Canadian Quick Questions: Grocery Store Snacking Before Paying – Is It OK?

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snackingshopping

We have discussed this before on SmartCanucks and likely will again, but the topic came up on our facebook page yesterday.

Do you think it is ok to snack before paying in the grocery store?  Does this differ for you if it is a bulk item compared to a single priced item?

A few weeks back I saw a woman bring her banana skin to checkout with a 2nd banana, she handed both to the cashier and said “I ate the banana, it was around the same size as the other one, so just charge me for two”.  As usual, bananas are checked out by weight, so the cashier can’t just enter two x weight.  She countered by doing two weighs of the same banana.  She only had about five other items – would it have really killed her to wait to eat that banana.  She paid for it, which is much more than many people who like to ‘sample’ produce and bulk goods, but still…

Does your opinion change when it is a child? I know many people bring a snack for their child while shopping, but my neighbour was once stopped by loss prevention asking for the receipt for the snack bar her child was eating, which the store did sell in singles (which shows the issue of eating in the store is an issue for stores). But a snack can soothe a child and allow everyone to shop in peace.  Is it that big a deal to pay for the one item then shop?  Many stores have a customer service or hot food counter where you can pay for an item.

What about testing a grape to see how sweet they are before buying?  You can’t check a cookie from the box or a slice of bread from a loaf – all those grapes must add up to lost profit and higher prices?

What do you think? Do you snack/sample while shopping?  Cashiers and other store employees, how does your store handle this?


56 responses to “Canadian Quick Questions: Grocery Store Snacking Before Paying – Is It OK?”

  1. Erin says:

    snacking is okay as long as you are an honest person and pay for it at the end. Bulk foods and foods by weight no, not acceptable, that is stealing.
    Giving a child a snack bar if they are having a meltdown from the box no biggie.

    As long as you pay it is okay.

  2. Tami says:

    I’ll admit to snatching a grape off the bunch while it’s in my cart… as for actually opening packaging to eat something before it’s paid for, I’ve never done it.

  3. Karen says:

    The stores need to make up the loss from all the snackers somehow….hmm…I wonder how?

  4. glowworm2k says:

    I’ve never eaten before paying, but I often see things like half-eaten, abandoned bags of chips, boxes of cookies, peels from fruit, etc. around the stores where I shop.

    IMHO, it’s both disgusting and dishonest.

  5. Amy says:

    You can rationalize it all you want, “testing a grape” is still stealing.
    This kind of behavior is, however, more of a manner issue than a legal one. I do judge those people. If they break the rules while everyone is watching, what else are they capable of when no one is watching?
    When it comes to children, eat a proper meal before you leave. This has to do with their long term wellbeing. If you just give them a snack when they are fizzy, they will crave snacks as a calming fix. And it extend to toys and other fixes as well. And nurturing delay gratification is the best thing you can give to your children. Children who are good with delay gratification grow up to be healthier, happier, more educated, more successful, and less likely to do drugs.

  6. Jessica says:

    The only time I’ve done something along this line was one time when I had wicked seasonal allergies and I was grocery shopping with my husband. My nose was like a fountain and I ran out of tissues. My husband went and grabbed a box of Kleenex and ripped it open and gave it to me. I felt really guilty and embarrassed, but it was a semi-emergency.

  7. hogama says:

    a bulk item that goes by weight… no. But if it’s a box of snack bars and my 4 year old wants one… then yes. I will tell the cashier that he was hungry and they always understand. If I am checking out, I will get her to scan the bananas first… then give him one in the cart after it’s rung in. That’s when his patience runs out!!! So, a banana keeps him quiet, and I can usually check out in the time it takes him to eat one! ….lol Great topic!

  8. Nevah says:

    This is a hard one (in terms of produce). Just last week I bought a huge bag of green grapes (and at a horrible price!), didn’t test/snack it, brought it home and the entire bunch was so disgustingly sour they were inedible and I had to throw them out. I would feel guilty testing/snacking it in the store b/c I didn’t pay for it, but I was annoyed that I spent a lot of money on grapes and had to throw out the whole bunch.

