Is it legal to eat food at a supermarket before you purchase it?
Kierz asked:
Woman goes into shop, does her shopping but feels peckish. Takes a bag of crisps and eats them while shopping, then scans the empty packet and pays for them. Is it technically legal?
Woman goes into shop, does her shopping but feels peckish. Takes a bag of crisps and eats them while shopping, then scans the empty packet and pays for them. Is it technically legal?
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
It’s fine! no biggie!
As long as you have intentions to pay for it.
Hey… she was hungry =)
February 4th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Not technically legal, but most stores don’t mind.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:25 am
I don’t know if its illegal or legal..but its rude and disgusting.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
yes its legal.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
You would only need to pay for the food at the exit. As the food is still technically in the store - even though it is in her stomach - it’d be technically legal, provided the packet was retained and honestly presented for scanning.
February 14th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
It will be up to the supermarket in question.
I would allow it to occur.
Helping yourself to a few grapes, or other small fruit is technically shop lifting.
I would issue a warning, but it wouldn’t be worth my effort or cost to make an issue out of it.
February 17th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Yes it’s fine.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
ah yes! Its not yours till its purchased.
February 21st, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Technically it is stealing. They call it grazing and its illegal. BUT you are off the hook if you pay for it. Most stores won’t do anything until you go to hide the package or put it back on the shelf opened.
February 23rd, 2008 at 6:57 pm
you cannot be charged with shop lifting until you leave the store with an item, therefore it’s legal. however the store may frown upon it and has the right to tell people they cannot do it
February 24th, 2008 at 11:57 am
I’ve done this before, rarely……… and have had no problems as long as I scan the empty bag at checkout. As for the legalities of it, I would think that the camera’s would pick you out eating the product, throwing away the bag and such to fine you, but I have never seen a sign in reference to it in any store. So, there must not be a big problem, as of yet, with this issue. Technically, almost everything is illegal these days. Happy Grocery shopping and munching!
February 27th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Ummmm…i’m not really sure but i know that i’ve done it a few times before! =]
February 29th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
no it is not iilegeal to eat food at a supermarket. just make sure that you pay for it or else thats stealing, and stealing is iilegeal. Plus it is always better to pay for it first; so that there is no confusion to the workers that you stole it or not.
March 1st, 2008 at 5:46 am
It might not be illegal, but WOW it’s tacky!
March 4th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I think it’s legal, as long as you pay for it.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Technically and legally, it’s not yours until you pay for it - whatever it is. There have been people who went up to the cash register with banana peelings (after they ate the bananas) and wanted to pay for them. Any item based on the pound can’t be weighed if you only have part of it left. Like a bunch of grapes where you ate half before you hit the checkout.
And, those that nibble on the grapes or whatever in the store and had no intention on buying any when they did that are definitely doing something illegal but the store won’t press it. Instead they raise the price so everyone else has to pay for the actions of those people. If the store wants you to sample their fruit, they put it out for you to try - I’ve seen people go through the fruit section and take 5-7 Bing Cherries at over $5 a pound - without stopping and having no interest in buying. Their children follow their lead and do the same thing.
To me, that is just downright stealing.. I never - and I mean NEVER eat anything until I’ve paid for it. If my stomach were upset and I needed crackers, I’d get the crackers - pay for them - and start eating them with the receipt in my pocket while I do the rest of my shopping.
Honesty is very important and unfortunately it’s not being taught much anymore.