Sampling or stealing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: You really should mind your own business in a matter like this. Seems clear that the mom is struggling financially, but was responsible enough to feed her child. Show a little class and some grace.

If this event bothered you enough to stalk the woman and her hungry child, then you should have considered paying for the sampled food as a gesture of kindness and as a sign that you recognize your blessings.

+1
JFC what a D*** OP sounds like.

Hey, there are many families struggling right now. Do we just invite them into high priced grocers so that they can steal while we look the other way?

All last summer I drove along Georgia Avenue and I saw at this one church a line that was wrapped around a block. It was for a free meal, free food. There really is a hunger problem in this county, but stealing is not an okay way to solve it.

I could have made a bigger spectacle of it and called her out in front of other shoppers. But I chose to talk to the grocery team one-on-one to keep it calm. That was my grace.

I did not know that poor people came to shop at a premier grocery when there are other food stores and groceries in that same vicinity (with hot bars).

The classism in your writing is absolutely disgusting. May you and your family know poverty, for the lesson in compassion. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: You really should mind your own business in a matter like this. Seems clear that the mom is struggling financially, but was responsible enough to feed her child. Show a little class and some grace.

If this event bothered you enough to stalk the woman and her hungry child, then you should have considered paying for the sampled food as a gesture of kindness and as a sign that you recognize your blessings.

Oh please. She wasn’t struggling financially. She wanted to shut her kid up while she shopped so she felt entitled to grab some nuggets and stuff them in kids face. There’s no good way to pay for food by weight you’ve already consumed, and she didn’t really care.

Her kid was not making any noises. No crying. No anything. It was a well behaved kid.

Usually the noise from a screaming kid would draw my attention. Not here. I was right behind them.

What drew my attention was the soup cup. She started putting the nuggets in there. I thought it was odd. Then I realized what it was all about.

You had way too much time to pay way too much attention to someone else's business. Imagine if you applied that energy to something worthwhile!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so “Karen” OP!!

I don’t think you would say this if you were on the other side of this.

I’m not white, so stop referring to me as a Karen or a “white” thing to do.

If the shoe fits...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which store is this? Asking for some friends.

My guess would be Whole Foods.

Op here and yes!!

This isn't a local mom'n'pop shop. What in the whiteness makes you so irate that a mom fed her kids some overcooked, dried out hot bar nuggets without paying? Is it right? No. Is it the end of the world crisis you're making it out to be? No. Most importantly: does it affect you, at all? NO. The prices at Whole Foods are exorbitant, and won't be increased due to hot bar food that goes unpaid. They throw out enough every day to feed everyone on this thread a feast.

Let other people make their own mistakes when it doesn't cause immediate risk of safety or life. This is peak MYOB territory.

****^^^^^**
First, do not go off on me like that. I shared a story from my day. I asked thru my header how would others view this—a sample or a steal. I think it can be viewed as either. I viewed it as the latter. And I know that I am correct.

Secondly, I shop there often. Yes, others might steal. That’s why they’ve put security guards in there since earlier this year. It’s happening (a lot, I bet) and added security is there as loss prevention. Spoilage is a huge crises across retail, including grocers. So just because you don’t think it’s a big deal, others feel it is. The stores knows it is.

And although this is a minor incident, it’s just like another poster said, at what point do you “normalize” the stealing? Do we just say “there is a mom who wanted some free food for her kids? Should all moms be allowed to do this? Some nuggets here, an apple and banana there, and some milk? Can I just tell the moms that I know who shop there to just do like her?

Spoilage impacts costs, and that impacts bottom lines. Moreover, if I’m an investor, it could impact stock price. Do there’s more to it than “stop picking on this mom.” And believe me when I say this. I volunteer a lot for the food insecure. There are so many resources in this county. I have seen the long lines outside of some centers and churches. I understand and I try to help out where I can and teach that to my kids. But flat out stealing, when so many others put their pride aside and take handouts from shelters and other places, is wrong. Trust me, I’ve never packed a box of premium chicken nuggets as a volunteer. This mom cleverly used her kid and stroller (yes she had a stroller and a cart).

