to say M&S is not family-friendly !!

[GLS]

Hands up if you've ever had one of those moments in a supermarket where your 2 year old is throwing the world's greatest tantrum and you're caught with no milk or snacks. Today I was in M&S at Lakeside. It was packed. My toddler decided to let loose with a super-dooper tantrum so I grabbed a banana to settle him as I tried to do the shopping as fast as I could without seeming like a crazed woman! The check-out queue was a real challenge but luckily a kids mag was the perfect distraction. So I checked out, paid the bill and was leaving the store only to be stopped by a security guard who said "Do you know why I'm stopping you?" I wondered if I'd won some prize like being the 1,000th shopper or something. He persisted in asking me "Do you know why I'm stopping you?" I hadn't a clue. Did they want my feedback on my customer experience perhaps? He escorted me off to a room where I was advised that I had stolen a banana from the store without paying. I had completey forgotten about the banana! After just spending £50.57 in the store I said sorry but you're kidding right? He advised me they were calling the police! After full-on interrogation & full personal data checking, and 30 minutes of ridiculously wasted time, I was advised I was being issued with a letter barring me from ever entering another M&S store ever again, and if I did police action can be taken. I said "Do you know how much I spend at M&S every year?" (the answer is around £3,000+ pa!). I was well-dressed and presented - not your average hoodie with that 'repeat offender' type of look! So there you go. I'm sure shareholders should be worried if this is M&S' practice on mothers! What's your opinion?

IMO YAREBU

and M&S are NOT being unreasonable

good point brokenrecord, as others have pointed out they're not going to have mug shots at the tills but it probably just strengthens their position legally

I think the strangest thing about this thread is the fact that people need snacks to keep their kids quiet?

Kids having a tantrum and the parent "rewards" the child with a snack? Odd. Odd. Odd.

I buy my fruit and veg from the green groucers, my dd always gets free banana or an orange and sometimes she gets some free grapes

So there!

Perhaps M&S should have an ad campaign - "Spend £50.57 and get a free banana".

"It's not just any free banana, it's an M&S free banana"

MsSparkle - agree totally. If going food shopping, cardinal rule is never go when you are hungry.

Can I please set the record straight in relation to the definition of theft?

Sect 1 Theft Act 1968:
A person commits theft if they;
dishonestly
appropriate
property
belonging to another
with the intention
of permanently depriving them of it

There have been some incorrect views on this thread in relation to what does and doesn't constitute theft (and, incidentally, also about the age of criminal responsibility, and parental responsibility for the actions of minors).

At the point where the OP fed her child the banana, she appropriated it, as she had assumed rights of ownership to consume it. However, it was not dishonestly appropriated.

Dishonesty can be established by observations of the actions of the person, for example, did they conceal it? Pass opportunities to pay etc.

My interpretation of the OP's comment of 'Do you know how much I spend here?' may have been that she was trying to demonstrate that there was no intent to dishonestly deprive, not that she somehow felt entitled to help herself to bananas.

She doesn't state in the OP whether or not she apologised and offered to pay.

Although I may be a bit soft. I'm sure lots of shoplifters come out with these sorts of lines.

pmsl - if we want to get technical - she DID conceal it - it was in the LO's tummy! No idea what she did with the banana peel - figuring she did not leave it in the trolley or she would have remembered to pay for it - if she threw it away while going through the store, it would look to security like she was attempting to hide it. And if she was leaving the store when they stopped her, then she did pass up the opportunity to pay.

Probably a wind up anyway - but honestly, it has spawned some brilliant jokes on other threads! So well worth it!

This thread contains the only posts by the OP,so figure it's wind-up. Nice one [jeremy beadle]