No receipts from fruit and veg store

bobbyss

I buy fruit and veg from a fruit & veg shop but they never issue receipts. I would like to have a receipt like Londis or Tesco give. I never know how much i paid for individual items, i don't know their exact weight and I do not know if I am ever being overcharged etc.

Is the shop legally required to issue receipts without being asked every time? If the answer is yes, is there any authority I could complain to?
Many thanks in advance.

Paulw

bobbyss wrote: »

Is the shop legally required to issue receipts without being asked every time?

I believe that they must only issue a receipt upon request and that they have no obligation to issue a receipt without being asked.

coylemj

OP, you can't have it both ways. Fruit & veg shops are typically run with low overheads which means that a lot of them don't have fancy cash registers which issue receipts. Ever asked one of the ladies in Moore St. for a receipt?

F & V shops typically do display the unit cost where items are sold by weight so it is possible to see how much they charge but I don't think there is a legal obligation to issue receipts. Most shops and pubs which issue receipts do so to keep the staff honest, not to fulfil any legal requirement. Clearly in the case of Arnotts or M&S the customer always expects a receipt in case they want to come back and get a refund or exchange the goods but for small retail transactions I don't believe you can insist on one.

Greenmachine

Has the Op tried asking for a receipt. While i feel the receipt should be provided without the customer requesting one, I have been provided with a receipt upon request in stores that do not immediately provide them.

d9oiu2wk07blr5

OP, this may be of interest to you. When you say that they don't issue receipts, what exactly do you mean? Do they ring each transaction up in the till, and if so, why don't you just ask for a receipt?

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vat/leaflets/cash-registers.html

coylemj

Greenmachine wrote: »

Has the Op tried asking for a receipt. While i feel the receipt should be provided without the customer requesting one, I have been provided with a receipt upon request in stores that do not immediately provide them.

Reading the OP's post again and in particular this piece....

bobbyss wrote: »

I would like to have a receipt like Londis or Tesco give. I never know how much i paid for individual items, i don't know their exact weight and I do not know if I am ever being overcharged etc.

It looks like he wants an itemised receipt for each item which shows the weight, unit cost and how much he is paying.

In other words, he wants his cake (lower prices) and he wants to eat it as well (itemised receipt with weights of individual items).

OP, have you tried buying fruit & veg in Londis or Tesco? I'm sure they can meet your requirements as they have cash registers linked to the weighing machines which your local fruit and veg shop can't afford owing to his lower prices.

bobbyss

Thanks folks for your responses.

Yes of course I can ask for a receipt each and every time I make a purchase. It is the principle of not giving out one that I am concerned with.

The store I use has a cash register. The real issue is this. If I buy three heads of cauiflower and two heads of broc and 10 parsnips and they are all sold by weight.

I bring them to the counter. He goes to register and then says Euro 10.45c. That's fine. I would like a receipt that shows the price of all of the three items I have purchased that total 10.45.

And why wouldn't a store keeper issue receipts anyway? What reason would he have for not doing so?

Generally in Moore Street I would get, say, 10 apples for 2 Euro. It is clearly priced so don't need receipt there.

Again, many thanks for your responses.

coylemj

bobbyss wrote: »

And why wouldn't a store keeper issue receipts anyway? What reason would he have for not doing so?

Because you're expecting him to manually write down the individual weight of each item and the price. It's unlikely he will be too keen on your business in that case and if I was behind you in the queue, I wouldn't be too pleased either.

Why haven't you asked him for such a receipt at this stage? Afraid of being told to sod off and take your business elsewhere perhaps?

Even a lot of the larger indies like Londis and Spar would probably not be able to give you a receipt which shows the weight of each item. If you want the items shown on a receipt with weights, go to the big guys and pay their higher prices. It's completely unreasonable to expect to find that type of technology in a basic fruit & veg shop.

bobbyss wrote: »

Generally in Moore Street I would get, say, 10 apples for 2 Euro. It is clearly priced so don't need receipt there.

Which conveniently sidesteps the question of what would happen if you bought a few bananas from a street vendor and then asked her for a printed receipt with the weight on it.

gozunda

I do love the Irish attitude to such issues. In Italy every stall holder, shop and cafe must be law issue you witha receipt. Italian police will sometimes check that buyers leaving a shop have been given their receipt. Failure to give a receipt is I believe an offence.

But then this is Ireland. God forbid that an individual should seek proof of their purchases.....

d9oiu2wk07blr5

Where I shop, the fruit and veg market issues receipts with the unit weight of each item and they don't manually write it, it's done electronically from the till.

