Do you or have you shoplifted?
Poll: Do you or have you shoplifted?
Total Members Polled: 283
Discussion
It seems that shoplifting is becoming one of the nation’s favourite hobbies with almost a doubling in losses for retailers last year (to £1.6 billion).
It also seems like the police have give up on it as they often don’t turn up to investigate (even if someone has been caught) and only about 1% of cases were resolved.
Do you or have you shoplifted? To make the poll result more meaningful give your answer as an adult / what you have done in the last 5 years (no stories from the old lags on here about how they used to steal penny chews on the way back from school as a dare from their mates).
It also seems like the police have give up on it as they often don’t turn up to investigate (even if someone has been caught) and only about 1% of cases were resolved.
Do you or have you shoplifted? To make the poll result more meaningful give your answer as an adult / what you have done in the last 5 years (no stories from the old lags on here about how they used to steal penny chews on the way back from school as a dare from their mates).
My first job in the early 90s was as a part time supermarket assistant. Shoplifting was rampant then too.
Although counterfeit money, as well as stolen credit cards were more significant causes of loss.
Shoplifters were easy to spot and supermarkets often hired 3rd party store detectives, who were usually pretty unsubtle too.
Shoplifters uniformly stole high value items that are easy to conceal and sell. Spirits, cosmetics, batteries, razor blades, steak were firm favourites. These were never for personal consumption. Even 30 years ago, supermarkets were unlikely to receive a useful police response. Retailers have been on their own to solve this problem for decades.
Occasionally, shoplifters would be violent, or work in groups.
Even now, if you’re not looking at your phone, you can spot a shoplifter from a mile away. A few years ago, when I was shopping with my wife, I watched two guys push a fully loaded trolley out of the store entrance without paying. I pointed them out to the security guard at the entrance, who shrugged and turned his back to me.
The problem with shoplifting is an apathetic acceptance that it’s not important and someone else’s problem.
Although counterfeit money, as well as stolen credit cards were more significant causes of loss.
Shoplifters were easy to spot and supermarkets often hired 3rd party store detectives, who were usually pretty unsubtle too.
Shoplifters uniformly stole high value items that are easy to conceal and sell. Spirits, cosmetics, batteries, razor blades, steak were firm favourites. These were never for personal consumption. Even 30 years ago, supermarkets were unlikely to receive a useful police response. Retailers have been on their own to solve this problem for decades.
Occasionally, shoplifters would be violent, or work in groups.
Even now, if you’re not looking at your phone, you can spot a shoplifter from a mile away. A few years ago, when I was shopping with my wife, I watched two guys push a fully loaded trolley out of the store entrance without paying. I pointed them out to the security guard at the entrance, who shrugged and turned his back to me.
The problem with shoplifting is an apathetic acceptance that it’s not important and someone else’s problem.
I regularly steal from the Waitrose self scan. I just don’t scan items and put them in my bag. Or pretend to scan them if there’s staff nearby.
I think in the past 6 years I’ve had two rescans. Neither of which picked up the stolen items.
I’m not talking loads, just a free block of cheese within a £60 shop. I don’t steal the most obvious/expensive thing like a tomahawk steak, or alcohol.
It’s more likely that I’ll steal an item if I disagree with its pricing. Like a cadburys powdered hot chocolate was £5 the other shop, I felt that was a ridiculous price so I didn’t scan it.
I think in the past 6 years I’ve had two rescans. Neither of which picked up the stolen items.
I’m not talking loads, just a free block of cheese within a £60 shop. I don’t steal the most obvious/expensive thing like a tomahawk steak, or alcohol.
It’s more likely that I’ll steal an item if I disagree with its pricing. Like a cadburys powdered hot chocolate was £5 the other shop, I felt that was a ridiculous price so I didn’t scan it.
More people are going to be shoplifting because fhe products we buy are now such bad value.
Higher prices and smaller portions will lead to more people deciding to do as the poster above and simply not scan sometimes.
Self service checkouts and running the shop on a skeleton crew will remove the human interaction/guilt element and make this an easy crime to justify.
I consider that I'm being stolen from by the shops and manufacturers because many products are spectacularly poor value.
Add in the dual pricing of the loyalty card schemes(that I don't want to get involved in because I'm not happy about being used as a data mine) and shopping generally is a poor experience.
Easy to see why theft is increasing.
Higher prices and smaller portions will lead to more people deciding to do as the poster above and simply not scan sometimes.
Self service checkouts and running the shop on a skeleton crew will remove the human interaction/guilt element and make this an easy crime to justify.
I consider that I'm being stolen from by the shops and manufacturers because many products are spectacularly poor value.
Add in the dual pricing of the loyalty card schemes(that I don't want to get involved in because I'm not happy about being used as a data mine) and shopping generally is a poor experience.
