Would you steal from a supermarket?

SUPERMARKET giant Coles is understood to be introducing new technology to reduce its estimated annual $1.1 billion theft debt by reducing stealing at self-serve checkouts.

Canstar Blue found that one in six customers aged in their 30s said they had deliberately not paid for an item at a self-service checkout.

Almost one in 10 shoppers of all ages admitted they had cheated supermarkets in the self-serve section, Canstar Blue found in its survey. Men were more likely to steal than women.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/bu...s/news-story/eb7c48f8b172d760f0c6f872e5eb3449

I haven't ever set out to steal from a supermarket but I got into a situation where I did. I had an item that didn't scan and when I scanned it and placed it in the bagging area, the machine threw an error. I tried removing and replacing the item and looked for staff to correct the error. I didn't have any luck either way, so I just ended up placing an identical (unscanned) item in the bagging area, which made the error go away. I again looked for staff to assist but there not any around. It wasn't an ideal situation to be in and I wasn't really sure what to do.

I don't think it is right to steal from supermarkets and I'm always careful to scan every item and to scan fruit and veg correctly. How about you?

 

Agree. I don't think it's right to steal from anyone. However, there are extenuating circumstances like the one you've described.

The other one is kids... little buggers grab stuff off the shelves when you're not looking and somehow slip it into mummy's handbag. Of course no-one realises this act of larceny until you get to the car or back home. My wife found herself in this situation a few times, but she'd go back to the shops, return the item and explain what had happened.. much to the surprise of the shop staff "Why'd you bother coming back?" they'd ask? Not, "Oh, thanks for your honesty!"

I wonder if Canstar Blue did their survey in Freo? A newly refurbished Woolworths pulled the pin on it's lease because turnover was slow and theft was rampant apparently!

 

I have never ever stolen or lied in my entire life.

 

I think it was sadly inevitable really - but supermarkets went ahead anyway as its likely the value of stolen / wrongly scanned items is less than the cost of wages for checkout operators.

 

My wife tried to return something my son inadvertently stole as a baby and they tried to call security and ban her from the store. Idiots!

 

The thought hadn't even occurred to me until I read an article on it a while back. It also mentioned weighing veges, but telling the computer it was a cheaper item.

They only have themselves to blame though - they decided to reduce staff costs by increasing theft risk. Maybe the solution is to actually put some staff back on the checkouts.

Cheers,
Inertia

 

Theft is theft no matter how anyone tries to justify it.
No, I haven't. Any problems and there is always a staff member nearby by to assist.
Marg

 

They're not always nearby.. and if there's no-one coming to help, then they're stealing my time! All's fair in shopping and war..

 

Ummm
Errrr
NO

But these days i opt to go thru a checkout, unless I'm in a big hurry, it keeps people employed

Imagine if they actually got rid of full service checkouts, for older people the act of shopping can be their whole social outing and they'd have no one to talk to (apart from their doctor )

 

I agree.

Where I shop now, there is always someone nearby to assist if anything goes wrong.

 

I don't really like being asked by a stranger how my day has been. I prefer machines because they know how to mind their own business

 

You can swipe your rewards card at any time
You can swipe your rewards card at any time
You can swipe your............ PLEASE WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE

Ahhrrrr

(True, but you dont have to talk back )
(But that machine just keeps on at you, CHOOSE PAYMENT METHOD, SELECT CASH OUT.....if I'd wanted cash I'd have pushed the cash out button you damn ###**** )

 

I don't steal. There's no need to do that.

What I do find frustrating though is buying fruit. I pick $2.99 per kg red apples, say. When scanning which you have to do manually I get options for apples and have to choose from varieties like Pink Lady, Fuji or Delicious. What the? I've got no idea. I just want the $2.99 red apples but there is no option for that. Then I have to ask for help.

 

Totally disagree.

Sounds like a self serving excuse: 'oh poor me my time is so valuable that you forced me to steal rather than wait a few minutes...

 

I just look at the sticker for the variety of apple - don't they have those in NSW?

 

I was waiting for someone to say that . Those stickers really bug me. I can't read them without my reading glasses. And when I do find my readers I see the stickers say "orange" or "avocado". Yes I know it's a freakin orange. Der!

 

I just plain refuse to use self serve registers.
As a Mum of a then 15 yo Coles check out chick.
If everyone uses self serve , where are the 15 yr olds going to get a job?

Also until they give me a discount for doing their job, I ain't gonna do it And I remind them.. when they come around "helpfully" saying that the self serve lines are available. I say "no thanks, I would rather keep you employed" I do get some strange looks.

 

The code is usually on the sticker too and 99% of the time they work so you could just put that into the machine as the fresh produce codes work on self serve too.

 

I mightn't buy fruit and vegetables too often.... and when I buy them I tend to know what it actually is. But that's a great tip. I'm going to try that.

 

I take the vines off the truss tomato to make them the normal tomatoes that are cheaper.

Don't say you haven't done it.

Thug life