eating unpurchased food.

[Hibble]

Today the shelves where being stocked at work when it was found that someone had opened one packet of each flavour of cookies (expensive range $11 for 20 cookies) and taken one perfect bite out of the first cookie in each pack.

Young children trying to eat food I could understand but this individual must have been an adult. So days just started and already SC's have destroyed $50 worth of stock


So who else has had SC's eating stock and what's the most unusual/extream?

[persephone]

Wow. That's insane!

I will admit that there has been one or two times that I was shopping and realized I was extremely weak and needed to eat SOMETHING (I do not have diabetes, but I do have some small problems with my blood sugar levels and there are times if I don't eat something, I'll faint or have problems). I would pick up a box of crackers and open it and eat one or two while I was walking. I would then be SURE it got on the belt and would tell the cashier what happened. They never were upset with me so I hope it was okay!

But I can't imagine the audacity of opening multiple bags of cookies and tasting them. That's insane!

[Buglady]

That almost sounds like something a child, or a person with a cognitive impairment might do. If they were really focused in on "which cookies do I like", and maybe remembering a rule at home of "if you don't like something, don't make a fuss, just set it down neatly," it's entirely possible they'd forget (or be unaware of) the rules that if you open something you have to buy it. They were being careful to put the rejected cookies back very neatly, which definitely doesn't sound like the usual pattern for entitlement-minded Suckies.

[Nayeli_Sabia]

As a customer I once witnessed a woman opening tubs of butter, digging her finger through and tasting the butter, then went on to the next brand. I brought a manger over, and the little old lady defended herself saying "How could I know what brand to buy if I didn't know what it tasted like?" I would have hated haveing to work there and figure out which tubs she'd tampered with.

Once I brought home a container of ice cream, and when I opened it it had a scoop already missing. I returned it and got a new one no problem. That was the oddest one, because it wasn't finger marks or anything... it looked like a spoon had been used.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Yeah, the cookie thing sounds like possibly someone with some sort of cognitive disability, or someone's idea of a practical joke.

"How could I know what brand to buy if I didn't know what it tasted like?"

How much variation in flavor is there? It's butter! All I care about is if it's salted or unsalted......!!!


Personally I don't recall ever having eaten something I hadn't paid for (other than opening a bottle of juice or something while waiting on line in the cafe at work during a break; but I just considered that using my breaktime efficiently ). I do have my moments where I need to eat something (not diabetic either, but especially on weekends I have a habit of not eating for long stretches). If absolutely necessary - meaning actually feeling dizzy or faint, not just hungry - I might open something I was buying and eat a piece.

[powerboy]

If I am out shopping, and I start to feel weak (non diabetic), then I will pick up something small. Or even grab bottle of soda or water and open it. But I always make sure to pay for it.

[Shamus]

As a customer I once witnessed a woman opening tubs of butter, digging her finger through and tasting the butter, then went on to the next brand. I brought a manger over, and the little old lady defended herself saying "How could I know what brand to buy if I didn't know what it tasted like?" I would have hated haveing to work there and figure out which tubs she'd tampered with.

People do that with makeup all the time. They use the same kind of excuse when you catch them doing that, too.

[MadMike]

As a customer I once witnessed a woman opening tubs of butter, digging her finger through and tasting the butter, then went on to the next brand. I brought a manger over, and the little old lady defended herself saying "How could I know what brand to buy if I didn't know what it tasted like?" I would have hated haveing to work there and figure out which tubs she'd tampered with.

It also used to bug me when I'd see someone come into my aisle, and spray a little bit from one of the cans of air freshener to see what the smell like. Granted, this isn't the unsanitary issue that arises from doing this with food products, but I think that as a customer I'd be pretty pissed if I unknowingly bought one of the cans that people had been sampling, and had it run out in a day.

If I am out shopping, and I start to feel weak (non diabetic), then I will pick up something small. Or even grab bottle of soda or water and open it. But I always make sure to pay for it.

