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Original poster

I accidentally stole an entire big shop

624 replies

Rayoffingsunshine · 07/12/2023 20:17

I spent about £95 on a big shop 3 weeks ago. I went through the scan and go. I had my two boys with me (2 and 3 months) and I paid using contactless. I didn't grab the receipt which I didn't notice until I got home and was annoyed because the supermarket had an offer for money off voucher if you spend so much that I had intended to grab but only realised I didn't have it when I got home.
I budget everything and wrote the shop on my budget app straight away so I noticed the discrepancy on my account within a few days. I thought it was just taking a little longer than normal to process but 3 weeks later there's still no record of it. I've checked every account I have including my husband's just in case I had his card though I'm certain it was just my day to day debit card. The only thing I can think is that the payment didn't process and I just didn't notice and walked straight out. But surely someone would have stopped me! I remember a friend telling me once, with a tiny shop, just a quick lunch on the go kind of shop, this happened to her once and she was stopped in the car park by security. I don't understand how this has happened. I wouldn't have been quick to leave because my 2 year old moves at a snails pace.

If I go and talk to customer service in the shop will they believe that is was a genuine mistake and just let me pay for it or will I get in trouble?

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 08/12/2023 18:11

Sausage1989 · 08/12/2023 17:57

Don't be silly! Just enjoy the free shop. Big supermarkets aren't going bust and the owners are all billionaires who don't give a shit about us.

Again - the money doesn’t come out of the supermarket’s profits, or the owners’ pockets either, @Sausage1989 - every shopper pays for it because ‘shrinkage’ (loss due to theft, breakage, spoilage or accidents like this one) is built into the price we pay.

EstherGreenwood19 · 08/12/2023 18:13

I accidentally nicked a paint sample and went back as soon as I realised (a week later) to pay for it. They clearly thought I was mental even bothering but this is the only thing I could do, otherwise I would feel like a thief. I’ve no issue with other people walking out and wish them luck but I just couldn’t. You’ll feel better, judging by your post, if you go back and pay.

dreamingdays · 08/12/2023 18:13

You need to pay it back to the store OP.

WimbyAce · 08/12/2023 18:14

This place is nuts! Yesterday a poster got vilified for daring to hope for a free 30p bag. Then today a lot of people think it's fine to walk out with a £90 shop without paying 😂

FatFatMary · 08/12/2023 18:17

Zebedee999 · 08/12/2023 18:11

Because some of us are still honest. More to the point, why would you think unintentional theft is alright?
If OP goes back and they say to forget it then all well and good but my conscience would suffer til I put the matter right. I can't fathom why you'd even question paying it back.
This is MumsNet, parents need to coach their kids in right vs wrong.

Show quote history

What if it was an apple that didn’t scan ? It may as well be

SusieWicks · 08/12/2023 18:17

Do what feels like the most helpful and good thing for your own wellbeing. <3

FlatWhiteExtraHot · 08/12/2023 18:20

WimbyAce · 08/12/2023 18:14

This place is nuts! Yesterday a poster got vilified for daring to hope for a free 30p bag. Then today a lot of people think it's fine to walk out with a £90 shop without paying 😂

Exactly what I’d come to say. This place is bonkers.

FatFatMary · 08/12/2023 18:20

We shouldn’t be charged so much for food anyway. Take it as compensation OP

Watchkeys · 08/12/2023 18:22

WimbyAce · 08/12/2023 18:14

This place is nuts! Yesterday a poster got vilified for daring to hope for a free 30p bag. Then today a lot of people think it's fine to walk out with a £90 shop without paying 😂

I think it might be just like any other place... different day, different people. It's not meant to be a bunch of people who all think the same thing. Plenty of views both ways, even on the thread itself.

Emotionalsupportviper · 08/12/2023 18:23

Excpect to be fully and thoroughly checked the next time you shop there.

They'll have you on camera somewhere.

CrashyTime · 08/12/2023 18:25

greenacrylicpaint · 07/12/2023 20:22

pay it forward.
give generously to the foodbank or other charity.
the shop has already written off the lost stock you took.
don't feel bad, you had the intention to pay.

At this stage it is their error, they are not going to make you pay it IMO.

laraitopbanana · 08/12/2023 18:27

Merry Xmas!

