Do people have no shame any more?

[tachetastic]

I don't know if the worst part of this story is the fact that its theft or the fact people don't care.

I was in Tesco this morning buying eggs (the normal type, not chocolate) and a couple were standing by the egg display swapping the eggs from two half-dozen boxes of the fancy premium brand eggs into a box for 12 Tesco own-brand eggs. They weren't even being subtle about it. He was just standing there holding the boxes while she swapped the eggs over. He then double checked that the designer eggs she had put in the Tesco box were all unbroken, and then they put the expensive box containing the cheap eggs back on the shelf and put the cheap box with the expensive eggs in their trolley, and off they went.

During all of this I and three other customers were just standing openly watching them and casting glances at each other.

The difference in price was probably about 50p per box, so about a quid in total. But is that the point? Are the eggs so much better that it's worth a heist, or are people just so pissed off with the CoL crisis that anything they can do to feel that they are getting something for nothing is worth while?

The couple so clearly didn't care that I couldn't see the point in telling them it was theft, but when they left I moved the two boxes containing the cheap eggs to one side and left them open, so nobody would pick them up not realising they weren't the fancy eggs.

AIBU, this is fine and large supermarkets have it coming?

or AINBU, this is still theft and cheeky fuckery of the highest order?

And more interestingly, what cheeky fuckers have you seen lately who could beat this?

You should absolutely have said something to the shop assistant. It’s not fair on the people who end up buying the box they swapped the nicer eggs from.

I was in our local Tesco last week, and a man told the shop assistant he had just seen a man walk out without paying for any of his shopping. He got into a massive white Mercedes that had deliberately parked across two spaces. The shop assistant rushed out and called out to them and they just drove off. It was so brazen.

People have no morals anymore. It’s all me me me.

I work in a supermarket and the egg swapping carry on has been going on for years.

I suppose I might have taken the swapped eggs up to a member staff but not sure why so many people are having a go at the op. So many shops now just don't do anything...they certainly wont challenge or confront and the op probably shouldn't either. Its really sad but its not safe to do so.

Agree with this. Report and name time and place to staff to get them to investigate. Absolute CFery.

I shop in a fairly large Tesco - not a superstore with 2 floors, but not an Express either. Some time ago I witnessed an elderly man and his wife, (I presume), cutting off the stalks of a large amount of bananas so that they would weigh less on the self-weigh machine. They just left the stalks in the base of the trolley. Our store usually has a security guard based by the doors, but I was too flabbergasted to think straight!😳

It may be more prevalent now but it has gone on for ages.

Some years ago I saw an older couple, maybe late 60s, opening packs of strawberries that closed with the little popper closure and taking nice ones out of other packs and adding them to their pack so they were getting more and better. I said "Do you think that's fair? Other people are going to buy those packs". They just ignored me, put the pack in their trolley and walked off
I told an employee and he just said it happened all the time
Standards have fallen in many ways and I agree some people have no shame

God that so grim.

This made me piss myself tbh. Do they not sound more bonkers than shameless?

I think both of the choices in your post are true, OP.

supermarkets continue to make record profits while we all struggle AND people are getting more outrageous.

the co-op round the corner from me gets robbed EVERY DAY by the same guy. Comes in with a big bag, fills it with booze and walks out.

the staff - both young women - are clearly intimidated and don’t try to stop him. Last time I saw it I tried to grab the bag from him but he just laughed and ran.

I think shoplifting has effectively been decriminalized.
And our local sainsbury now has so few staff since they put in self service tills that there’s no one to tell . They obviously save money by cutting staff.

I have seen this recently on social media and my husband thought I was joking when I opened a box of eggs to check before buying.
My local high street has a LOT of shoplifting at the moment and I have often seen it. I wouldn't question the people but have mentioned to shop staff and they have to let it slide when it is small stuff as they could be hurt by confrontation.

I’ve said about the brazen theft that I witness almost every time I go to the shops on here before. It’s everywhere.
the two men who bust a side door open in Aldi, one carrying a basket of steaks the other a basket of vodka
the tradie scanning his meal deal in a shop. I go behind him and he’s scanned but not paid.
watching a chap walk into a shop and he opens his backpack and fills it with alcohol and walks out
the kids who walk into a cake shop and help themselves to items they can grab and walk out
once you start seeing it you see it all the time.

It’s not the supermarket that misses out it’s the other shoppers who have prices higher to cover the cost of stolen food - why do you think the supermarkets do F all

I don’t know if it’s the same across the country but our Tesco has wide open doors and self service tills -Aldi has one or two manned tills and a narrow exit where you have to go through the till. Perhaps that is why Aldi is so much cheaper…. much less stolen food and drink

I shall make sure I do this if I ever come across such appalling behaviour

This was in the media a few weeks ago and it was shoppers in a posh Waitrose in the SE ( Cotswolds or somewhere) doing that.

I think I'd have tried to call an asst over in your position or spoken to a security guard if that was convenient.

Police won’t attend unless is over a certain amount.
Every week the teenagers have meal deal often with the Costa for free wondering around the store eating, at Tesco.
Greggs is an awful design for stopping the shoplifters, often in queue and someone leans over and steals a couple. A few have even said excuse me, while they lean in. I always tell the staff. They just say there is nothing they can do, plus the state of the shoplifters I wouldn’t do anything either.

🤣🤣🤣

Egg-strordinary!

I know we should have sympathy as a lot have drug and alcohol addiction but I don’t really. The ones in our local community have had lots of help etc, but they won’t engage and just want the money and to be left alone!

Agree this is shameful.

But I also think large shops are saving £££s by leaving us to deal with those fucking self service tills and charging stupid prices for stuff - it probably balances out.

I go to the checkout person I don't mind a bit of chat what I do mind is self service tills I shouldn't be expected to work for free whilst in-store.

I think I’d have told shop security what’s going on

Maybe shops should be like Amazon Fresh in London.

Agreed