  9. ilovegratis says:

    I know everyone will have a different opinion on this one and it will depend on your values and beliefs etc. I do on occasion give a 1/2 a bun to my child, when I am shopping. I will get a few buns from the open bakery section and take a 1/2 of one and give it to my child and leave the other half in the bag with the others so the cashier can charge me for the full one. I have never have a problem . Plus it keeps my child from being quiet and cooperative, specially on busy days.

  10. tao says:

    I never eat at the grocery store, I try to buy everything I need fast and then I leave. If I’m hungry I’ll choose something to eat while I walk back to my place (usually it’s ciabatta bread) but I’ll pay for it before eating. I think it’s ridiculous, I mean, how long are you in the store?
    I don’t have children but I remember asking my mom when I was a kid and she always told me to wait until we get home…

  11. Fen says:

    Eating unwashed grapes is both gross from a sanitary/health perspective and poor manners in my opinion. If your kid is hungry, bring a snack.

  12. Youbad says:

    I agree with Fen. Feed your kids before! Eating unwashed produce is unsanitary, I have seen people pick their nose and then touch all the broccoli heads to find a good one!! Hahahahaa! I walked away and said loudly”thats disgusting!” hoping they would hear…. People who open chips, cookies etc. are Rude!!! I live with 2 diabetics and we have never eaten food at a store, even when they are low. BRING A SNACK!!!!!! Never ceases to amaze me how many rude and self entitled people there are!!!!

  13. Shelly says:

    Bulk items, no way. As many times as I have had my kids shopping with me, I think I may have opened a box of granola bars(or something similar) a couple of times. I used to try and have a snack or treat handy for such occasions. I do remember doing it in front of the cashier and let her know. This was when my kids were younger and they didn’t have as much patience. LOL. I do most of my grocery shopping in one particular store so I am in there a while. I grocery shop once every two weeks. I do remember going to the express cashier to pay for a drink or some fruit item for one of the kids so I could finish my shopping in peace.

  14. Scarecrow says:

    I did this when I was in elementary school, then when I grew up and made money for myself I stopped. I think it is wrong to sample small items.

  15. bcheezee says:

    If you have kids with you, you’ve likely put a couple snacks in your purse. I’ve been stuck without a drink or a snack once or twice, sure – but I paid for the item before it was opened or consumed. If every person that walked into the grocery store “sampled” the grapes etc, do you realize how much loss that is to the store? It’s theft. Not to mention how NASTY that is that you are feeding your kids or eating yourself – unwashed produce. Blech. Ask someone who works/worked in a grocery store, how many items are left opened and eaten. Tons. and again, it’s theft and if I see someone do this, I will call them on it. “Oh looks like you left your child’s snack here, I’m sure you meant to pay for it”. And I agree… feed your kids before going grocery shopping. Do you feed your kids before going to the park? or to a friend’s house? Or do you walk there expecting to be fed?
    But… in the big scheme of things — do we expect people to be honest and pay for things when people can’t even follow simple laws like red lights and stop signs? not to mention, theft! hahahaha… right.

  16. Vicky says:

    The majority of big chain grocery stores must give you a sample from any item you ask to try. I use to work in the produce section of one such store and you were expected to go wash the fruit and serve a sample to whoever asked! The same policy went throughout the store, including packaged items.

    I am all for snacking as long as it is a packaged item.

  17. Marion says:

    I confess to taste-testing grapes (1) before buying because sometimes when you get them home they taste awful and since they can be pricey that’s a big waste. However, I have been in stores that PROVIDE a basket of grapes, or cut up oranges, etc. just for taste testing and I think that is a terrific idea since they probably washed them first. I have never eaten anything else before paying for it. Another store will give you a slice of deli meat if you want to try it before buying and it even offers a small slice to children if you have them with you.