RangeR

gozunda wrote: »

I do love the Irish attitude to such issues. In Italy every stall holder, shop and cafe must be law issue you witha receipt. Italian police will sometimes check that buyers leaving a shop have been given their receipt. Failure to give a receipt is I believe an offence.

But then this is Ireland. God forbid that an individual should seek proof of their purchases.....

Italy is not Ireland. Anyway, A lot of the Italian laws were implemented to try and combat the mafia hold over various sectors throughout the years.

hardCopy

gozunda wrote: »

I do love the Irish attitude to such issues. In Italy every stall holder, shop and cafe must be law issue you witha receipt. Italian police will sometimes check that buyers leaving a shop have been given their receipt. Failure to give a receipt is I believe an offence.

But then this is Ireland. God forbid that an individual should seek proof of their purchases.....

Issuing receipts by default is just wasteful. Thankfully bank ATMs now print on-demand only, more shops should follow suit.

If you want a receipt ask for one, don't expect shops to issue them so that 99.9% of them can be fired into the nearest bin.

Superquinn beside my office issue receipts for every transaction and place a bin beside the tills, it's always overflowing with receipts.

gozunda

RangeR wrote: »

Italy is not Ireland. Anyway, A lot of the Italian laws were implemented to try and combat the mafia hold over various sectors throughout the years.

From what I understood and according to Italian law, not only must a shopkeeper issue a receipt but those buying goods must be able to produce it on demand.This system was first introduced in 1983 by the then-Minister of Finance Bruno Visentini as a desperate measure to persuade Italy's 4 million or so shopkeepers - some of them regularly declaring incomes lower than their lowest-paid workers - to pay their share of taxes.


We couldn't have that thing here in lil ol honest Ireland now could we....

gozunda

hardCopy wrote: »

Issuing receipts by default is just wasteful. Thankfully bank ATMs now print on-demand only, more shops should follow suit.

If you want a receipt ask for one, don't expect shops to issue them so that 99.9% of them can be fired into the nearest bin.

Superquinn beside my office issue receipts for every transaction and place a bin beside the tills, it's always overflowing with receipts.

Not when you need to to return an item or for warranty purposes. I personally alway ask for receipts and will file them for such uses as actually checking what I was charged for and if charged correctly. Not particularly wasteful unless you do have more money than you can be bothered checking ....

LowKeyReturn

Doesn't the lad just round it to the nearest whatever (down ofc), it's what jy local does. Ah sure giv us a tenner.

OP practice is the key to improving your maths. Should not be too taxing to add it up as you go, if not I'm sure they'll hand you a calculator, or alternatively one may be available on your phone. 2.2lb to the Kg.

bobbyss

coylemj wrote: »

Because you're expecting him to manually write down the individual weight of each item and the price.

Even a lot of the larger indies like Londis and Spar would probably not be able to give you a receipt which shows the weight of each item. If you want the items shown on a receipt with weights, go to the big guys and pay their higher prices. It's completely unreasonable to expect to find that type of technology in a basic fruit & veg shop.

These things are already done in the receipt. Am not expecting him to do anything more than issue the appropriate receipt from a register. It is not that sophisticated really.

Camila Refined Eyelash wrote: »

Where I shop, the fruit and veg market issues receipts with the unit weight of each item and they don't manually write it, it's done electronically from the till.

Which conveniently sidesteps the question of what would happen if you bought a few bananas from a street vendor and then asked her for a printed receipt with the weight on it.

I think most street vendors do not have registers and would not be interested in receipt from them for that reason. I am referring to a modern F & V store with a till, part of a shopping centre.

Thank you for your responses.

coylemj

bobbyss wrote: »

I think most street vendors do not have registers and would not be interested in receipt from them for that reason. I am referring to a modern F & V store with a till, part of a shopping centre.

Sorry but that doesn't cut the mustard. You started a thread in a forum called 'Legal Discussion' and you pose the question...

bobbyss wrote: »

Is the shop legally required to issue receipts without being asked every time?

You can't then go making statements like that street vendors do not have cash registers and you are 'not interested' in getting a receipt from them 'for that reason' - what kind of logic is that in a legal discussion?

Surely in a legal context a street vendor should be subject to the same consumer regulations as a bricks and mortar shop?

bobbyss

Having established that receipts do indeed have details such as weight with price of fruit/veg on them, (no need for any writing down receipts or any of that nonsense) why my F & V store (with register) doesn't simply give receipts to customers.

Wonder is it a question of dodgy financing/tax dealing...

ScouseMouse

bobbyss wrote: »

Having established that receipts do indeed have details such as weight with price of fruit/veg on them, (no need for any writing down receipts or any of that nonsense) why my F & V store (with register) doesn't simply give receipts to customers.

