Eating food in a shop before paying or leaving

lifeandtimes

Saw something happen today that made me wonder.

Was in tesco and a security guard was having a go at this lad as I walked by because he ate some stuff that hadn't been paid for yet. Said it was stealing etc.

Now I don't know the story, if this lad has been in trouble with them before or whatever but I know from time to time if I'm doing a big shop or whatever I'd open up some crisps or a sandwich while walking around and eat them, then hand the wrapper to the cashier when I'm paying and there's never been a problem.

Is what I'm doing stealing? Could I be charged if a security guard saw me doing it? Or is it not stealing until you've left the premises?

Gatling

Sounds very similar to a thread that got posted very recently

GerardKeating

lifeandtimes wrote: »

Saw something happened today that made me wonder.

Was in tesco and a security giard was having a go at this lad as I walked by because he ate some stuff that hadn't been paid for yet. Said it was stealing etc.

Now I don't know the story, if this lad has been in trouble with them before or whatever but I know from time to time if I'm doing a big shop or whatever I'd open up some crisps or a sandwich while walking around and eat them, then hand the wrapper to the cashier when I'm paying and there's never been a problem.

Is what I'm doing stealing? Could I be charged if a security guard saw me doing it? Or is it not stealing until you've left the premises?

Technically it might be stealing, since (untill you pay for it) it is not your property, but it never a problem for me either.

splinter65

lifeandtimes wrote: »

Saw something happened today that made me wonder.

Was in tesco and a security giard was having a go at this lad as I walked by because he ate some stuff that hadn't been paid for yet. Said it was stealing etc.

Now I don't know the story, if this lad has been in trouble with them before or whatever but I know from time to time if I'm doing a big shop or whatever I'd open up some crisps or a sandwich while walking around and eat them, then hand the wrapper to the cashier when I'm paying and there's never been a problem.

Is what I'm doing stealing? Could I be charged if a security guard saw me doing it? Or is it not stealing until you've left the premises?

It’s very common in the Dunnes I shop in. Get hot food at the deli counter and give it to the child in the trolley.
I have been known myself to open a packet of Rennies if I was desperate, or a milkshake . Once I drank two milkshakes before I got to the till. Dirty looks but that’s all.

Wheeliebin30

But surely they could do everyone if thats the case, seems no one has paid for anything in the shop their in possession of?

Once you dont leave the shop without paying.

Foweva Awone

Would be very easy to eat whatever it is and leave the packaging behind on a shelf, without paying for it; that could be what the security staff would be concerned about. Also crumbs, mess etc.

I'd be a bit embarrassed to do it myself. Doesn't take much self-control to wait until you've paid for your shopping and left the shop, before digging in.

Ajsoprano

There is a growing custom among the youth called grazing.
They cruise around the supermarket eating then leave. Maybe this lad was up to it a few times.

lifeandtimes

splinter65 wrote: »

It’s very common in the Dunnes I shop in. Get hot food at the deli counter and give it to the child in the trolley.
I have been known myself to open a packet of Rennies if I was desperate, or a milkshake . Once I drank two milkshakes before I got to the till. Dirty looks but that’s all.

Yep sounds like a standard Saturday in dunnes for me too

coylemj

Wheeliebin30 wrote: »

But surely they could do everyone if thats the case, seems no one has paid for anything in the shop their in possession of?

The difference here is that the person has totally or partially consumed the goods before paying. In terms of the law of theft, a person can say that he intended to pay and therefore the element of fraudulent intent is absent. The difficulty for the store is that he hasn't attempted to leave the store without paying which is the test normally applied in a retail environment but if nobody observed him munching the item, he can simply discard the wrapper behind the shelf of corn flakes and then you have no evidence for a prosecution.

pgj2015

i remember a guy i used to work with was in a shop, picked up a bottle of coke, got a phone call, went outside on the phone call while drinking the coke, then came back into the shop and put the empty bottle of coke back in the fridge.