  18. Erina says:

    I worked in a grocery store for 5 years and have seen it all! I once saw an old man walk around a store eating cherries like it was nothing (when they weren’t on sale and cost a bunch per pound) and once he got to the cash, neglected to mention that he ate half the bag. Stores are prepared for this sort of loss and have a buffer set up for it; that being said, it’s still not ok. If you eat bulk items in store, it’s considered stealing and you will be penalized.

    I think the only exception of seen to this rule is when it comes to the deli meats that they slice for you. I worked as an assistant manager of that department and would regularly offer the first slice to customers or have them try it before they buy it. That’s not to say that it’s ok to ask for a sample of EVERY kind of meat in one visit (your server will get angry at you…).

    I would rather lose a couple pennies for a slice of meat than dollars because someone bought a pound of it and didn’t like it. Once the meat is slice and in your hands, I can’t resuse it for something else so it gets dumped.

  19. Consumer says:

    NO. WAIT TILL YOU GET HOME YOU IMPATIENT PIG

  20. Ashley says:

    I don’t think it’s ok to sample food before you have paid, I consider that stealing. I think if you’re planning to take your child grocery shopping with you. then you should be prepared and bring a snack.

  21. Anna says:

    The only time I have ever had my child eat anything while in the store was when we would shop at Metro – if you go to the bakery section they will give your child a fresh cookie. Other than that, no.

    Bulk items = stealing.

    Eating or using something from a box or package that does not affect the price when scanned………. well, there are emergencies. Tissue emergencies (as stated above) and to prevent a child from throwing a tantrum …. it’s okay. I just don’t think it should be a habit to let a child do that unless you are also teaching them that it’s okay because you pay for it at the end. A four year old won’t make that connection on their own.

  22. shopper says:

    it’s not yours till you pay for it. stand up to your kids and teach them to behave themselves. don’t give in to their tantrums.

  23. mag says:

    The problem boils down to people’s attitudes. Fewer and fewer people seem to realize that when they are not in their house, almost everything around them does not belong to them and it is not their personal space.

    The food in the grocery store does not belong to you – you don’t get to eat it until it does. The books and magazines in the bookstore do not belong to you – you shouldn’t read it and damage it until after you’ve paid for it. (Seriously, next time you’re in a large bookstore, look for the losers doing their homework or sitting for hours reading or bending spines. There’s a place for doing all of that and it’s called a library.) You paid for one seat on public transit, not three. Etc etc etc.

    If you really really need to eat something in a grocery store and you don’t want to pay for it first then ask. Why should the staff assume you’re any different than the ones who open product then dump it back on the shelf?

  24. grace says:

    I find it shocking that people cannot wait to exit the store before having a ‘snack’. To me, it’s a sign of low willpower. Who is unable to wait 20 minutes to have something to eat? It’s rude to the grocery store and to the other shoppers who may be wondering whether you will be paying for your snack.

    RE: children having tantrums – don’t bring them grocery shopping or bring a toy to occupy them. Appeasing them with a snack will teach them the wrong things.

  25. Kristin says:

    Lots of store have programs for kids – free cookies, balloons, etc. My kids don’t get their treat until we’re done, and ONLY if they have been good. If they’ve been naughty, rude, impatient, etc they don’t get it. I purposefully start at the opposite end of the store and work my way towards the treat at the end. Then they still have their free treat at the checkout and I can hand over my coupons in peace, plus have well behaved kids. I also use those kiddie rides as rewards instead of treats (my kids just sit on them and don’t even know they move lol). If you’re not good, you don’t get it, so you better be good!!

    The one exception that I’ve made was with my son (about 8-9 months at the time) and he was melting down in the checkout line, so I grabbed one of those squeezy tubes of baby food from my basket and gave it to him. He was EXTREMELY loud, and you could hear him across the store. You can’t really rationalize with a child that young. I just gave the package to the cashier to scan first.

    When it comes to bulk item sampling, no way.

