sampling fruits

I too, will take out a bunch of grapes by the stem and place them into another bag and purchase them. DH and I can't eat a big bag of grapes and at the current price, I can't afford to have a bunch spoil.

I always wash my produce before eating it, so if someones fingers have been on it, it doesn't really matter. I don't like it when people walk through the aisles snacking on fruit or items from the bulk bins either prior to paying. Everytime I see this, I'm thinking where is a store employee now, since we all pay in the end.

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Originally Posted by Zonny

If it's from my own garden I don't feel the need to wash it. I don't put pesticides on the stuff, no one else is groping it, what is there to wash off? :)

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Originally Posted by DaveP

Bird poop?

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and insect poop!
yes...they do poop!!

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Originally Posted by Sunshyne1

and insect poop!
yes...they do poop!!

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Gag. I was being harrassed by houseflies last week and made the mistake of checking online to find out why they land on me. They crap, vomit and try to lay eggs on us. Like I didn't hate the annoying buggers enough already...

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Originally Posted by DaveP

Gag. I was being harrassed by houseflies last week and made the mistake of checking online to find out why they land on me. They crap, vomit and try to lay eggs on us. Like I didn't hate the annoying buggers enough already...

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:eek::tongue6:

When shopping with my 1 year old I always give her a banana from the bunch so she can eat it (she will repeatably shout out "naanaaaa" until I do, LOL). BUT, I always ask the cashier to weigh the bunch of bananas, charge me for them and then remove the largest one and ask them to charge me for it again to make up for the one my daughter ate in the store. I'm sure many people assume I'm not going to pay for the Banana my daughter is eating.

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Originally Posted by Poirot

The girl was carrying an open empty box from the bakery too.

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I have personally done that. I usually shop with my kids ( 3 & 2) and they don't have the patience to wait sometimes. Especially if we have been out for a few hrs and I am still doing grocery shopping and they become cranky.
It has happened to me where I have bought croissants, cookies, bagels or water because they were hungry/thirsty and give the cashier an empty box/wrap/bottle to scan so I can pay for the merchandise open/eaten/drank. This way, I do my grocery in peace.
I don't see anything wrong with that?!

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Originally Posted by Zonny

I'll pull bunches of grapes out of several bags and put them into a separate produce bag to purchase. I'm picky about fruit, I don't want squashy or moldy grapes, and I don't think it's part of the deal to have to include the bunch that's rotten just because they're sharing a bag with some nice ones.

I don't eat fruit in the store, I want to get them washed first. But on that subject, if someone's been handling them, etc., is my rinsing them off with water going to do much about it? I try not to think about that. :)

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Same here.

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Originally Posted by Eva-M

I have personally done that. I usually shop with my kids ( 3 & 2) and they don't have the patience to wait sometimes. Especially if we have been out for a few hrs and I am still doing grocery shopping and they become cranky.
It has happened to me where I have bought croissants, cookies, bagels or water because they were hungry/thirsty and give the cashier an empty box/wrap/bottle to scan so I can pay for the merchandise open/eaten/drank. This way, I do my grocery in peace.
I don't see anything wrong with that?!

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Some would argue that it's not yours until it's paid. For me, i dont think it's such a big deal since it's going to be paid but i do try to not do it only because i'm always affraid something might happen while paying. I had my debit card frozen several times for stupid reasons and i just left the store..but what happens if you already ate stuff and cant pay for it?? ..not worth the extra stress a situation like this can cause.

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Originally Posted by Kalmel

Some would argue that it's not yours until it's paid. For me, i dont think it's such a big deal since it's going to be paid but i do try to not do it only because i'm always affraid something might happen while paying. I had my debit card frozen several times for stupid reasons and i just left the store..but what happens if you already ate stuff and cant pay for it?? ..not worth the extra stress a situation like this can cause.

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I always have cash on me; and we are talking about $1 or $2 package/bottle so if worst case scenario is that I have to leave my groceries because I can't pay debit I will pay only for the used merchandise.

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Originally Posted by Eva-M

I have personally done that. I usually shop with my kids ( 3 & 2) and they don't have the patience to wait sometimes. Especially if we have been out for a few hrs and I am still doing grocery shopping and they become cranky.
It has happened to me where I have bought croissants, cookies, bagels or water because they were hungry/thirsty and give the cashier an empty box/wrap/bottle to scan so I can pay for the merchandise open/eaten/drank. This way, I do my grocery in peace.
I don't see anything wrong with that?!

