# Accused of theft at the grocery! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 3, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476 "2005-08-03T21:06:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/41 "2005-08-04T11:54:08Z")
Put me in for so incredibly not stealing, shocked that anyone would think otherwise, and seriously thinking that someone complaining about it in a store really ought to be locked up in a padded room as being a danger to other people and society as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/42 "2005-08-04T12:08:24Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > I wouldn’t. I just posted that so people had the exact details of the situation. How it shook out was Product A had the coupons good for money off the purchase of any two Boca products. I didn’t want product A. I wanted Product B and Product C. So I peeled off two coupons from Product A boxes and bought two of Product B and two of Product C. It seemed like some people were basing their opinions at least in part on the idea that the coupon was good for money off the purchase of just one item. Whether that ultimately will make a difference to anyone, we’ll see. When I see promotions like this, I figure that the company is trying to promote Product A. Maybe it’s a new product, maybe it’s not selling as well. I think the point is that the coupon is a little nudge to entice people into trying Product A. Especially for a brand like Boca, it’s reasonable to think that someone who likes Product B might be somewhat interested in at least trying Product A. By making the coupon good for other products, the shopper might think: “Hmmm, I like Product B, so I’ll get one Product B and give Product A a try.” (using in the coupon at the point of purchase) or even “Eh, I’ll try Product A, but if it sucks, at least I have a coupon to come back later and get a break on Product B and Product C.” (saving the coupon for later use). I’m sure both the store and the company figure that some people will snag the coupon without buying Product A, and don’t lose too much sleep over it. If I saw someone doing it, I wouldn’t say anything, but I do think it’s somewhat uncouth behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/43 "2005-08-04T12:47:29Z")
> [@Dan Norder](#): > > Put me in for so incredibly not stealing, shocked that anyone would think otherwise, and seriously thinking that someone complaining about it in a store really ought to be locked up in a padded room as being a danger to other people and society as a whole. Hear, hear. I thought maybe I should reboot my computer and return to this thread just to see if that fixed it. I bet anything Boca tells Rubystreak they’re okay with it. ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/44 "2005-08-04T13:20:57Z")
how do i put my vote under the “i can’t believe 42 people have a moral opinion on something so trivial” column? ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/45 "2005-08-04T13:25:55Z")
I guess we all feel like we’re bizarro world here because I really don’t know how people can seriously believe this isn’t stealing. Here’s the line of thinking for those who need a little help: Boca is having no problems selling Boca Sausages and Boca Burgers. Therefore, they don’t put coupons on them. They want to give customers an incentive to purchase Boca Chicken. The coupon is “2 for 1” because part of the incentive is “well, we know you’re buying Boca Burgers. We’ll give you a deal on the burgers, as long as you try the chicken, too.” Got it? Not only is Otto subverting that, but he’s also damaging Boca’s chances of selling Boca Chicken to the next guy who comes down the aisle. The very reasonable explanation for why a generic Boca coupon would be on the outside of the box is that they don’t need to change their packaging or their coupon printing when their promotions change. Perhaps in a different market, the Boca Chicken is moving fine, and the Boca Burgers aren’t. Same coupon. Same packaging. ---
**Author:** ![LissyLou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5daacb/32.png) [@LissyLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LissyLou)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/46 "2005-08-04T14:25:07Z")
Rubystreak, Can we see the text of your e-mail? Did you ask them if they really minded when coupon switching occurred; or did you ask them if they intended the coupon to go to whomever purchased the item to which the coupon was originally attached? Coupon switching is trivial, and I might even do it myself, but I’d at least admit to myself that I was doing something that was a teeny bit wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/47 "2005-08-04T16:10:27Z")
I think it is stealing. I might do it myself, but I would be aware that I was stealing. My morals can be stretched for such trivial theft. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/48 "2005-08-04T16:16:43Z")
> [@LissyLou](#): > > Can we see the text of your e-mail? Did you ask them if they really minded when coupon switching occurred; or did you ask them if they intended the coupon to go to whomever purchased the item to which the coupon was originally attached? What, you don’t trust me? :dubious: No, you can’t see the text because I wrote to them on a contact form on the site, not via e-mail. 😛 I asked them if it harmed them in any way if someone took a coupon off one of their products and used it to buy another of their products. I also asked why some products have those coupons on them and others didn’t. If you want to ask them something different, knock yourself out. > [@](#): > > Coupon switching is trivial, and I might even do it myself, but I’d at least admit to myself that I was doing something that was a teeny bit wrong. Maybe this is my big moral blind spot, but I don’t see how this could be considered wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/49 "2005-08-04T16:26:33Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Maybe this is my big moral blind spot, but I don’t see how this could be considered wrong. Read my post. Either 1. You don’t consider what I wrote to be the intention of Boca. (I’m open to alternative explanations, but you still must consider the possibility that what I wrote is their intention and therefore there’s a chance that it’s wrong.) 2. You agree that is their intention, but you still don’t see it as wrong. (Then, we’re just coming at it from two different ethical points of view and there’s no point in further discussion. ) ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/50 "2005-08-04T16:31:55Z")