Wonder is it a question of dodgy financing/tax dealing...

What tax would they be dodging. Standard fruit and veg has no VAT.

If they provide a receipt on request, this is a non event. I dont provide receipts as standard in my grocery store as they end up thrown on the floor but if anyone asks for one, I press print.

Shelflife

bobbyss wrote: »

Having established that receipts do indeed have details such as weight with price of fruit/veg on them, (no need for any writing down receipts or any of that nonsense) why my F & V store (with register) doesn't simply give receipts to customers.

Wonder is it a question of dodgy financing/tax dealing...

Because quiet simply most people don't want receipts and refuse to take them or throw them away.

we don't issue a receipt with each purchase as to do so would be a waste of paper/money. if someone wants a receipt we give them one.

If you want a receipt, ask for one.

chargerman

bobbyss wrote: »

Having established that receipts do indeed have details such as weight with price of fruit/veg on them, (no need for any writing down receipts or any of that nonsense) why my F & V store (with register) doesn't simply give receipts to customers.

Wonder is it a question of dodgy financing/tax dealing...

OP are you having a laugh? Most people that buy f&v in these shops don't even want a receipt. I worked in a small store and a receipt printed for every transaction. The vast majority of customers don't even want the receipt. So, we changed it for the receipt to print on transactions over €10, or print as needed if someone requested a receipt.

You say the f&v store is in a shopping centre, have you any idea how hard small businesses find it now with overheads? F&V is proberbly 20% margin with waste every day. The shop will be doing everything it can to do no frills approach. If you want a receipt ask for it, simple as or do the shop keeper a favour and go to Tesco and pay inflated prices

Tax dodging? on ZERO % items, you have a lot to worry about

coylemj

bobbyss wrote: »

Having established that receipts do indeed have details such as weight with price of fruit/veg on them, (no need for any writing down receipts or any of that nonsense) why my F & V store (with register) doesn't simply give receipts to customers.

Only if the cash register is connected direct to the weighing machine which in most F & V shops it is not because they can't afford that type of equipment and because the customers don't expect that level of detail and because as advised above, most customers throw away the receipts anyway so why should the shopkeeper invest in advanced technology to provide something for which there is no demand except from people like you?

You seem to have a major blank spot when it comes to understanding the level of technology that will give you what you're looking for, it is not simply a matter of printing a receipt with the euro amounts on it, that's the easy part.

My local F & V shop religiously gives out receipts but they are just line items showing the value of each item with no other details. I suspect that's the best you will get from most small shops. I only accept it out of politeness but it's in the bin as soon as I get home and I never look at it.

bobbyss

superscouse wrote: »

What tax would they be dodging. Standard fruit and veg has no VAT.

If they provide a receipt on request, this is a non event. I dont provide receipts as standard in my grocery store as they end up thrown on the floor but if anyone asks for one, I press print.

If I were a customer of yours I would expect to be given a receipt as a matter of course. If I had to ask for a receipt, you would loose me as a customer. You would loose my money as well.

What would you have to lose by giving them automatically with the change as is standard practice in stores? It does not cost you anything surely. I would see it as a professional thing to be doing. You certainly would not lose customers. I don't know anyone who would litter any store by throwing receipts on the floor. How disrespectful is that to you!

Thanks for your response.

chargerman

OP, you can join us in the real world at any time you like

bobbyss

coylemj wrote: »

Only if the cash register is connected direct to the weighing machine which in most F & V shops it is not because they can't afford that type of equipment and because the customers don't expect that level of detail and because as advised above, most customers throw away the receipts anyway so why should the shopkeeper invest in advanced technology to provide something for which there is no demand except from people like you?

You seem to have a major blank spot when it comes to understanding the level of technology that will give you what you're looking for, it is not simply a matter of printing a receipt with the euro amounts on it, that's the easy part.

My local F & V shop religiously gives out receipts but they are just line items showing the value of each item with no other details. I suspect that's the best you will get from most small shops. I only accept it out of politeness but it's in the bin as soon as I get home and I never look at it.

You are right, I have absolutely no idea of the price differential between the two types of registers. What price would that be about then?

ScouseMouse

bobbyss wrote: »

If I were a customer of yours I would expect to be given a receipt as a matter of course. If I had to ask for a receipt, you would loose me as a customer. You would loose my money as well.

What would you have to lose by giving them automatically with the change as is standard practice in stores? It does not cost you anything surely. I would see it as a professional thing to be doing. You certainly would not lose customers. I don't know anyone who would litter any store by throwing receipts on the floor. How disrespectful is that to you!

Thanks for your response.

