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Original poster

Should I tell Tesco I basically stole £300 from them?

370 replies

loamy · 19/09/2025 20:25

Just checked my banking app and had around £300 more than I was expecting. Turns out that one of our shops was cancelled by dh but it still showed up for delivery. Husband wasn’t in so son accepted the order AND we got the refund. So it’s actually funny because our texts shows us getting our wires crossed. Husband thought I had unilaterally decided to reorder. He asked “so you did decide to do the shop in the end” and I answered in the affirmative as I very coincidentally happened to go into M and S for some bits my daughter wanted to try. And it was that I thought he was referring to. I thought her was being sexy cause dd went a bit overboard with the cookies, dips etc

Anyway, it’s been about three weeks. I guess this has slipped through.

Wouls you tell Tesco? I’m surprised that the idea of being sneaky flashed in my mind.

It was a pricier shop as DH ordered a few nicer bottles of wine to enjoy for a family event.

OP posts:
CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:20

NamelessNancy · 19/09/2025 22:04

How could they possibly demand money for an order which had been cancelled? OP hasn't stolen anything, they have given it to her. If I go into a shop, pick something up and then change my mind, can the retailer follow me out of the store, shove the item in my bag and then demand payment? Ridiculous! Don't think any more of it OP.

The OP has taken something which was not hers and has permanently deprived the owner of that thing.

Yes. The order may have been delivered wrongly and the correct thing to do would have been to notify them at the time and allow them to collect it at their expense with a possible claim for inconvenience caused

Nobody did that which leads to two paths

  1. The OP was aware that the order was delivered erroneously and did not contact the owner. That is theft as defined by the 1968 Act
  2. The OP believed the goods to have been delivered because they had originally been ordered and has consumed them, thereby accepting the contract for payment and is therefore liable (morally and by law). They can issue an invoice or debit the original card.

Whichever way you want to look at it the OP should pay. They have enjoyed the goods rather than just binned them. They would have been happy to pay for the goods originally so it is wrong that they don't now.

I do worry about the basic Morals that some MN'ers are teaching their children.

Arregaithel · 19/09/2025 22:21

Lesina · 19/09/2025 20:38

Not one word would I say :) Enjoy the windfall. Every little helps :)

😆

CosyMintFish · 19/09/2025 22:22

I would tell them. The money doesn’t materialise out of thin air - it comes from their profit margins. Which influence consumer prices and staff wages.

also £300 is a heck of a lot to steal. It’s not an accidental £2 refund, which might cause more work to process the return than it’s worth.

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:22

babyproblems · 19/09/2025 22:10

I wouldn’t say anything either.
Tesco have plenty of money, pay their staff quite poorly and bear a loy of responsibility for eroding food quality for the UK population; as a huge player in the supermarket industry there is LOADS they could do to improve this and farming etc yet they, like most, only care about their profits really. They’re lucky to have you all as customers doing such big shops. So no; I’d see it as some sort of Karma. Xx

If you genuinely believe this then don't shop at Tesco.

Or are we all allowed to steal from people we don't much like??

searchinghere · 19/09/2025 22:23

Moveoverdarlin · 19/09/2025 22:18

A moral, decent person is allowed to be on the receiving end of a little windfall due to a technical oversight once in a while. That’s all this is. She hasn’t stolen any money. It’s was a mistake caused by Tesco. She’ll spend another £300 before the end of the month in there if she’s spending £150 on the weekly shop.

They made £3,124 million in profit for the year 24/25. I have to say if knew someone rang to pay this money back I would think they were an absolute mug.

Show quote history

This!
I was once delivered the wrong food shop by Tesco. My mum was babysitting so took it in, not realising. Later on when we got back we realised it wasn’t our shop and contacted them. They delivered the correct food shop to us (which was a pretty small mid-week top up shop) but we got to keep the mistaken food (about £200 worth) as well.
And yes we enjoyed the mistake, didn’t try to insist we paid Tesco or donate the food back :/

AliceMaforethought · 19/09/2025 22:25

CosyMintFish · 19/09/2025 22:22

I would tell them. The money doesn’t materialise out of thin air - it comes from their profit margins. Which influence consumer prices and staff wages.

also £300 is a heck of a lot to steal. It’s not an accidental £2 refund, which might cause more work to process the return than it’s worth.

