AIBU to “steal” this?

[AmiABadPersonn]

Hello everyone I just want your opinions on this as today I’ve been in a heated argument with my friend as to wether I am unreasonable or not.

I am off work on maternity leave so the funds are tight at minute. There is a man who lives near me I believe he is drug user, he sells half price stuff and also takes orders on what you want for half price. He knocks on my house about 1 or 2 times a week with a bag of half price goods. I always buy washing detergent and softeners from him because you can get a whole weeks laundry of the nice brands for around £10. Money is tight as I have just had a baby and I have 2 other children with my husband also. i also sometimes get baby milk formula from him if I’m running low because it’s cheap.

I feel like this is not wrong because if I didn’t buy it other people would. Even if no one bought it he would steal it anyway in hopes someone would buy it eventually.

Today my friend was at my house when he came so I offered her to have a look what he had. She immediately asked him where he got this stuff from and he replied “shop”. She didn’t say much after but when I finished buying my items she started shouting about how I’m funding his drugs addiction and I shouldn’t support it because I am now stealing too. I told her to relax it’s fine it’s only a couple of items. She didn’t say much and finished her coffee and left quick.

So am I morally wrong for this? Or would you do the same?

You know its wrong .So either shut up and stop it or accept you are supporting a thieving ring and drug users .

Well, supermarkets aren’t charities, they’re businesses. Is it really that shocking?
They do offer plenty of non branded affordable products though.
Nobody needs scented laundry balls.

What children eat fabric conditioner and scent balls? 🤔

STAFF IN THE SHOP ARE BEING BEATEN, THREATENED AND ABUSED!!!!!!

GOD CAN YOU NOT GET THAT IN YOUR HEAD

it's like talking to my kids. Say everything 1000 times.

They don't though. Shops charge the highest price they can get away with, they don't add a bit extra to cover thefts. Think about it. They wouldn't reduce prices if there was no crime, they would just make higher profits. Someone benefits but it's not me and it's probably not you.

Lol. This reminds me of that viral clip where an illegal Isareli settler is stealing a Palestinian home in East Jerusalem and he says, "If I don't steal it, someone else will."

I think it’s scummy. It’s pure selfishness. Never mind the poor men and women just trying to do their jobs and having to feel intimidated by your mate.

Maybe you can’t afford things because you make dumb decisions like spending 10 quid a week on “the nice brands”.

You need to take some responsibility here op. You had a baby when you and your husband were already struggling fiancially, that does not give you the right to profit from something that has been taken from others. There is no such thing as a victimless crime, so its utter crap that the supermarkets can afford the loss, is every supermarket worker rolling around in a Bentley? No, most are normal working people struggling just like everyone else.
Also, you are funding a drug habit, which in turn funds trafficking, terrorism and gangs.

I suspect that the shopworkers on minimum wage, who have to deal with this on a daily basis, would disagree with you. They are often and routinely attacked, threatened, and intimidated by thieves. My partners son had his nose broken by a drug addict shoplifter. He wasn't even trying to stop him, he just didn't get out of the way fast enough when this scumbag push his way behind the counter to grab cigarettes. Do what you're going to do, but please don't try to justify it. Fabric softener and scentballs are not a necessity.

dubberrucky · Yesterday 21:34
People on here truly TRULY cannot comprehend poverty. They think they can, but they don’t.”

Poverty and common sense aren’t mutually exclusive. Anyone feeding their baby knock off formula acquired from an addict clearly lacks common sense. It’s downright dangerous.

Or would be, were this real.

I doubt this is real, who would be unintelligent enough to post about it and then ask if it’s unreasonable ? On Mumsnet of all places

I buy shops own brand of washing powder and it lasts about 3 ish weeks if not longer...we wash daily. Costs £4. I buy when on offer. I never spent £10 a week. Maybe shop around

Yeah I know, but I still don’t think this particular thread is real. Not with £10 worth of scent pearl and detergent a week.

Maybe soon the shops will be forced to be online only. Or with one of those screens they have at McD where you order. But then they wouldn’t make money on impulse buy items. It is a huge problem as you say.

And the baby milk might be dodgy!

@comingintomyown I think it's been done for the purpose of winding MNs up and a bit of a attention for the OP. However this does happen far and wide amongst certain areas in our society which quite a few people don't believe!

I'd have mixed feelings if you were doing this because you couldn't afford things otherwise.

But the fact that you're doing it to get non-necessities (or upgrades to necessities) means YABU. Even the baby formula, you could afford to buy that yourself if you bought store brand items rather than paying for premium items from this guy.

If you're immoral enough to steal, have the balls to do it yourself rather than exploiting a drug addict to take all the risk for you.

A food bank would help you more than handling stolen goods, OP.

Well, I know they're not charities! I can see where the confusion comes from, but my post was in response to someone else who invited me to join them in the real world. That poster was struggling to grasp an understanding of the way in which supermarkets decide their prices, so I had explained to them how supermarkets differ to charities, in that they charge as much as they can in order to maximise profits for their owners.

But something leads them to settle on a particular price. They don’t just pluck it from the air. They know what profit margin they want. If their costs go up for any reason, they put up prices. When fuel prices went up, so did their costs so they raised prices. If more people were as dishonest as the OP, the shops would raise their prices further, to cover the additional cost to them.

You're buying stolen goods. I wouldn't be impressed.

I’m not judging you or him at all.

The supermarket underpays its workers and fired them in favour of the self serve checkouts.

This man is offering a service. Not only are the items half price but he delivers them for free.

I acknowledge he’s likely buying drugs. But I’ve known professionals who were high functioning alcoholics and one guy who was highly educated and had a high paying job who got a steady stream of prescription Xanax because he was addicted.

Life isn’t fair. Those supermarkets are making billions right now and many people can’t afford to even eat.

Your friend is judgemental AF.

I can see why you are tempted, I would be too, but I like to think morals would stop me actually buying - even if money was short,

@AmiABadPersonn
It's terrible and extremely stupid to try and justify it. Drugs have a horrible impact on society yes even your community. If you contribute you're part of it.
And yes if you stopped buying eventually he'd would stop selling as there would be no customers.
You have exhibited a poor moral compass and I feel very sorry for your child. So many victims because you wanted to saved £20.

Where’s the line, guess everyone has a different line reading this thread. I knew a girl at uni who had some items in her room that were stolen from a “posh” house so she didn’t see it as a problem.

Stealing from larger houses is that more acceptable than smaller houses? Stealing from larger businesses vs smaller businesses?

Personally I would prefer to use a foodbank or ask for help from the local authority / GP / Health Visitor and make sure all avenues have been explored before resorting to buying from him.

Why ask for peoples opinions if you’ve already made your mind up though?

no, I wouldn’t buy stuff which I knew was stolen. I would be worried about encouraging someone with a drug addiction to come to my door.

also if I was short of money, I would buy cheaper laundry powder, and none of the rest (and be careful scent balls don’t irritate your baby’s skin…)