Stealing seems like a harsh word for this but, the coupon _was_ intended for the person purchasing the product is was attached to. I wouldn’t confront anyone about though. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/51 "2005-08-04T16:39:55Z")
If Boca answers Rubystreak and tells her it’s okay, will it then be okay to do it with products from other companies, or not unless we ask? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/52 "2005-08-04T16:48:14Z")
Stealing? From whom? The only person that could object to taking of the coupon would be the owner of the box the coupon is attached to. You can’t steal something from someone who doesn’t own it, so the ‘next customer’ doesn’t even come into question. Only the store could object. The wording on the coupon (“any two Boca products”) is explicit and is clearly differerent than the implied “this box any any other Boca product”. If Boca had intended for the latter to be the case, they had the opportunity to say so on the coupon. Instead, they said “any two” and how they distribute the coupon doesn’t change that. Not stealing. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/53 "2005-08-04T17:04:16Z")
> [@Dag Otto](#): > > Stealing? From whom? The only person that could object to taking of the coupon would be the owner of the box the coupon is attached to. You can’t steal something from someone who doesn’t own it, so the ‘next customer’ doesn’t even come into question. Only the store could object. > > The wording on the coupon (“any two Boca products”) is explicit and is clearly differerent than the implied “this box any any other Boca product”. If Boca had intended for the latter to be the case, they had the opportunity to say so on the coupon. Instead, they said “any two” and how they distribute the coupon doesn’t change that. > > Not stealing. Stealing from Boca for the reasons I outlined. They have spent money to ensure that the couponed product moves. You are removing that incentive. I would say that “if Boca has intended for the _former_ to be the case, they could have just as easily put the coupon on the other boxes.” Yes, we’re both making an assumption. The difference is: If I’m wrong, I’m out $.50 on my Boca purchase. If you’re wrong, you’re stealing. I don’t make decisions based on whether I couldn’t be prosecuted because of a technicality. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/54 "2005-08-04T17:39:27Z")
Stealing and rude. Why not just take the the free toy out of a box of cereal? IMHO you’re taking the coupon away from the future purchaser, end of story. Coupon stealing isn’t much of a crime though, so I wouldn’t confront. I might give you one of these though: :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/55 "2005-08-04T17:48:48Z")
The coupon is intended to be an incentive to buy the item to which it is attached. That’s why it is atached to that specific item. The fact that it can be used for other things doesn’t change that. The coupon is attached to the outside of the box so that the customer can use it right away, increasing the incentive by providing immediate gratification. I don’t think it hurts Boca Burger directly since they’re redeeming the same amount of cash whatever product it’s on. However, it does rob some other customer of the monetary incentive to buy the product which could result in lower sales of that product. This may not mean much at a local level, but when you consider how it may add up at the national level, it could be a real impact on a company. So it does hurt the company. The other problem is that robbing some future customer of the coupon is not right either. It may not be illegal, but it’s still wrong. And it’s sad when people rationalize that “not illegal” is the same as “ethical.” ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/56 "2005-08-04T17:55:01Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I don’t think it hurts Boca Burger directly since they’re redeeming the same amount of cash whatever product it’s on. Not that we’re disagreeing in the bigger picture, but this does hurt Boca directly. They have spent money to incentivize a less popular product with the intention of greater future returns. To remove the coupon is to thwart that. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/57 "2005-08-04T17:58:08Z")
I don’t think it’s any big deal at all. I can’t believe people are this worked up over it. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/58 "2005-08-04T18:04:06Z")
You guys do realize that Boca is a division of Kraft, so a couple of coupons either way isn’t going to break the bank or “hurt Boca” or whatever you’re worried about. If they were a little mom n’ pop, then I can see getting worked up over where the coupon goes and how it will affect the company’s future. As it is, I’m pretty sure Kraft takes all these things into account when they create and place coupons. Also, according to Boca’s FAQ, their burgers have a use-by date that’s a couple of years from now, so if the burgers don’t move immediately because of the coupon situation, they won’t go back or have to be sent back for quite some time. This sure it a tempest in a tea pot. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/59 "2005-08-04T18:11:16Z")
> [@uglybeech](#): > > Why not just take the the free toy out of a box of cereal? Because that would involve opening the box and sticking my hand inside, which would absolutely render the product unsellable. Besides, toys in cereal boxes these days suck. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/60 "2005-08-04T18:17:14Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Because that would involve opening the box and sticking my hand inside, which would absolutely render the product unsellable. > > Besides, toys in cereal boxes these days suck. Ok so assuming it was a cool toy from the days of yore and detachable from the outside of the box you’d have no problem snagging it for yourself? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476.md?page=4)