Lastly, I take offense to your “whiteness” comment. I am not white. And the shopper was ethnic (based on wardrobe—long skirt, semi-covered hair) or had strong ties to another culture or religion. She was not American. Probably not a normal shopper at this grocery store. But she knew what she was doing.

She was brazen about it. She went to the dessert area first. When I saw her, she was at the hot food bar. Then she went to the register. She tried to circle back around to other parts of the store after she paid (she went towards fruit section), but I had someone looking over at her by then, so she exited and hurried away.

My question is this, what should we do about shoplifters? Do we grant them a pass or two? Does quantity matter before we act? Or should retailers stop it in its tracks?

Well aren't you an ugly mess! Your behavior is white af, Karen. If you're not a retailer, or employed by one, it is literally not your business.

Won't someone think of the stock prices!? You're a foul beast.

You don’t have to be a Karen or be white (wtf?) to refuse to make excuses for stealing, and to know that it is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those chicken nuggets from the hot bar are yesterday’s leftovers. It doesn’t cost the store as much as you think.

But I agree it is stealing. And I agree it is wrong.

I also agree the OP following the mom around the store is weird.

I did not follow her around the store. When I left the hot bar to check out, she was in a checkout line already. I witnessed everything else from the checkout line. No need to follow here around the store because she did not go that far—hot bar, then checkout line, then tried to loop back into fruit section.

Me and the cashier watched.

If the people who actually work there didn't do anything, you shouldn't either. MYOB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Last thing from me on this (and for the person who says I need help—go work retail and then get back to me).

People steal. Often. And there are many reasons why. I’m not so concerned about the nuggets as I am her brazenness. I can see one or two nuggets. But filling the entire soup cup with nuggets?

Anyway, to each his/her own. I did what I thought was the best thing to do.

But it happens— today it’s food. Tomorrow it’s those outfits for back to school that you can’t afford. Next year it could by $500 from your bank account. I’ve been on the other side of all of these. It’s not nice.

She will hit up another hot bar at another store. She may even come back to this one. She does not have the intent to pay when she knows that she can steal for free and no one will say anything.

Everyone will say “she’s just feeding her hungry kid,” so she knows she can get way with it.

You believe in the "slippery slope" between allowing gays to marry and people marrying animals too, don't you?

If you steal, on a long enough timeline, you get caught. Natural consequences. I really doubt the chicken nugget thief is going to be robbing banks. I also doubt she's a serial offender, just stealing nuggets from anywhere she can. And whether she "gets away with it" or not, she has to live with herself, which is probably far worse than any consequence you'd be able to enforce. Imagine being so broke you had to steal to feed your kid.

I'm more concerned by you, specifically your obsession with a stranger's (alleged) behavior and your need to punish other people for their wrongdoing. What do you do wrong, PP? Maybe you don't steal, but you speed. Or you lie. No human is without their faults. Maybe mind first the plank in your own eye, yeah? What a mess!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they had no food at home.

We have innumerable options for hungry people in this country and local area. No one is starving. When will you people realize that making excuses for people who break the law is bad for society?

Where I live, the food bank is two buses away, a trip that takes over an hour when both buses are on time (and that's rare).

Maybe you'd like to coordinate free food tables at the Whole Foods? People who need to steal food probably don't have the money to travel to do so, and would likely appreciate closer resources to meet their needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Last thing from me on this (and for the person who says I need help—go work retail and then get back to me).

People steal. Often. And there are many reasons why. I’m not so concerned about the nuggets as I am her brazenness. I can see one or two nuggets. But filling the entire soup cup with nuggets?

Anyway, to each his/her own. I did what I thought was the best thing to do.

But it happens— today it’s food. Tomorrow it’s those outfits for back to school that you can’t afford. Next year it could by $500 from your bank account. I’ve been on the other side of all of these. It’s not nice.