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It's still stealing. If your kids have a hard time at the grocery store, then bring a snack from home. I usually get a Timmies coffee before shopping because I know that I get hungry/thirsty. Why not bring a snack in your purse for the grocery shopping trip. This habit of stealing at the grocery store is just teaching your kids bad habits. They might apply this idea to a different situation and argue that mom/dad/caregiver let's me take stuff at the grocery store, so why not at some other store. One or two dollars is still taking something that doesn't belong to you.

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Originally Posted by RebeccaRYoung

It's still stealing. If your kids have a hard time at the grocery store, then bring a snack from home. I usually get a Timmies coffee before shopping because I know that I get hungry/thirsty. Why not bring a snack in your purse for the grocery shopping trip. This habit of stealing at the grocery store is just teaching your kids bad habits. They might apply this idea to a different situation and argue that mom/dad/caregiver let's me take stuff at the grocery store, so why not at some other store. One or two dollars is still taking something that doesn't belong to you.

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How is it? The items are being paid for. I've done that on a rare occasion and always let my kid see that it's being paid for at checkout before leaving the store. If anything, it teaches them its not ever okay to steal. I'm talking about packages with barcodes and prices on them.

Off topic but: The one time it happened differently was with my youngest son (4 at the time) in Sobeys. At that point he loved bananas. We grabbed a bunch that had exactly 7 (7 kids, one banana each). And I know they're a weighted item, so no eating those items , at all. He wasn't a tantrumy baby or anything, but he was sad and a produce clerk overhearing peeled a banana and gave it to him. Nice intentions but I felt damn weird walking around Sobeys with a young one eating store produce.

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Originally Posted by Eva-M

I have personally done that. I usually shop with my kids ( 3 & 2) and they don't have the patience to wait sometimes. Especially if we have been out for a few hrs and I am still doing grocery shopping and they become cranky.
It has happened to me where I have bought croissants, cookies, bagels or water because they were hungry/thirsty and give the cashier an empty box/wrap/bottle to scan so I can pay for the merchandise open/eaten/drank. This way, I do my grocery in peace.
I don't see anything wrong with that?!

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Funny story. Someone did the same as you -- empty croissant box, empty water bottle, and came to my till to pay me (cashier) for those it items plus the rest of the cart purchases. When I told the total, they could not find the wallet. Face went red. Searched all over. Ran to the car and found the wallet wedged between the seat and the door.

Ran back into the store and apologized so many times. Face still red. I don't think that person ate items before paying for them, ever again.:)

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Originally Posted by RebeccaRYoung

It's still stealing. If your kids have a hard time at the grocery store, then bring a snack from home. I usually get a Timmies coffee before shopping because I know that I get hungry/thirsty. Why not bring a snack in your purse for the grocery shopping trip. This habit of stealing at the grocery store is just teaching your kids bad habits. They might apply this idea to a different situation and argue that mom/dad/caregiver let's me take stuff at the grocery store, so why not at some other store. One or two dollars is still taking something that doesn't belong to you.

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No, it's not. As long as you don't exit the store doors without paying the merchandise it's not stealing.

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Originally Posted by Shwa Girl

Funny story. Someone did the same as you -- empty croissant box, empty water bottle, and came to my till to pay me (cashier) for those it items plus the rest of the cart purchases. When I told the total, they could not find the wallet. Face went red. Searched all over. Ran to the car and found the wallet wedged between the seat and the door.

Ran back into the store and apologized so many times. Face still red. I don't think that person ate items before paying for them, ever again.:)

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Bad things happen to good people too. I said in my previous comment that I've done that before, but I didn't say that's my habit. Everyone learns from their own mistake/experience.

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Originally Posted by Eva-M

Bad things happen to good people too. I said in my previous comment that I've done that before, but I didn't say that's my habit. Everyone learns from their own mistake/experience.

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Nope. Wasn't implying that it was your habit. Your post just made me remember that customer. My post was more in fun than directed at you. Sometimes hard to convey emotion with just typing.:)

I wonder if pumping gas before paying or eating a meal at a restaurant before paying would also considered stealing then, technically, at least until it paid for? My husband pumped gas once and his debit card wouldn't swipe and had to go to the bank, get cash and return to the gas station to pay. I always pay before I pump cause its easier then going in with the kids but I've never considered paying at a restaurant before eating. What if the debt card didn't work then? I guess youd have to go and get cash and come back, which is what I would do if it happened at a grocery store too.

Im sure there are plenty of people who eat things in the stores and don't pay just as there are plenty of people who wouldn't return to the gas station or restaurant to make things right. I think that is when we can say they are stealing.