Easy to see why theft is increasing.
audikarma said:
I regularly steal from the Waitrose self scan. I just don’t scan items and put them in my bag. Or pretend to scan them if there’s staff nearby.
I think in the past 6 years I’ve had two rescans. Neither of which picked up the stolen items.
I’m not talking loads, just a free block of cheese within a £60 shop. I don’t steal the most obvious/expensive thing like a tomahawk steak, or alcohol.
It’s more likely that I’ll steal an item if I disagree with its pricing. Like a cadburys powdered hot chocolate was £5 the other shop, I felt that was a ridiculous price so I didn’t scan it.
You say not loads but John Lewis made a margin of just 0.3% on sales last year (profit before tax). So you stealing a £4 block of cheese when buying £60 means you steal not just their total profit on what you buy but cause them a real loss. I think in the past 6 years I’ve had two rescans. Neither of which picked up the stolen items.
I’m not talking loads, just a free block of cheese within a £60 shop. I don’t steal the most obvious/expensive thing like a tomahawk steak, or alcohol.
It’s more likely that I’ll steal an item if I disagree with its pricing. Like a cadburys powdered hot chocolate was £5 the other shop, I felt that was a ridiculous price so I didn’t scan it.
Companies are not real things. They are just paper entities. So actual people will suffer because of your stealing. Could be employees who have to be paid less or let go to save costs, or suppliers who have to accept lower prices or pension funds (and hence indirectly other employees, pensioners, etc) who suffer lower returns.
Would you be okay with someone stealing from you eg breaking into your house and stealing your TV or a pick pocket stealing your wallet or so you see yourself as fair game (as you are shopping at Waitrose you are presumably not living on the breadline)?
audikarma said:
I regularly steal from the Waitrose self scan. I just don’t scan items and put them in my bag. Or pretend to scan them if there’s staff nearby.
I think in the past 6 years I’ve had two rescans. Neither of which picked up the stolen items.
I’m not talking loads, just a free block of cheese within a £60 shop. I don’t steal the most obvious/expensive thing like a tomahawk steak, or alcohol.
It’s more likely that I’ll steal an item if I disagree with its pricing. Like a cadburys powdered hot chocolate was £5 the other shop, I felt that was a ridiculous price so I didn’t scan it.
Before someone else says it - I think Ferraris are expensive. I’ll be popping over to the local dealer this afternoon to nick one, as apparently that’s OK. I think in the past 6 years I’ve had two rescans. Neither of which picked up the stolen items.
I’m not talking loads, just a free block of cheese within a £60 shop. I don’t steal the most obvious/expensive thing like a tomahawk steak, or alcohol.
It’s more likely that I’ll steal an item if I disagree with its pricing. Like a cadburys powdered hot chocolate was £5 the other shop, I felt that was a ridiculous price so I didn’t scan it.
Bluevanman said:
Stealing penny chews is still shoplifting.
I answered the poll before reading your OP.
Yes I shoplifted 3 or 4 times as a teenager because my mates were doing it.I came to my senses pretty soon and have never done it in the 45 odd years since and wouldn't dream of doing it now.
Of course stealing penny chews is shoplifting but I was trying to find out who does it currently (or recently) and for more meaningful amounts, as I suspect a lot of us will have shoplifted when they were children but wouldn’t dream of doing it now as an adult.I answered the poll before reading your OP.
Yes I shoplifted 3 or 4 times as a teenager because my mates were doing it.I came to my senses pretty soon and have never done it in the 45 odd years since and wouldn't dream of doing it now.
Getragdogleg said:
More people are going to be shoplifting because fhe products we buy are now such bad value.
Higher prices and smaller portions will lead to more people deciding to do as the poster above and simply not scan sometimes.
Self service checkouts and running the shop on a skeleton crew will remove the human interaction/guilt element and make this an easy crime to justify.
I consider that I'm being stolen from by the shops and manufacturers because many products are spectacularly poor value.
Add in the dual pricing of the loyalty card schemes(that I don't want to get involved in because I'm not happy about being used as a data mine) and shopping generally is a poor experience.
Easy to see why theft is increasing.
Sounds like BS to me that you are using to justify theft. Unsurprising as most people don’t like to see themselves as wrongdoers so find excuses for their behaviour. Higher prices and smaller portions will lead to more people deciding to do as the poster above and simply not scan sometimes.
Self service checkouts and running the shop on a skeleton crew will remove the human interaction/guilt element and make this an easy crime to justify.
I consider that I'm being stolen from by the shops and manufacturers because many products are spectacularly poor value.
Add in the dual pricing of the loyalty card schemes(that I don't want to get involved in because I'm not happy about being used as a data mine) and shopping generally is a poor experience.
Easy to see why theft is increasing.
Skeptisk said:
Getragdogleg said:
More people are going to be shoplifting because fhe products we buy are now such bad value.