She will hit up another hot bar at another store. She may even come back to this one. She does not have the intent to pay when she knows that she can steal for free and no one will say anything.

Everyone will say “she’s just feeding her hungry kid,” so she knows she can get way with it.

You believe in the "slippery slope" between allowing gays to marry and people marrying animals too, don't you?

If you steal, on a long enough timeline, you get caught. Natural consequences. I really doubt the chicken nugget thief is going to be robbing banks. I also doubt she's a serial offender, just stealing nuggets from anywhere she can. And whether she "gets away with it" or not, she has to live with herself, which is probably far worse than any consequence you'd be able to enforce. Imagine being so broke you had to steal to feed your kid.

I'm more concerned by you, specifically your obsession with a stranger's (alleged) behavior and your need to punish other people for their wrongdoing. What do you do wrong, PP? Maybe you don't steal, but you speed. Or you lie. No human is without their faults. Maybe mind first the plank in your own eye, yeah? What a mess!

Why couldn’t this mom feed her kid the cannolis she paid for? Or spend that money on something more healthy for her kid than cannolis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stealing has become so blatant that people who wouldn’t steal see so many people stealing and think- why am I the sucker who is paying for things. It becomes a slippery slope as more and more people steal.

So many people start rationalizing how it isn’t a big deal to steal. That kid is going to go to school thinking it’s fine to steal at school and other places too.

People also think- who cares that the store doesn’t get paid since it’s a corporation. The issue is the executives and shareholders are still making money, they just raise prices so that honest poor and middle class people suffer.

Nah. Some people don't steal, just like some people don't cheat. Some people steal without a reason, just like some people will make up any "reason" to cheat. Integrity is integrity.

Nobody is going to see someone stealing some nuggets and think "Ooh, that's a great idea!" if they weren't already willing to steal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting behavior and I’m sick of it. What is wrong with people?? I’m also pissed off about stores not going anything.

Uhm maybe the child was hungry and she had no money?

So she should steal?

If your child was starving, you would steal too.

Please. Literally no one’s kid is starving in the US. Especially no one’s in Whole Foods.

I know it probably alleviates any kind of feeling of guilt or compassion to say that. Instead, try to actually educate yourself on how many Americans live instead of making ignorant statements.

This isn’t Gaza. No one starving. Prove me wrong. We have the most obese poor people in the world.

Get out of your obnoxious bubble and try to do some good in the world instead of spewing ignorant shit.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics

Again, that doesn’t mean anyone is starving. Being able to meet “food needs of a family member” is subjective. Poor data. Show me data that shows starving underweight kids in the US

Funny how fatphobes are always so wrong about food deserts, poverty, and the quality of "free food". It's entirely possible, even likely to be living with food scarcity and "overweight". Scarcity is a financial issue, and the public solutions are usually highly-processed, low nutrition foods. School lunch is free, and unhealthy af.

So if you're expecting malnutrition of the starvation variety, that's not what usually happens here. It's malnutrition of the nutrien-dense/whole food variety.

It's why OP is complaining she stole the "premium" nuggets, I guess

[Anonymous]

Don't be so gullible. This is obviously a troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a place for people like OP--and it's not Heaven.

The real crime is the amount of prepared food thrown out by grocery stores each day.

This is OP.

Bullshit! I guarantee that I have put in 500 hundred times more hours this past year, volunteering for the poor and food insecure. Trust me on that. I have the receipts.

But as I have shared before, some of you never see the other side of the stealing. You think “ why not just help myself…it’s a business and they make lots of money…they are not missing anything much.”

The kid WAS NOT STARVING —chunky, yes, but not starving. The mom was simply “getting over.” A lot of people do it. But you guys are telling me that it’s right for me to pay $12 for my nuggets, but that she should get a free pass to not pay for hers. Just because. Even if she could pay (she paid for those cannolis, so she had money). She just wanted the nuggets and cookies and whatever else she was going to steal, she wanted it for free. Why pay when you can get it for free, right?

