold of diminished moral responsibility in nicking the bag over the chocolate bar in absolute terms. I hope the judge will take that into account before sentencing this poor soul.

lovinglaughingliving · 11/12/2023 02:50

Did you have a basket or a trolley with your shopping in?
If basket I would have packed all shopping back into basket and put the whole kit and caboodle into the boot then drop the basket back in the next day.
If trolley, unpack shopping into boot and bag it when you get home.
I HATE paying for bags!

hangingonfordearlife1 · 11/12/2023 03:45

@Tessabelle74 yes stealing a plastic bag gives me a massive thrill and i spend my time counting all the ones under the sink to add up all the money i've made from it 🤣get a grip.