  26. Melissa says:

    It is not OK for any reason. A store is not your personal pantry. Parenting includes saying no and teaching patience and manners to children. Although if the parent does not have any either….In a case of good behaviour most in store bakeries will offer a fresh cookie to your child otherwise until it is paid for it is not yours and therefore you can be stopped for stealing.

  27. Marianne says:

    No, I don’t feed my kids unpaid for food at the grocery store.

    That being said, if I know I’m going (with the under 3 crowd) I pack a sippy cup and some cheerios.

    I also have seen some parents pick up a package of fries from the prepared foods department, pay for it and then continue shopping with their young children. This IMO is a great idea.

  28. Danifish says:

    I can’t stand it when I see people “trying” the fruits etc…. On the other hand, if it is in a package I am guilty. Only once or twice have I ever done it and only because I forgot a snack for my son, and would have led to a very unpleasant experience for all, that or he would try to chew on the cart…. any other time we can wait until after we have paid. Now at age 3, he knows that we always have to wait to PAY FIRST!

  29. Danifish says:

    Marianne – we also do this sometimes too! It’s a nice little treat once and a while, especially if they have been really good all day. It’s a nice change from the normal snacks too!

  30. Jill says:

    This is not okay. I have worked in a grocery store.
    It is quite simple, buy it before you consume. I am not aware when this rule had ever changed!??
    Bring toys/snacks to entertain children with you or don’t bring them…
    Ever wonder why grocery prices keep going up??? (thanks to those who decide to “snack” or bust into a bag of cookies before getting to the checkout and throwing empty packages on the floor) what if your form of payment is not accepted (declined or machines not working etc..)
    Do you honestly think you are setting a good example for the next generation??

  31. Waggy says:

    Wow..some pretty harsh statements here…..”let he who is without sin cast the first stone”..= short line……sampling, theft, spoilage, employee taste test etc… is all factored in the prices…..I would be betting that the majority of nay sayers have taken something from work over the years…eg pen, pencil, paper clip etc….is that not the same thing, but only justified in a different way? Have you ever been over charged at a store?..taken home an expired product? Was advertised as a sale, but really wasn’t? Do the stores not take advantage of the consumer?…soup and crackers aisles apart( means you have to walk buy many more items to get what you want) take advantage of impulse buying( over priced items displayed at the till) Have you ever taken a quick glance at a displayed magazine at the till while you wait? Your child takes home an item in their coat that they took while you weren’t looking, do you bring it back and pay for it? It goes on and on

    • FallenPixels says:

      waggy, that is the point, the more it happens the more it is built into the price
      but my question was also about people eating in the store and paying

  32. Anna says:

    The only time I have eaten before buying was while waiting in the checkout line – I opened up a bag of pre-packaged chocolate almonds and started eating. I hadn’t eaten anything all day though, so it was either that or faint on the drive home. I was so hungry I couldn’t wait and the line was so slow.

  33. Lisa says:

    A snack is fine – for children only and as long as it is paid for and has a price on it where the weight is not required. If there is a health issue then go ahead and eat. If I was to get hassled-you will lose my business permanently!
    I don’t consider testing an item ie grapes as snacking. I am not bringing bad fruit into my home only to return it to the store the next day.
    Our grocery store has a sign up that says take a banana-they are free for the children or to eat in the store. I know it is built in to the price but it makes me feel better!

  34. Brandy says:

    The only times I have opened something in the store is if I was extremely thirsty and needed a drink so I would buy a twist top water, pop, etc. and take a few sips and then continue shopping and pay for it at the end. I don’t really see anything wrong with it if you pay for it in the end.

    As for food, I don’t think I would ever see the need to do this unless shopping with kids as others noted.

