Colleagues keep using my milk!

[Immo8]

I don't want to sound petty as in the grand scheme of things, milk isn't an expensive item and maybe I should leave this be, but it's really starting to grate on me...

Work in an office with around 30-ish staff, the majority are on shift work including weekends so people are in & out a lot. I work standard hours 4 days a week. The company provides tea & coffee but staff bring in their own milk etc. I buy a large filtered milk every month as it lasts and I only have a few cups of tea a day so makes sense.

However, over the last 6 months or so, people will ask me if they can 'borrow' some milk. I would never say no to someone asking but they NEVER bring in their own milk or buy one to replace mine that they've used over the weeks...

Today, I brought in a brand new milk, name on it, placed it at the back of the fridge so hard to find, and I've just gone to make a cuppa and it's been opened without asking, and a 1/4 of it has gone!

How do I word an email to my colleagues (if people think I should) that is polite and doesn't sound too petty?

Put a note saying it's expressed breast milk😂

Get a milk lock

That won’t stop CFers from opening it and sniffing it, and using it when they find it is milk.

This is exactly what I do!
I put it in a blue plastic bottle that would normally be mistaken as a protein shake or smoothie. And nobody has been cheeky enough to open the bottle and check. YET!

Some people are so bloody cheeky!

I would decant it into a non cows milk, something like oat milk, that might put people off??

I just take milk in a baby bottle- no-one touches it. My baby is 15 now so they’ve lasted well. 😆

Absolute cheeky fucker! Cereal is just taking the mickey!

Yay to the udder lock. Let us know how it works.

Id be tempted to send an email, even though you've ordered the udder lock

After this morning bringing a full bottle of milk to work, someone opening the bottle, others using it for cereal (you know who you are) and their hot drinks, nearly half my milk has gone before I can even use it myself. Therefore I have invested in a lock for my milk, here is the link to the device for others that are having there milk taken.

The reason being it will look petty but others can then be warned this is happening and the solution to the problem

@Immo8 this is perfect. Whoever the CF who took loads today is will be so annoyed but unable to complain. I’m not usually so petty but …

I was always irrationally annoyed by people who had breakfast (cup of coffee/tea acceptable) at work. You should arrive ready to start work IMO (prepared to have my arse handed to me).

https://amzn.eu/d/6Vusm0b

take a small amount in daily in one of these

I get milk delivered in glass bottles, so I decant some into my old Medela breast pump bottles. It doesn't say "breastmilk" on it and obviously cow milk looks quite different. But still seems to work, I wonder if people are out off by just the idea that it once held breastmilk 😂

Absolute cheeky fuckers

It's not even not wanting to pay half the time, it's disorganized people who forget to buy their own then just nick yours Op. Learn to say No as well because now they can't steal your milk they'll come begging. Remind them the word borrow means you return it, and they never did

I gave up office kitchen wars pre covid. I take my lunch, some fruit, a flask, a mug to work with me every day. No longer do I set foot in the kitchen.

I go in three or four days a week and it saves about £20 week.

A few years ago we had an issue like this. A very strongly worded email was sent out by HR and signs put up stating that taking items from the fridge that do not belong to you is theft and will be treated as so. It seems harsh i suppose but why is it ok to take or steal someone elses food / drink when its not ok to take other possessions. Its still theft.

Needless to say it stopped for a while then someone got caught doing it and were given a final written warning for misconduct. It never happened again.

My company did provide milk though it was just other things that people helped themselves too like bread and things like that.

Either start a "tea club" and have members contribute £1 a month or something for shared milk or take in small amounts for yourself daily.

Your colleagues have obviously decided your milk is fair game as you "won't mind" so you either need to lean in and organise, or you need to break the cycle by not having so much available.

PP said that didn't stop people at her work 😳

I think this is the best option. OP, your described experience is pretty common.
Another alternative is to set up a 'milk fund' if you can be bothered. However, IME, that isn't as straight forward as it might be!
I worked in a place where I bought my own teabags in and didn't mind sharing when asked. However, on the rare occasion I had run out, no one had any to share with me! Ahhhhhhh

Decant into a bottle, label as breast milk

Not good for team relations!

People have terrible manners and it isn't your responsibility to bring them up to scratch (and they will hate you for trying). Disguise your milk as something else or else bring in tiny doses.

Love this!!

I can’t add a separate link to the video review of this but click on this and scroll down - Nigel is an absolute star (and reminds me of Dave off the Royale Family).

Nigel gave it 5 stars.