Knowingly stealing - food shop delivery

[Ponter]

We order from one of the main supermarkets. On the day of the delivery (last week), I decided to cancel the shop as many of my plans had changed so i didn’t need some of the stuff that had been ordered.

Anyway, the food van turned up and I had a hunch that if I accepted the order I could get the groceries and still get the refund. Which is exactly what happened. It was a risk but I still needed majority of the groceries ordered so thought I’d chance it. We had similar happen once before but we were honest in that scenario.

Even if the supermarket comes back and want me to rectify the error/pay up I can do so - that’s no problem.

I know it’s wrong but I believe the majority would do the same.

Be honest would you?

Any psychological study where people are tested shows that people are not as holy as they pretend to be.

Wasn't there a study that showed that most people will literally electrocute people to death just because someone told them to do it? And yet it's only a slim margin of people who wouldn't accept a bit of fruit and veg they were handed on the doorstep. 😂

Can you quote these statistics, @MrsSunshine2b? I believe that most people are honest, and won’t steal, and I would be very disappointed to find out I was wrong.

But you are right that the supermarket’s profits will not suffer - because they build in a percentage to every price they charge, to cover shrinkage - loss due to theft, breakage, spoilage etc. So this was never going to make a dent in Tesco’s profits - it just makes a dent in the purses of every one who shops there.

It sounds like you did it on purpose. You say you had it happen before and owned up. You knew that you had the refund when the delivery turned up. So you should have turned it away.
It's appalling to steal a whole load of shopping. Why should you get stuff for free when we all have to pay? I'm on benefits and can barely afford to feed myself but I still wouldn't steal.

That’s what I thought, too. Shameful!

Well I would just make up that there had been a communication error with husband.

So you are a liar too. Do you really think people would believe silly lies like this? Do you just make up anything at other times to benefit yourself? What a lovely person you must be to those around you.

No. I'd tell the driver I had cancelled the order. If the shop decided to give it to me for free then thank you but I would not want to be a thief. I'd look at the bigger picture..

Go you OP, don't worry about all the Moral Melanies IMO accepting a cancelled shop is a victimless crime.
I am part of a "steal to order" gang and my speciality is nicking frozen food. I just wear 2 pairs of leggings under some very baggy jogging trousers and go for it. I am quite fat anyway so my lumpy legs don't get noticed.
My best haul was 2 whole frozen salmon (one down each leg and tucked in my socks) 2 tubs of Haagen Daz and 4 bags of king prawns in my knickers. I did get terrible chilblains on my flaps but it was worth it

Like a PP said, this thread has just made me rather sad, and I don’t really know why.

I think it’s because there are some moral absolutes that we can all stick to, and not stealing is one of them.

One time my toddler accidentally picked up a toy in a museum gift shop while I was on holiday 200 miles away from home. I only noticed when I got home, and immediately rang them to sort it out; they let me off. But I had a clear conscience.

Of course big supermarkets can afford it and of course it’s not going to dent their profits, but by that argument, stealing £20 from the purse of a rich person is ok.

theft is theft is theft is theft.

Absolutely not in my current circumstances. I do not steal and have no need to do so.

If I was very poor, as in poor enough that I couldn’t feed my children properly even by going without myself poor, then maybe.

I would have done the same 😂 their error 🤷‍♀️

That's so wrong.

I wouldn't do it.

They’ve got six years to chase the debt, so there’s plenty of time yet.

there's a wit among us

Who cares what they are.

worry about who you are 😞 the act is the same regardless of the victim

I just had this same issue but on a much bigger scale, I was sent an expensive item (several hundred) but the payment didn’t go through and the order was cancelled. They didn’t realise they had already despatched the order but I let them know.

Shame on you. You were hosting a dinner party so not hard up. You said you got the idea from a friend... you know what all these cons like this and shoplifting actually raises the price of goods for ALL of us. Shame on you.

I'd probably have told the driver the order was cancelled but they could leave it if they wanted as I didn't want to inconvenience them. Then I'd have contacted the supermarket to say what happened. Quite possibly they'd just say to keep the stuff, who knows. I once tried to cancel an individual item and it turned up anyway, and that's what they did. that was only one item (albeit a relatively expensive joint of meat) so IDK if they'd do the same for a whole shop.

Now you have the shopping, if you can prove that you cancelled the order (or if they don't dispute this) then I can't see that they would have any contractual basis for requiring you to pay. But the items still belong to the supermarket and morally (and probably legally, IANAL) you need to try to give them back. I'd contact them and ask them to collect them, at their cost and at your convenience.

I'd give the supermarket a reasonable deadline to collect the items, say a week or two? It would probably be reasonable to say you'll dispose of uncollected items on the use-by date, as you don't want the health hazard of mouldy food sitting around.

I must admit, I'd be tempted to use items that would otherwise go to waste.

Do you honestly think, after spending all day in the van, they would take the food back to the supermarket and unpack it all? All that stuff would end up in the bin.

I would like to say oh no never how awful not under any circumstances...

but truthfully?

If, for example, my children hadn't eaten that day and I didn't know how I was going to feed them the next day then yes, yes I would.

So not a yes or a no but an "it depends".

Spot on. Always consequences to actions.

You deliberately defrauded a shop to the tune of a full shop plus expensive extras for a dinner party.

It doesn’t matter who from or whether they can afford it. You stole .

You are a thief and you are sufficiently immoral to boast about it online.

No, I would not

it’s an incredibly high level of CFery and doesn’t paint you in a great light.

I would never. Partly because of morals, but also because I’d be convinced every knock at the door was the police after that.

Thieves often use this psychology.

its the persons fault for leaving their phone unattended (not mine for taking it)
it’s the old lady’s fault for not zipping up her purse (not mine for reaching in)
it’s the woman’s fault for going out alone in the dark
(Not mine for advantage)

you said you got the idea from your equally robbing mate. You planned to go on the rob, this isn’t a happy accident.

Do you nick your neighbours parcels too 🤣

People like you are the reason the rest of us are treated like thieving scum every time we go through the self checkouts.