    Bulk items, fruit, etc. I wouldn’t ever do that. Eating fruit without it being washed grosses me out anyways. 🙂

  35. ashbash says:

    i do eat a snack before i pay and then i take it to the counter to pay…and yes i sometimes taste only a single grape to see if its sweet or nor.if i am buying a sour bunch of grape then no one at my home gonna eat it and in the end i have to throw it in the garbage….so thats a valid reason of tasting a grape…

  36. Sakura says:

    I was brought up in Asia and almost all stores (grocery store or clothing stores etc) have huge signs at the entrance “No Eating and Drinking”and “No Pets”. My family had a cultural shock when we saw people eating in stores when we move here. Until now, I still feel uneasy bringing a cup of coffee into a store, let alone eating before paying in a grocery store.

  37. SeriousSally says:

    Wow, for those of you who claim children should have to wait, be taught patience, willpower etc… clearly have never tried grocery shopping with a couple of toddlers and an infant. Most of us don’t have the luxury to leave them at home or can afford to hire a baby sitter every shopping trip. For those of you without kids, here’s a tip…young children are very unpredictable and unreasonable!!! You bet I’ve fed my kids during a shopping trip, but am also super sure to make sure everything is paid for. I once gave my 2 year old a banana from the bunch I was purchasing (I always had the cashier weigh one more to pay for it) while shopping and some old granny flipped out on me and asked me how I intended to pay for it. I basically told her to mind her own business. She had the nerve to take time out of her shopping trip to follow me to the cash, at which point I did mention to the cashier to charge me for an extra. The cashier smiled and said no worries, the store didn’t mind the kids having a freebie now and then.

    Overall, I’ve seen way more adults behave very badly in grocery stores and Costco. Taking prepared foods, salads, sushi, opening bags and grazing while they shop, then dump the half eaten tray or bag somewhere in the store or garbage bin. That is flat out stealing. These are the morons you need to worry about, not the honest moms who are just trying to get groceries done so they can go home and cook some decent meals for the week.

    • Nic Jones says:

      You must be a terrible parent. A good parent would think of their kids first and prepare snacks to bring for them, instead of teaching them it is ok to steal something if you plan to pay for it later.

  38. Sue says:

    Sakura, not too many years ago, those “No Eating, No Drinking” signs were a common site in most stores in Canada, even grocery stores! Grocery stores have no water fountains and I’ve drank a bottle of water prior to paying (dehydration is a bitch). With kids, we refused to associate “food = treat” so avoided that pitfall. But yes, when my (then) 3 year-old daughter asked to have some “green stuff”, in shock I gave her the bag of (pre-washed) spinach and continued shopping while she sat in the cart munching away. Shoppers and store staff alike commented (positively!) on this. Yes, I think it’s wrong. Yes I’ve not followed my own thinking. (As for the gal with the kleenex emergency, been there/done that for which fellow shoppers were no doubt grateful!)

  39. Never. Absolutely never. Have not done it for myself nor for my children, when it comes to food items. I have opened a Kleenex box before paying for it, but it was a minor emergency need. Rather than risk the conflict/confrontation of whether an item has been paid for, or will be paid for when finished, I avoid it entirely.
    When it comes to fruit items (like testing grapes) I also do not do that. I buy the product, rinse it after paying for it (they’re dirty, you know), test it, and if not acceptable, immediately go back into the store and get a refund. I think all those ‘tests’ customers do add up for the store. If I want prices to stay reasonable, I have to be reasonable in my actions with the store.

  40. Annie says:

    Farmboy (Richmond Road in Ottawa) is great for this snacking issue. There are lots of employees who are ready, willing and able to help if you ask. That’s why I shop there. If I want to test a grape, I just ask. The answer has always been, “Yes.” The big-name stores would do well to offer some easily-accessible customer service. Apart from asking for a sample, wouldn’t it be nice to ask an employee where something can be found? When I’ve asked at Farmboy, the employee smiled and said, “Let me show you where they are.” (I’m not affiliated with Farmboy in anyway, by the way.)