I’ve been on the other side when employees steal from customers (taking from your bank accounts to pay their bills, then trying to hide what they’ve done). Let her steal from your bank account then.

It’s the same. It’s just that some of you prefer corporate welfare meaning it’s okay to steal from Best Buy, Target, LV or Whole Foods because they have many more goods and make a lot of money. So people should be allowed to help themselves every once in a while and let other customers have to pay for it.

But apply stealing to your checking account and you’ll be the first to call a consumer watchdog agency or the bank, disputing the charge and calling it fraud, wanting to get your money back.

A business fraud= okay; personal fraud against you= hell no.

But it’s the same stealing in both cases. The selective outrage is amazing.

Why did you even post the question?!!

I think it’s a gross thing to steal and people do it all the time. It’s wrong. And you think so too. Why go into all this effort and detail? People are going to take steal and cheat. They just do. Most people don’t. You’re also not going to change human nature by all this hand wringing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting behavior and I’m sick of it. What is wrong with people?? I’m also pissed off about stores not going anything.

Uhm maybe the child was hungry and she had no money?

So she should steal?

If your child was starving, you would steal too.

No. I would not. I would go to a church and ask for help because almost all churches have a food pantry exclusively for people on need. Being a thief is a choice!

Again, you have to know where a church is, be willing to deal with the judgment of strangers (which, judging solely by this thread, will be horrific), and have the time to stop by when the church is open/when their pantry is available. You also have to have somewhere to store that food, something to cook it in, something to cook it on, some way to wash dishes...

A lot of y'all have never known poverty and it shows, both in your ignorance and in your complete lack of compassion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you really overstepped here.

Who is to say she didn't tell the cashier. Were you listening THAT closely?

If so, I'd say you're both being weird and honestly, your creepiness outweighs her rule breaking, which may have just been that she forgot.

Get a hobby.

EXACTLY! May I never be a person who is so morally depraved as to need to follow a mother who gave her child a few bites of food.

The fact that you guys are on here trying to tell me off for sharing my story says a lot.

You do you and let me do me.

Where was this attitude when you were judging a stranger's actions, OP? Giant hypocrite!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a place for people like OP--and it's not Heaven.

The real crime is the amount of prepared food thrown out by grocery stores each day.

This is OP.

Bullshit! I guarantee that I have put in 500 hundred times more hours this past year, volunteering for the poor and food insecure. Trust me on that. I have the receipts.

But as I have shared before, some of you never see the other side of the stealing. You think “ why not just help myself…it’s a business and they make lots of money…they are not missing anything much.”

The kid WAS NOT STARVING —chunky, yes, but not starving. The mom was simply “getting over.” A lot of people do it. But you guys are telling me that it’s right for me to pay $12 for my nuggets, but that she should get a free pass to not pay for hers. Just because. Even if she could pay (she paid for those cannolis, so she had money). She just wanted the nuggets and cookies and whatever else she was going to steal, she wanted it for free. Why pay when you can get it for free, right?

I’ve been on the other side when employees steal from customers (taking from your bank accounts to pay their bills, then trying to hide what they’ve done). Let her steal from your bank account then.

It’s the same. It’s just that some of you prefer corporate welfare meaning it’s okay to steal from Best Buy, Target, LV or Whole Foods because they have many more goods and make a lot of money. So people should be allowed to help themselves every once in a while and let other customers have to pay for it.

But apply stealing to your checking account and you’ll be the first to call a consumer watchdog agency or the bank, disputing the charge and calling it fraud, wanting to get your money back.

A business fraud= okay; personal fraud against you= hell no.

But it’s the same stealing in both cases. The selective outrage is amazing.

Why did you even post the question?!!

I think it’s a gross thing to steal and people do it all the time. It’s wrong. And you think so too. Why go into all this effort and detail? People are going to take steal and cheat. They just do. Most people don’t. You’re also not going to change human nature by all this hand wringing.

After you're finished with the OP, I've got a bridge to sell.