To think stealing food isn’t wrong if you’re starving?

[ThatPinkHedgehog]

If someone is hungry and has no means to buy food, is it really immoral for them to take what they need to survive? AIBU to think there’s a moral grey area when it comes to stealing for survival?

Fucking hell YoungGuns, that is awful. I hope you're OK now.

In German there's a word for stealing to eat, Mundraub. Mund=mouth, raub=theft/robbery. It was in the legal code until 1975 (just looked it up).

Contrary to what I thought, there was a punishment for it, but only enforced if owner insisted. I grew up believing that Mundraub was not subject to prosecution; I think to many people the word implies something similar to self-defence.

Can't believe you thought my comment was generated by a bot. You don't know your stomach shrinks the less you eat. So when you feed your kids before yourself there are only odd days when you feel starving.

Of course it is wrong.

There are always places you can get food.
It might not be the food you would choose and it might be a long walk to get it, but it exists.
There are food banks and there are other charities set up who feed people.

Not really. If a person’s only income is benefits then it can be very little indeed, particularly if they’re in a private rent where they have to pay the remainder as LHAs are so low in comparison.

Healthy Start vouchers are £8.50 a week maximum. Doesn’t even pay for one tin of Aldi’s own brand formula.

Anyway, let’s not make this a benefit bashing thing. There will be plenty of people that work who are also struggling to make ends meet at the moment. Those that are quick to judge or pooh-pooh the very idea that someone could be so poor would do well to be grateful for what they have.

I think it’s wrong. There are other means of getting help such as food banks, charities, benefits, etc. I would exempt children from this who may not be able to access those things themselves.

Also, to argue that it’s okay is making an assumption that the person who it is stolen from doesn’t need it. Sometimes that is the case - a large supermarket chain might be able to cope with theft. But sometimes it’s definitely not - an individual might not have any means to replace what is stolen, a small corner shop might be on the verge of going under due to theft.

Listen, I work alongside homeless folk. I know them and what they are like and the majority are fairly well fed. Money buys drugs not food - they are a community on their own. So don't lecture me on Reform, get your facts right

Quinlan · Today 21:46

It’s not really for survival in this country though. There are food banks

It’s so much harder to access food banks than I suspect most people realise. With the Trussell Trust, for example, there are so many hoops to jump through.

So many people, for whatever circumstance, lead very difficult and chaotic lives and simply won’t - or can’t - engage with any form of officialdom.

Our local Methodist church operates its own food banks. I’m an atheist but I can see that they are wonderful, caring people.

No referral required. If you’re in need, turn up on Wednesday morning and you will receive 5 days of meals. They’ve also co-opted a local restauranteur who provides ingredients and staff to operate a £1 per meal food service, children free. Hot breakfast, lunch and two course dinner 5 days every week.

If you walked into a hospital or food bank in the UK & were starving, you'd be fed.

There are also a hell of a lot of other places including various charities/churches etc who will feed someone in this sort of circumstance.

Between the benefit system, food banks, charities and companies donating unused food - there should be very few instances where people are actually in this position

If someone is absolutely destitute. Also, if they haven't wasted their money elsewhere i.e. Drugs and it's clearly their own fault they don't have food.
Yeah go ahead, especially food that's been thrown out anyway. Obviously not a full shop and not massively priced items just to sell on for drugs.

Going back about 17 years ago my DH was convinced he was going to have to steal a pack of nappies
He'd lost his job, no JSA until the following day and one nappy left. Luckily he went in to Sainsbury's and used his nectar points and the bit of cash he had to pay for them.
I will never forget that. Luckily not been in that situation since but it was a scary time. So I wouldn't judge others who might be in the same boat or worse off and need to steal food.

I'm on benefits. I got healthy start vouchers well cards now, never not been able to eat or feed my kids it's about learning to manage money and living within your means and food came before luxuries

you mean to sell on to desperate mothers who don’t have much money

No to sell to mothers who would rather spend there money of other things

I agree with you. Maybe just don’t steal from small shops or places where the employees will be the ones in trouble.

But hunger is hunger.

You do realise @ThatPinkHedgehog that the supermarkets pass the cost of the theft onto the consumer.

We are paying for the shoplifting. It's not just the food stores, but all stores do this. We also pay for the additional security requirements. I'm sure there will be stats somewhere showing the extra cost to consumers for the theft. Latest figures show nearly £2 billion of goods stolen annually, some will be within the supply chain, but that will come out of our purses. Then there's the human cost to the staff that get abused and assaulted by the thieves. It is not a victimless crime.

Over 40 years ago I stole a pint of milk and some potatoes from a doorstep when I was desperate (in the days when milkmen also delivered other basic items on request)
I was lucky enough to have some credit left on electric meter so boiled them and mashed with the milk - it kept me going for 4 days until I got paid
No food banks then - I was still mortified and terrified of getting caught

Well, Snap! Because I also get benefits and have never not been able to feed my child either.

Where we differ, however, is that I’m not so small-minded to think that just because I did something means that everyone else should too. It really isn’t that unfathomable to think that in 2025, when the UK is falling apart at the seams and the poor keep getting poorer, that some people might not be able to afford some items. And formula milk is very expensive. It doesn’t take a genius, does it?

I agree with you OP x

I don't think stealing is immoral per se anyway, even if you're not hungry. It always depends what you're stealing from whom and under what circumstances.

Getting access to a food bank is not straightforward. Typically, you need a GP's referral, and even then you will only get 3 days food. You also can only visit up to three times in a month. I think those commenting saying "there's no need to steal, we have food banks" perhaps don't know this.

Of course that's ok but I am not particularly offended by shoplifting amyway

You’re not the brightest, are you? It won’t affect profits at all because the prices will be raised for everyone or the employees will not receive the pay rise they we’re hoping for. The companies will still make the same profits.

And since you think it’s ok for people to steal if they have no resources to buy food, you’d presumably be ok with someone stealing your debit card and using that to buy food? Or getting access to your card number and ordering a pizza delivery online? No? Thought not.

Formula is expensive which is why the government gives £8.50 a week in healthy start vouchers and the other few quid can come out of child benefit. So I don't understand why people would need to steal formula when your literally given the money for it. Maybe another option is to get rid of healthy start vouchers, decrease child benefit and physically hand parents a tub of formula if they can't cope with this themselves.

This is very antagonistic language for someone who is incorrect.

You're assuming theft is attached to rate of sales. I'm assuming you don't have an economics background; read up on retail shrink, if you're interested.