  41. Em says:

    I don’t see a problem with testing a grape before buying a bag of them but I don’t think it’s right to pick something off the shelf and just start eating it. My parents never allowed me to do it as a kid, so it’s just ingrained in me. If you were really that hungry, why not eat at home beforehand? I always try to follow the rule that you should grocery shop on a full stomach so you’ll spend less.

  42. mrg says:

    I’m more offended when I catch a person just ‘tasting’ bulk/weighed foods such as strawberries or grapes, then politely ask them what they are doing, only to have them snap back at me: ‘f@ck off b1tch’ , ‘do you work here’, or ‘why do you care’……Just because you have been caught in the act doesn’t give you the right to talk rudely, swear at me or yell /raise your voice–what gives you the right to steal? whoever let you get away with behaving so disrespectfully? those are the types of things I’m left thinking after encounters like that. Its shocking, the defensive/rudeness shown when I’m with my toddler (really you need to act so rude in front of a child–your setting a great example, thief!)

  43. Mel says:

    I say no to bulk and anything you have to weigh. I have been prepared to go through the express line to pay for a banana; however, bagged carrots usually will work to calm both my toddler tummies. Just make sure it’s not a feast and you actually pay for it!

    As for sampling a grape, grapes are a must to clean! Look at all the crud that comes off them when you wash them and image ALL the dirty hands that have been handling them before it went in your mouth. Besides, you can usually tell how good they are going to be with a little squeeze and a colour check. I think adults can wait, after all, you are usually in control of your stomach and when you shop,

  44. roseofblack25 says:

    I’m too grossed out to sample produce type things before buying LOL! I mean I would like to test a grape to make sure they tasted okay before buying, but the amount of germs just turns me off so I chance it and buy them…I have sampled something at the bulk barn before, but it was because I wanted to make sure it was what I was looking for and liked before buying since I was trying a new recipe and it was something I had never tried before. I just simply asked if I could try one before filling my bag and they said yes. The no testing policy is just in place for people that will want to test everything and have a snack in the store and not actually buy anything.

  45. Kevin says:

    Really? Do you REALLY need to snack while shopping? Do you REALLY need to ‘test’ the grapes? If you know your kid is going to need/want something, bring it from home. No, I do not think ‘snacking’ is right. I’ve seen too many people rip off the stores and it costs me money. It’s wrong and, I don’t care how you slice it, it’s theft. Bringing a banana skin up and telling the cashier to charge me for an extra banana…. what if the banana she ate was 9″ and the banana she has the cashier weigh is 7″…. if you think that 2″ of banana is no big deal think again. Most people don’t just try a single grape either. I’ve watched people take a grape, then another, and another. Then they put a bag of grapes in their cart and, while they’re shopping around, they’re picking and eating grapes. I pointed it out to the produce manager at this one store and I told him to watch the woman with the child. Both were eating the grapes. He came back to me about 15 minutes later and told me that the woman and her kid ate the whole bag while they were shopping, then went back to the grapes and took another bag, put the empty bag back on the fruit stand, and went to cash. The store charged her. Good for them.
    Now, I know for a fact that, if you go up to a person in the grocery dept, for example, and ask them if you can try a grape because you need to make sure the flavor is suitable for your child (not too tart or sour, etc) they are usually very accommodating. However, sampling on your own, and constantly, is not and this type of theft costs companies in Canada in the millions of dollars every year and, in the end, it costs you and me so, STOP DOING IT. IT’S NOT OK!

  46. Kary says:

    I’ve never done it and don’t plan on ever doing it. I would just feel super conscious because I don’t think it’s right.

    And if you (as an adult) can’t even wait until after you pay and get into your car before you start snacking, then in my opinion you need some self control.

  47. Preety says:

    As a Food Scientist it grosses me out when people ‘sample’ a grape. Like others have said, it contains lots of bacteria, and in some cases when touching them your fingers get dirt on them!

    I work at a gas bar, so there is nothing bulk that is weighed. We have slushies and people start to drink them while waiting to pay or what not, which doesn’t bother me really. I also sometimes see people start to drink something (like a water bottle), and again, doesn’t bother me too much (especially when it’s summer!). They are paying for it, which is all that matters to me at the end of the day.