Hehehehe All you have to do is ask. But it appears you a quite a difficult, awkward person, so best you are not

bobbyss

chargerman wrote: »

OP, you can join us in the real world at any time you like

Thanks for your response. If you could focus on the points being made instead of cheap jibes.
Thanks

ScouseMouse

bobbyss wrote: »

Thanks for your response. If you could focus on the points being made instead of cheap jibes.
Thanks

But he made a fair point. In the real world, its pure overkill what you are DEMANDING.

Shelflife

Bobbyss do you think that there is a till roll fairy that magically leaves till rolls under the retailers pillow each night? or that printers are free as well?

Of course it costs something and over a year it adds up.

bobbyss

Shelflife wrote: »

Bobbyss do you think that there is a till roll fairy that magically leaves till rolls under the retailers pillow each night? or that printers are free as well?

Of course it costs something and over a year it adds up.

I have no idea how much it would cost. How much would it cost a regular F & V store to do that anyway? But I think giving a receipt without having to ask for it is a sign of a professional frame of mind.

Sulla Felix

Well, you're changing the goalposts now. The question on whether it was legal to not give a receipt automatically has been answered, again and again. It's perfectly legal, thankfully, since small retailers have enough red tape to jump through.
Whether you think it's professional or not is largely irrelevant to the legal issue.

blueythebear

A question was asked and it has been answered in terms of the legal issue raised. On a practical level, If you are not happy with your local fruit and vegetable shop not giving receipts then take your business elsewhere. I imagine that dealing with the issue raised to your satisfaction would cost alot more than the potential profits generated by your custom.

I can't really see anyone having a real problem with their local fruit and veg shop not issuing receipts. I certainly wouldn't personally.

hfallada

Im pretty sure fruit and vegetables are exempt from VAT, so its not like they are trying to dodge VAT like a trades man. I know with the chinese shops in Dublin 1, Im pretty sure they wouldnt know what a receipt was. Although they wont buy stolen phones and require a drivers license to sell a phone to them, so they stick to some laws.

OP if you feel they are under declaring tax, call Revenue but they are just trying to make a living and with no paper trail, revenue dont have much to work with. Tax evasion is tax avoidance for poor people. If they were a large supermarket, I presume they would also contribute no tax to the government as they would use good accounting techniques to avoid it. Like a off shore jersey company or transfer pricing and although its 100% legal, its quite morally wrong.

coylemj

This has descended into troll territory, I'm off. The OP is just taking the p1ss.

chargerman

coylemj wrote: »

This has descended into troll territory, I'm off. The OP is just taking the p1ss.

He is taking the piss

bobbyss

superscouse wrote: »

Hehehehe All you have to do is ask. But it appears you a quite a difficult, awkward person, so best you are not

I go into your grocery store and purchase Euro 30 worth of produce. I expect a receipt without having to ask for it. And because of that I am 'a difficult, awkward person'.

That does not make sense.

Thanks for your response.

ScouseMouse

bobbyss wrote: »

I go into your grocery store and purchase Euro 30 worth of produce. I expect a receipt without having to ask for it. And because of that I am 'a difficult, awkward person'.

That does not make sense.

Thanks for your response.

Twist it anyway you like, but I did not say that. I said if anyone wants a receipt, they are welcome to it. I just press PRINT.

I am starting to agree with everyone else here, I think this is a wind up and you are trolling. Nobody in their right mind would be as unreasonable as you.

See ya (hope not)

bobbyss

superscouse wrote: »

Hehehehe All you have to do is ask. But it appears you a quite a difficult, awkward person, so best you are not

They are your own words. Not mine.


Thanks for replying.

Hasta Nunca.

schemingbohemia

bobbyss wrote: »

I go into your grocery store and purchase Euro 30 worth of produce. I expect a receipt without having to ask for it. And because of that I am 'a difficult, awkward person'.

That does not make sense.

Thanks for your response.

Are you mute? What is your problem with just saying, can I have a receipt please? If the receipt is not have itemised, mention it. Do you bother looking at the scales when the items are weighed?

You're really making a mountain out of a mole-hill here, if you don't like it, don't shop there.

ScouseMouse

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Are you mute? What is your problem with just saying, can I have a receipt please? If the receipt is not have itemised, mention it. Do you bother looking at the scales when the items are weighed?

You're really making a mountain out of a mole-hill here, if you don't like it, don't shop there.

Dont rise to it, its a wind up

IsaacWunder

superscouse wrote: »

Dont rise to it, its a wind up

I'm not sure. I don't know if you've ever worked with the public, but this kind of bizarre stuff is quite common.

