Should you eat food before you pay for it ?
By Traceyjayne
@Traceyjayne (13845)
United Kingdom
September 16, 2026 6:45am CST
So my question is ....
Is it okay to eat food as you walk around a supermarket whilst doing your shopping then give the empty wrapper to the cashier so that you can pay for the items you have eaten ?
My cousin drank some orange juice once whilst in a supermarket as she didn't feel very well ( this was long before the days of bottled water everywhere ).
She did make sure she explained and paid the for it with the rest of her shopping.
I have known a couple of diabetics do the same when they were in need of sugar
So what do you think ?
Is it okay .. or not ...?
7 people like this
7 responses
@xFiacre (15331)
• Ireland
4h
@traceyjayne I don’t like it as a rule, but will tolerate it in a medical emergency or if a stressed mother needs to stick something in an ill behaved brat’s cake hole to shut it up.
2 people like this
@Traceyjayne (13845)
• United Kingdom
4h
@xFiacre. Most supermarkets now have free fruit on offer to children .. I would use that option if I needed something for an ill behaved brat ....
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (8754)
• United Kingdom
5h
I’ve seen a few people do this, particularly when they’ve got kids with them. To keep them quiet I suppose. I don’t agree with it, but I suppose a diabetic in need of an instant sugar boost would be acceptable. Otherwise, no, pay before you eat/drink.
2 people like this
@Traceyjayne (13845)
• United Kingdom
5h
@Orson_Kart. I agree with you. I think most diabetics will have something with them but if they are caught , on the hop, for example then it's understandable....as long as they explain and pay
Otherwise, no ...pay before you eat ...it's not yours til you have paid...
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (193840)
• Boise, Idaho
Just now
Of course not. I watched a movie once that started with a guy going around a store grabbing items and making himself a sandwich and left remnits behind never paying for any of it.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (178472)
• United States
3h
As long as you pay for it after you get to a register, it's fine. One really hot day, I was having trouble at work so grabbed a bottle of orange juice and got in line to pay. The store manager looked at me and told me to open it and drink it while I was still in line. I'm glad he did. I think I would have fainted otherwise. (I DID faint one day helping unload a semi truck at our back doors.)
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (178472)
• United States
2h
@Traceyjayne When Walmart associates walk around the store facing the products, we'd always bring back empty cups and bags from the stuff customers ate while they shopped. It was called "shrink" and Walmart expects a certain amount of it each month.
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (13845)
• United Kingdom
3h
@DaddyEvil ....that's an emergency ...that's understandable
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (92205)
• United States
1h
I've never done it myself but I have seen people do it especially those with kids. Sometimes you just need to keep your child quiet while you shop so I find it perfectly ok as long as they pay for it.
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (18992)
• Torrington, Connecticut
5h
I do it all the time, il grab an iced tea out the cold fridge and have it will shopping. No harm done as long as you pay for what you consume