Higher prices and smaller portions will lead to more people deciding to do as the poster above and simply not scan sometimes.
Self service checkouts and running the shop on a skeleton crew will remove the human interaction/guilt element and make this an easy crime to justify.
I consider that I'm being stolen from by the shops and manufacturers because many products are spectacularly poor value.
Add in the dual pricing of the loyalty card schemes(that I don't want to get involved in because I'm not happy about being used as a data mine) and shopping generally is a poor experience.
Easy to see why theft is increasing.
Sounds like BS to me that you are using to justify theft. Unsurprising as most people don’t like to see themselves as wrongdoers so find excuses for their behaviour. Higher prices and smaller portions will lead to more people deciding to do as the poster above and simply not scan sometimes.
Self service checkouts and running the shop on a skeleton crew will remove the human interaction/guilt element and make this an easy crime to justify.
I consider that I'm being stolen from by the shops and manufacturers because many products are spectacularly poor value.
Add in the dual pricing of the loyalty card schemes(that I don't want to get involved in because I'm not happy about being used as a data mine) and shopping generally is a poor experience.
Easy to see why theft is increasing.
Are you happy with prices/portion sizes?
You started the thread so by your logic you might be trying to find ways to justify your own behaviour for all we know.
I shoplifted last week, technically. When loading my bags into the car I noticed a bulb of garlic in the trolley I forgot to scan. Oops.
I did it a few times as a teenager, some depderant a and a packet of biscuits I seem to recall. One of my mates went through a shoplifting phase at the the time, he was doing it regularly with some quite high value items and I'm surprised he was never caught. He's now in quite a senior audit role for the government, make of that what you will!
I did it a few times as a teenager, some depderant a and a packet of biscuits I seem to recall. One of my mates went through a shoplifting phase at the the time, he was doing it regularly with some quite high value items and I'm surprised he was never caught. He's now in quite a senior audit role for the government, make of that what you will!
Getragdogleg said:
Never ever stolen anything, just observing why it's happening more.
Are you happy with prices/portion sizes?
You started the thread so by your logic you might be trying to find ways to justify your own behaviour for all we know.
I think it should be clear from my posts that I am not pro shopliftingAre you happy with prices/portion sizes?
You started the thread so by your logic you might be trying to find ways to justify your own behaviour for all we know.
Of course I am not happy with prices or portion sizes but I’ve never considered stealing as a solution.
Skeptisk said:
You say not loads but John Lewis made a margin of just 0.3% on sales last year (profit before tax). So you stealing a £4 block of cheese when buying £60 means you steal not just their total profit on what you buy but cause them a real loss.
Companies are not real things. They are just paper entities. So actual people will suffer because of your stealing. Could be employees who have to be paid less or let go to save costs, or suppliers who have to accept lower prices or pension funds (and hence indirectly other employees, pensioners, etc) who suffer lower returns.
Would you be okay with someone stealing from you eg breaking into your house and stealing your TV or a pick pocket stealing your wallet or so you see yourself as fair game (as you are shopping at Waitrose you are presumably not living on the breadline)?
A more useful discussion would be to question why hoisting gear from shops has soared in the past few years rather than jump down the throat of the first poster to admit to it, Otherwise you're merely indulging in a moralising fishing expedition & look like that was your whole intention in the first place.Companies are not real things. They are just paper entities. So actual people will suffer because of your stealing. Could be employees who have to be paid less or let go to save costs, or suppliers who have to accept lower prices or pension funds (and hence indirectly other employees, pensioners, etc) who suffer lower returns.
Would you be okay with someone stealing from you eg breaking into your house and stealing your TV or a pick pocket stealing your wallet or so you see yourself as fair game (as you are shopping at Waitrose you are presumably not living on the breadline)?
Skeptisk said:
Getragdogleg said:
Never ever stolen anything, just observing why it's happening more.
Are you happy with prices/portion sizes?
You started the thread so by your logic you might be trying to find ways to justify your own behaviour for all we know.
I think it should be clear from my posts that I am not pro shopliftingAre you happy with prices/portion sizes?
You started the thread so by your logic you might be trying to find ways to justify your own behaviour for all we know.
Of course I am not happy with prices or portion sizes but I’ve never considered stealing as a solution.
Literally nothing in my post said anything other than "I can understand why is getting worse".
Getragdogleg said:
I'm anti shoplifting and fully aware from actually reading your posts that you are too, my suggestions to the contrary were made to highlight my annoyance as to how the hell you extrapolated that I'm trying to "justify my actions" from the first post I made.
Literally nothing in my post said anything other than "I can understand why is getting worse".
Apologies if I jumped to the wrong conclusion but if you read your post again it wasn’t that clear that you are against shoplifting and could be interpreted as a defence.Literally nothing in my post said anything other than "I can understand why is getting worse".
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