RobbingBandit

Seems the OP wants a receipt to clearly state how much each item costs which is fair enough, you crazies using the example of Moore Street vendors don't get that. The vendors have a price scheme that charges set prices and are clearly advertised on the fruit carts, the store in question here does not seem to clearly advertise the prices of each item lest why would the OP seek a receipt to explain the costs.

coylemj

RobbingBandit wrote: »

the store in question here does not seem to clearly advertise the prices of each item lest why would the OP seek a receipt to explain the costs.

The rest of us are asking the same question because he never complained that the prices were not displayed properly, his beef is about not being handed a receipt with the individual items shown with weights and unit cost.

Unless you can point me to a post where he said that the prices were not displayed on the shelves......

hardCopy

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Seems the OP wants a receipt to clearly state how much each item costs which is fair enough, you crazies using the example of Moore Street vendors don't get that. The vendors have a price scheme that charges set prices and are clearly advertised on the fruit carts, the store in question here does not seem to clearly advertise the prices of each item lest why would the OP seek a receipt to explain the costs.

The OP doesn't seem to have any real interest in seeking a receipt, if he did he could just ask the retailer.

For some odd reason he wants retailers to be compelled to produce unwanted, wasteful receipts.

Till rolls are expensive, many customers don't want receipts and producing them is harmful to the environment.

If you print on demand nobody loses out, people who want proof of purchase just have to ask. Unless they suffer debilitating shyness like the OP.

bobbyss

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Seems the OP wants a receipt to clearly state how much each item costs which is fair enough, ...

Basically yes. I do.

If you buy Euro 150-200 shopping in Tesco (or any big chain store) you are automatically issued with a receipt. (In fact, as far as I am aware whatever the purchase amount they offer you a receipt with your change). I think many customers would like to have such a receipt for the large purchase for obvious reasons.

There may be customers who would not be bothered with getting a receipt for this large amount for their own reasons also and that's grand too. Maybe some customers would say to the staff 'No thanks, recycle it, I'll just take the change,thanks.' That's fine also.

But I think, generally speaking, in such a situation a company like Tesco as a matter of policy issue a receipt when giving you change.

Are Tesco (or big stores like that) legally obliged/required to offer a receipt? If yes, can anybody refer me to the relevant legislation or regulation which states that?

For smaller outfits, say for example, a F&V store, is there any similar legal obligation/requirement to offer receipts to its customers? If there is, can anybody refer me to the relevant legislation or regulation that states that?

Thank you.

Sulla Felix

God, again, no, there's no legal requirement to offer you a receipt. They're legally obliged to give you one if you ask.
The reason the larger stores do it automatically has as much to do with keeping staff honest as it does to customer service.

NoQuarter

XIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the said feast-day of the nativity of St. John the Baptist, which shall be in the said year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and ninety-six, no contract for the sale of any goods, wares, or merchandizes, for the price of ten pounds sterl. or upwards, shall be allowed to be good, except the buyer shall accept part of the goods so sold, and actually receive the same, or give something in earnest to bind the bargain, or in part of payment, or that some note or memorandum in writing of the said bargain be made and signed by the parties to be charged by such contract, or their agents thereunto lawfully authorized

Statute of Frauds, 1695.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1695/en/act/pub/0012/print.html

bobbyss

Sulla Felix wrote: »

God, again, no, there's no legal requirement to offer you a receipt. They're legally obliged to give you one if you ask.
The reason the larger stores do it automatically has as much to do with keeping staff honest as it does to customer service.

Thank you for responding but can you refer me to the actual regulation or law that states that they are legally obliged to give you a receipt if you ask but, as you say, with no legal requirement to offer you one?

I value your opinion but I would value knowing what regulation or law or rule that specifically states this even more.

Thank you for your response.

Losty Dublin

bobbyss wrote: »

Thank you for responding but can you refer me to the actual regulation or law that states that they are legally obliged to give you a receipt if you ask but, as you say, with no legal requirement to offer you one?

I value your opinion but I would value knowing what regulation or law or rule that specifically states this even more.

Thank you for your response.

Here is proof of no legal obligation to issue a receipt. Quoted from http://www.nca.ie/nca/buying-goods

There is no obligation on the shop to give you a receipt for the goods you buy. However, you should always ask for one.

bobbyss

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Here is proof of no legal obligation to issue a receipt. Quoted from http://www.nca.ie/nca/buying-goods

There is no obligation on the shop to give you a receipt for the goods you buy. However, you should always ask for one.

Thank you Losty Dublin.

hullaballoo

bobbyss wrote: »

Thank you Losty Dublin.

I think we're done here. The NCA is seemingly unfamiliar with the Statute of Frauds. Ah lol.