Oh good Lord. Lighten up! And it isn't 'stealing'.

NamelessNancy · 19/09/2025 22:25

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:20

The OP has taken something which was not hers and has permanently deprived the owner of that thing.

Yes. The order may have been delivered wrongly and the correct thing to do would have been to notify them at the time and allow them to collect it at their expense with a possible claim for inconvenience caused

Nobody did that which leads to two paths

  1. The OP was aware that the order was delivered erroneously and did not contact the owner. That is theft as defined by the 1968 Act
  2. The OP believed the goods to have been delivered because they had originally been ordered and has consumed them, thereby accepting the contract for payment and is therefore liable (morally and by law). They can issue an invoice or debit the original card.

Whichever way you want to look at it the OP should pay. They have enjoyed the goods rather than just binned them. They would have been happy to pay for the goods originally so it is wrong that they don't now.

I do worry about the basic Morals that some MN'ers are teaching their children.

Show quote history

And if the OP had binned the order? Or had no feidge space to keep ot cool? She told Tesco via the cancellation that she no longer wanted it. Maybe she realised she could no longer afford it? They should not expect to deliver an unwanted load of shopping and demand payment for it. (And they won't, it's clearly their error and nothing to do with OP).

Mumtobabyhavoc · 19/09/2025 22:25

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:20

The OP has taken something which was not hers and has permanently deprived the owner of that thing.

Yes. The order may have been delivered wrongly and the correct thing to do would have been to notify them at the time and allow them to collect it at their expense with a possible claim for inconvenience caused

Nobody did that which leads to two paths

  1. The OP was aware that the order was delivered erroneously and did not contact the owner. That is theft as defined by the 1968 Act
  2. The OP believed the goods to have been delivered because they had originally been ordered and has consumed them, thereby accepting the contract for payment and is therefore liable (morally and by law). They can issue an invoice or debit the original card.

Whichever way you want to look at it the OP should pay. They have enjoyed the goods rather than just binned them. They would have been happy to pay for the goods originally so it is wrong that they don't now.

I do worry about the basic Morals that some MN'ers are teaching their children.

Show quote history

You're not wrong, but God, it must be exhausting being so pious.

Pinkelephant66 · 19/09/2025 22:26

Of course not. They are a multi-billionaire company (google says over 28bn to be precise)

Silveristhecolour · 19/09/2025 22:27

I worked for Tesco when they went through their financial crisis, they took a sythe to their staff, lots of questionable behaviour with the morals of an alley cat. They are now raking in profits during a cost of living crisis, using Clubcard to claim cost cutting, but benefiting from harvesting your data.

Keep the cash. I would, without a second thought. If it was a small or more moral business I wouldn't think of it.

NamelessNancy · 19/09/2025 22:28

Besides, they won't be able to collect anything refrigerated/frozen anyway as there is no way of knowing it has been stored at correct/safe temperatures.

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:29

TunipTheVegimal24 · 19/09/2025 22:02

If you tell them now, it'll cause more problems for their staff. I think they'd be more likely to get in trouble if it came up now, as someone has obviously had an admin error.

In terms of your moral obligation to Tesco the company, they rob all of us, every week. You're just getting a tiny portion of that back.

In terms of your moral obligation to Tesco the company, they rob all of us, every week

This has to be peak Mumsnet delusion.

I'm surprised you buy anything anywhere. Or perhaps you're all just feasting on giant chips as they fall off your shoulder.

searchinghere · 19/09/2025 22:30

Exactly, they would not have picked up the order if OP offered to hand it back.

Tesco made the mistake, they can deal with the consequences (if they even notice)

Moveoverdarlin · 19/09/2025 22:31

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:20

The OP has taken something which was not hers and has permanently deprived the owner of that thing.