MissSunshinnne · 08/12/2023 18:28

Pay it because you still technically had food without paying for it and you found out they will probably say don’t worry about paying for it and be pleased with your honesty and maybe even reward you for your honesty

Shelzxo990 · 08/12/2023 18:29

Disciplinary action hahaha ha maybe they shouldn't have got rid of all the staff and got the self check outs. This would never have happened 😊

PufferFish · 08/12/2023 18:35

I did this pre Covid. It was a big shop in Tesco (around £200.00).
I didn’t realise (the same as you, I was distracted, put my card in the machine etc).
The next week when I went to do another shop there was a problem with my card at the self scan and when I went to customer services several staff (including the manager) appeared very quickly. They had a copy of my receipt behind the desk and all the staff seemed to know about it 😳It was very embarrassing!

Yourcatisnotsorry · 08/12/2023 18:38

I once accidentally shop lifted something in a baby buggy. The shop couldn’t actually take my money when I tried to go back and pay so I think the Tesco people in store would probably do the same, esp if you don’t have the same. I gave the equivalent money to charity, you could do the same.

ILoveEYFS · 08/12/2023 18:40

Years ago, in the days of cheques, my mum paid by cheque. She signed it and gave cashier. The cashier took the cheque and gave it back to her by mistake with her receipt. She gave it back but I don't think that there's anything you can do. You don't have a transaction number to call up your shop.

Teateaandmoretea · 08/12/2023 18:41

If I go and talk to customer service in the shop will they believe that is was a genuine mistake and just let me pay for it or will I get in trouble?

Well of course they will. If it wasn’t you’d hardly go back and ask to pay would you? 🤦🏻‍♀️

It’s what you should do - and it is the way that has no possible consequences.

Teateaandmoretea · 08/12/2023 18:43

CrashyTime · 08/12/2023 18:25

At this stage it is their error, they are not going to make you pay it IMO.

Show quote history

How is it their error? Bizarre.

user1499128287 · 08/12/2023 18:44

Speak to the manager and explain. Ask them to check from their side. It's a mistake. They'll be happy you've gone back to try to rectify it. Do it because it's the right thing to do and also because of the till cameras.

AnnieSnap · 08/12/2023 18:48

Gowlbag · 07/12/2023 20:32

I am always so delighted when someone comes back when they’ve realised they accidentally didn’t pay.
It does happen, if the person on the scan as you shop tills isn’t paying attention or is busy serving a cash customer. It will have been noticed and the cameras checked to see what happened. It will have been obvious you tried to pay and walked away without noticing. The assistant will have gotten in trouble for it, possibly had disciplinary action and it is a weight off their mind if the customer comes back to fix their mistake.

It’s all very well saying the supermarket can afford, it but those of you who just tap and walk without waiting to see if it’s gone through are responsible for the operators getting in trouble with their managers.
You won’t be in trouble, the store will just be very pleased and won’t feel they have to watch you like a hawk next time.

Going back doesn’t take away the disciplining of the staff member though does it? That’s already happened and will stand because the staff member wasn’t ’on the ball at the time’. Personally, with a big multinational company making huge profits and taking everything they can get away with from customers and staff, I wouldn’t be going back!

FatFatMary · 08/12/2023 18:51

I don’t understand pp suggesting you give the money to charity instead of just yourself

greenbeansnspinach · 08/12/2023 18:54

I accidentally didn’t pay for a duvet cover once. I can’t remember exactly how it happened- maybe under a shopping bag. When I realised the next day I went straight back, explained and paid and they were very pleased. Obviously the supermarkets make huge profits but don’t many of us watch those programmes where security staff catch shoplifters, often homeless, addicts, victims of domestic violence and even they are made to pay or prosecuted. Surely it can’t be one rule for actual criminals and another for accidental shoplifters?
Underlying this is the social contract that we rely on as a society and means we don’t steal, beat each other up or break into our neighbours’ houses. Once that starts breaking down in small ways we’re sort of on a slippery slope.

LondonLass91 · 08/12/2023 18:55

dreamingdays · 08/12/2023 18:13

You need to pay it back to the store OP.

No, you don't, don't be ridiculous! Honestly where are all you people from?! Pay it back indeed.. 🤣

littlestrawberryhat · 08/12/2023 18:55

Tesco are making heinous profits raising the costs of food to the consumer. They could easily afford to absorb the increase of cost of foods but choose to hike up their prices and make a profit. Maybe it’s karma for being a nice person, you should donate generously to the food bank imo. These people getting angry that Tesco are owed money are insane! They’d rather the billionaire Tesco ceo get their humongous Christmas bonus than give poor people something for free. I do despair at this country sometimes I really do.