I've done the same thing too, and I felt a little guilty about it. But I figure they'd rather have me come up to the register with the empty wrapper (which I always paid for) than have to pick my ass up off the floor.

[depechemodefan]

Like that butter story, I think it's someone who just wanted to know how the cookies tasted like.

True story about my dad. I was around age 6 and dad took me to the grocery store. He went to the wine aisle and picked up a Gallo jug and sampled it. We both go to the grocery line and dad buys the wine. The cashier says that it looks like it was opened and some was gone (I think she just wanted to warn us that someone else drunk from it). My dad didn't hear her (he was deaf in one ear) so being helpful I tell her my dad drank from it. I forgot the look she gave, but since no one called the cops or protective services, I think they were in too much shock...or maybe they are used to weird things like that.

[edible_hat]

During common cold season I'll sometimes forget to bring a hankerchief, and I'll pop into a store and open a box of tissues, but I always pay for the box.

It also used to bug me when I'd see someone come into my aisle, and spray a little bit from one of the cans of air freshener to see what the smell like. Granted, this isn't the unsanitary issue that arises from doing this with food products, but I think that as a customer I'd be pretty pissed if I unknowingly bought one of the cans that people had been sampling, and had it run out in a day.

That's why I always take one from the back of the shelf where spray cans are involved.

Also I once chased a homeless woman out of the store because she was spraying herself with a tiny bit of every can of deoderant on the shelf.

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

At our Safeway, it is the rule that clerks must allow customers to taste anything they want to buy. If they want to taste anything, even a can of something, you're supposed to open it up, get a spoon, supposedly, and let them taste it.

I don't know what my husband (he works there) is supposed to do if they want to taste the leg of lamb. I imagine corporate would come up with some lame policy, like "then get the mint jelly, slave!"

[crazylegs]

When I worked retail I would never have any problem with someone eating something with a set value (chocolate bar, crisps, sandwhich) before paying as long as they paid for it. Goods that are dependant on weight for their value (fruit for example), well that's a different kettle of fish...

[Nyoibo]

Just curious with all these people "not diabetic but..." are you guys sure, usually getting dizzy or faint when not eating is a good sign it might be, I only ask because I've gone up to two days without eating and not felt faint or anything figured that was the norm.

Goods that are dependant on weight for their value (fruit for example),

That's usually called grazing, which is stealing.

At our Safeway, it is the rule that clerks must allow customers to taste anything they want to buy.

Is that a single store thing or all stores wide thing, if so I wanna try it at Woolies.

[persephone]

Just curious with all these people "not diabetic but..." are you guys sure, usually getting dizzy or faint when not eating is a good sign it might be, I only ask because I've gone up to two days without eating and not felt faint or anything figured that was the norm.

Yes. Diabetes runs in my family, on both sides, so it's something we were also very very aware of. I do not have diabetes, nor do I need to regulate what I eat or worry about insulin. However, if I'm not careful (I have a tendency to forget meals) my blood sugar will get a little wonky. Usually I keep hard candies or a juice box in my bag because that will tide me over until I can sit and eat a meal, but sometimes I forget to replace it. It's rare though, and usually only happens if I've forgotten to eat (and most likely drank anything either) for like a full day or something.

[Aethian]

I remember when I was a cashier and a lady (and YOUNG son) came up with a bag of grape stems...all the grapes were gone and she asked me to toss the bag. I asked her if it was a preweighed bag or a 'pick your own' bag. She said it was a pick your own so I put in a weight of ten lbs for the price of 2.99lb. (Bad year for grapes) She was appald and asked for my manager, so I got the one who hated theft with a passion.

Manager told her she could pay the price given or she could explain to her son why Mommy was being arrested for theft. Lady paid the price, claimed she would never come back again.

Lady (and son) was back the next day with a very pissed off guy with her. Turned out she complained to her husband who now made sure he came with her while shopping so she wouldn't do something so stupid again. He appologized to myself and manager for her actions.