Yes. The order may have been delivered wrongly and the correct thing to do would have been to notify them at the time and allow them to collect it at their expense with a possible claim for inconvenience caused

Nobody did that which leads to two paths

  1. The OP was aware that the order was delivered erroneously and did not contact the owner. That is theft as defined by the 1968 Act
  2. The OP believed the goods to have been delivered because they had originally been ordered and has consumed them, thereby accepting the contract for payment and is therefore liable (morally and by law). They can issue an invoice or debit the original card.

Whichever way you want to look at it the OP should pay. They have enjoyed the goods rather than just binned them. They would have been happy to pay for the goods originally so it is wrong that they don't now.

I do worry about the basic Morals that some MN'ers are teaching their children.

Show quote history

Roy Cropper has entered the chat.

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:32

Mumtobabyhavoc · 19/09/2025 22:25

You're not wrong, but God, it must be exhausting being so pious.

Show quote history

I happen to believe that men should not sexually assault women either and that parents should teach their children that.

If it's wrong, it's wrong.

Does that make me pious also?

newmama2023 · 19/09/2025 22:33

Definitely not, take that as the universe giving you a treat. Ocassionally this stuff happens, just take it. And my name is Karma, ive always got to play it careful, but for a conglomerate like them, i wouldn't worry AT ALL

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:33

Moveoverdarlin · 19/09/2025 22:31

Roy Cropper has entered the chat.

Show quote history

Ok. So no legitimate argument against the POV, just an insult.

Classy 🙄

ThriveAT · 19/09/2025 22:35

Tesco isn't covering your shop. It's the other customers who'll pay.

mrlistersgelfbride · 19/09/2025 22:36

I want to say keep quiet and enjoy, you don’t get much for free in this world!
But I know if it were me I’d have to tell them to clear my conscience. It’s likely they’ll tell you to keep it now.
I’d only be thinking of some poor sod who might be getting told off about the error.

TunipTheVegimal24 · 19/09/2025 22:38

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:29

In terms of your moral obligation to Tesco the company, they rob all of us, every week

This has to be peak Mumsnet delusion.

I'm surprised you buy anything anywhere. Or perhaps you're all just feasting on giant chips as they fall off your shoulder.

Show quote history

If I could boycott eating, I would.

emilyinlondonx · 19/09/2025 22:38

You tell them about it.

AliceMaforethought · 19/09/2025 22:39

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:32

I happen to believe that men should not sexually assault women either and that parents should teach their children that.

If it's wrong, it's wrong.

Does that make me pious also?

Show quote history

Did you seriously compare not refunding Tesco to SEXUAL ASSAULT?! You are the one with a skewed moral compass. I don't think that you can compare actual shoplifting to sexual assault, and what the OP did wasn't shoplifting. Good Lord.

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:39

NamelessNancy · 19/09/2025 22:25

And if the OP had binned the order? Or had no feidge space to keep ot cool? She told Tesco via the cancellation that she no longer wanted it. Maybe she realised she could no longer afford it? They should not expect to deliver an unwanted load of shopping and demand payment for it. (And they won't, it's clearly their error and nothing to do with OP).

Show quote history

If the OP did not want the order she was under no obligation to safeguard it and therefore under no obligation to pay for it. She could have put it outside and told them.

However she enjoyed thr use of it and gave the company no opportunity to recover it, or to gift it to her (which they may well still do).

I don't know why people are so happy to twist an argument to avoid the fundamental truth.

Do people not understand why laws exist and how they underpin a fair and just society?

TheSwarm · 19/09/2025 22:40

I would call them, because the idea that I am a honest person matters to me.

Whether it's ma and pa's shop down the road or Tesco, it doesn't matter. It just comes down to whether you are fundamentally a decent, honest person or not.

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 19/09/2025 22:43

AliceMaforethought · 19/09/2025 22:39

Did you seriously compare not refunding Tesco to SEXUAL ASSAULT?! You are the one with a skewed moral compass. I don't think that you can compare actual shoplifting to sexual assault, and what the OP did wasn't shoplifting. Good Lord.

Show quote history

Are they both prohibited by law? Yes.

Can you pick and choose which laws you obey? No.

You seem to be happy to have laws enforced if they protect you, but ignore them if they protect others.

Give your head a wobble about your own moral compass, not mine. Or start explaining to men why they are subject to laws and you are not.