    I don’t agree though with snacking on items that are bulk/weighed.

  48. clang says:

    i have had to let my son eat an item from the store prior to paying. it was from a multi pack of orange juice juiceboxes. he was having a low blood sugar episode and the usual back up juice i had in my purse had been punctured. ( i had checked it before we left the house and it was fine.) we did pay for the full package of juice boxes, after my sons sugars were up enough.

    i am a nurse, well prepared, but sometimes life takes us off guard. i believe that one person stating that it is completely wrong to do such a thing as consuming something before paying or it should take a real look at life. Each situation you may see in the grocery store might not be as it appears, it could very well be an emergency.

  49. Jennifer says:

    Am I the only parent who wanders around with kid snacks in her purse? I refuse to sample or take product and consume it before I’ve paid for it. Even with the kleenex thing, they could have been bought, or even you could have gone to the cashier and asked for a few kleenexes, they always have them at the tills it seems. Heck, even the bathroom would have some.

  50. slide says:

    Sakura:

    I, too, also grew up in Asia but only found those “No Eating” signs in supermarkets. But for the most part I shopped at “wet markets” for produce and “try before you buy” is the norm there for small fresh produce such as grapes, lanzones, rambutan, lychees. For watermelons, the seller would cut up a triangle from the watermelon he personally picked for you to try (and buy) and you bet it was sweet as ambrosia every time.

    So yes, I try those grapes at the supermarket without batting an eye. Some stores are good enough to have samples though (T&T and other asian supermarkets come to mind). But other than that, I don’t think I’ve tried other stuff.

    I await my flogging from all these people above who clearly have a strong opinion about it 😉

  51. amy says:

    It’s unsanitary. Not only are you not washing off produce before you eat it, but your hands (or your child’s hands) are dirty. No wonder parents and kids are always sick. I always wash my hands as soon as I get home from shopping and the soap rinse almost always has a black-grey tinge to it. Gross! I’m not a germ-phob, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat after handing dirty shopping carts or baskets.

  52. Louise says:

    Under no circumstance is it okay to snack before paying. This is theft.

    You wouldn’t go to a gas station, fill up, and decide you were running late, so just leave and drive around for awhile, then promise that you’ll eventually go back to pay for the exact amount you used. You couldn’t go into a clothing shop, and put on some clothes and wear them for awhile, and then decide to go pay for it.

    Not once as a child was I ever allowed to do such a thing, nor have I ever let my children do it either. Is it any wonder the children of today are reaching epidemic obesity levels, when parents reward “good” (read: what SHOULD be expected) behaviour with food? Learn some self control people. Learn to say no to your kids.

  53. JO-ANNE says:

    Am I the only one that can test by smell? I have a very good sense of smell & I can smell whether a fruit is sweet or not. When my kids were little I always packed a snack & drink box in my (large) purse. I was a single mother and buying them something at a snack bar was not an option & there was no one I could leave them with. I did not have the money paying for a sitter for anything other than for work. Also occasionally I would rush into a store after work before picking up the kids at the babysitter. With the money I saved on sales it would allow me to by snacks in the store to take the kids to parks & any local functions that were free. They really enjoyed this that we went to a lot of places & got treats & healthy food.
    This habit is so built into my routine I still brings snacks when going out with my grand children. I will even pack a lunch bag for my self if I am going out to do errands on the weekends that are much healthier than what I would find away from home to help my will power from caving in when my body says I WANT SOMETHING NOW!!

  54. Katherine says:

    I’ve never eaten anything before paying, but sometimes on a hot day I’ll grab a powerade or water from the cooler and drink it as I shop. As long as I pay for it I don’t see what the big deal is. Bulk foods/produce is a definite no though, that’s stealing. I find it really bizarre when people “sample” the grapes. It’s not okay to sample the other produce before you buy it, why would grapes be any different?


















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