Sampling or stealing?

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t have said anything. Yes stealing affects their bottom line and prices increase but I would assume if someone is doing this it’s because they need to. It was chicken nuggets, not pricey alcohol, detergent, or other expensive resale items. She was feeding her kid. MYOB.

You’re a patsy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t have said anything. Yes stealing affects their bottom line and prices increase but I would assume if someone is doing this it’s because they need to. It was chicken nuggets, not pricey alcohol, detergent, or other expensive resale items. She was feeding her kid. MYOB.

You’re a patsy.

Agree. It was rainy yesterday, I would have swung my big umbrella at the back of her neck to bring her down and started caning her on the spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who doesn’t steal, this frustrates me because it raises the prices. The mom sucks.

Don’t be naive. Some stealing at a Bezos owned nation-wide grocery chain by a few bad actors is not what is raising the prices.

[Anonymous]

^^PP here. BTW I know stealing is not the reason for price increases, having worked at a major nation wide grocery retailer and been responsible for pricing of products. It’s not even within the realm of calculation. Tariffs, labor, raw materials, and transport are generally what drives price increases. We get absolutely no reports on how much is stolen from the bottom line as a factor to consider for pricing purposes.

That may be a consideration at small mom and pop shops — but I don’t know that, having never worked at a mom and pop shop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You followed her around the store to checkout? What's wrong with you?

Nothing wrong with that reaction. Maybe there's more to the story. Hunger, child abuse? What's the saying.. if you see something, say something. At minimum I certainly don't want to buy it after the kid stuck finger in there. The mom needs to be told not to let it happen.

Yes, there is something wrong with following someone around a store.

No kid put their finger in the food bar. The mother filled the cup and gave it to the kid. Did you seriously think a toddler reached up to a food bar? What’s wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

Team OP- I also can't stand the entitlement of people who don't think the rules apply to them -- across the board. This is terrible for our society. People used to have personal pride and would be ashamed to do something as low as steal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who doesn’t steal, this frustrates me because it raises the prices. The mom sucks.

Don’t be naive. Some stealing at a Bezos owned nation-wide grocery chain by a few bad actors is not what is raising the prices.

It doesn't raise prices but it does close stores. If a store can't raise their prices to cover the losses, the store goes out of business. There is some pretty good evidence of this in the local area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For everyone saying it is no big deal or MYOB, it impacts us. Stealing means the store loses money. The store then has to raise prices because people are stealing. We, a collective we, all pay for the stolen food. I'm not saying the store needs to tar and feather the mother but it should be called out. The mother should be asked to pay for the stolen food.

I agree the theft loss cost is baked into how much we pay. But if that were a desperate mom who wanted her kid to eat, I'm ok with the cost. It's more a reflection of us as a society that we can't make sure kids eat without having to steal.

[Anonymous]

I worked in retail and the reality is it simply isn't worth confronting people who commit minor theft. You can then leave it to the loss prevention guys. We don't want patrons going vigilante either as it just makes everything less safe.

Grocery stores especially, do you know how much prepped food gets tossed out every day?

I am not defending stealing in any way, it's gross. Just explaining why the store and the workers aren't going to other with something like that. The financial cost of low level "shrinkage" isn't worth the risk and costs built in of confrontation.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked in retail and the reality is it simply isn't worth confronting people who commit minor theft. You can then leave it to the loss prevention guys. We don't want patrons going vigilante either as it just makes everything less safe.

Grocery stores especially, do you know how much prepped food gets tossed out every day?

I am not defending stealing in any way, it's gross. Just explaining why the store and the workers aren't going to other with something like that. The financial cost of low level "shrinkage" isn't worth the risk and costs built in of confrontation.

Prepared foods have a markup to offset the loss from unsold items. Markups can be as high as 300%.

Remember, the typical store is making a profit of around 1.6%. They can't afford losses on high markup items.

[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.

Ok. Yes that is stealing and no I don’t believe her kid was starving and needed them and she couldn’t afford food. GMAFB. I can’t believe people are even suggesting that. BUT I wouldn’t care enough to do anything about it. I have other things accompanying my mind.

[Anonymous]

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.