# 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:** 9
**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 8, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/161 "2005-08-08T19:34:28Z")
Damn those Boca people! Don’t they answer their e-mail? I’m lying awake at night thinking about this. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/162 "2005-08-08T19:53:42Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > the customers don’t know that there ever was one, and they don’t feel cheated But they do, because there is a small frame that went around the coupon. And I for one would not buy a box with a frame on it, because that means it’s damaged. Sure, there might be enough people out there who would buy boxes with frames, but if enough people took the coupons and the non-frame boxes so that only framed ones were left, I wouldn’t buy it. So Boca would lose a sale. I don’t know how many people out there would not buy a box with a frame on it, maybe it’s just me, but you can’t deny that in at least one instance this scheme would result in lost sales. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/163 "2005-08-08T20:07:53Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Even if I DID agree that the purpose of the coupon was solely to stimulate sales of that specific item, I STILL do not see how it’s stealing. Violating a company’s intention is not robbery. > > Rude, I’ll give you. It may well be rude to take the coupon off a product that you don’t plan to buy. But wrong? Farting next to someone in the elevator is rude, maybe makes you less than appealing as a person during that moment, but I don’t think it’s wrong. Clearly YMMV, and it does, but this conversation has gotten to the point where dead horses are being flogged, IMO. I dunno…, I always thought rude _was_ wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/164 "2005-08-08T20:21:50Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > I dunno…, I always thought rude _was_ wrong. Agree to disagree, then. I reserve the word “wrong” for more significant things, things that actually harm someone. Also, everyone is rude about something, so remember the weight of your own moral judgement next time you’re rude. Unless you’re perfect too. I’m making a concession here about the rudeness; try not to make me regret it, OK? I think I’ll say this one more time, just for the record, even though I know it’s not going to do any good. The man who stocks the natural food section of my store says that all the Boca products move pretty fast, coupons or no. He does not recall having to remove any products because they’ve been in the case too long without selling. Boca is not being harmed, folks. That’s the size of it. The only person harmed is the theoretical person who would have bought the box of burgers with the coupon on it. If he really wants burgers, he’ll buy the box without the coupon, even with the frame. I buy them all the time without a coupon. ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/165 "2005-08-08T22:52:57Z")
> [@Gary T](#): > > You’re right about that. I got carried away and was unduly disrespectful. Please accept my apology. No worries. After seeing how the thread turned after my response to your post, yours seems like sunshine and lollipops! Sheesh. Such vitriol over coupons! I don’t think I take them as seriously–and they were part of my job at one point! I guess this goes up with shoes on/off, toilet paper rolls, and laundry lint on the “SDMB whodda thunk feelings ran so strong” list! ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/166 "2005-08-09T01:28:52Z")
Thank you for visiting [http://www.bocafoods.com/](http://www.bocafoods.com/). We offer many store coupons for our products, with purpose of maintaining our existing consumers and also to encourage new consumers to try a variety of our products. These coupons are offered with the intent of using them simply as an incentive to the consumer to purchase the product. The coupons can only be redeemed at the grocery store checkout counter when purchasing a product for which the offer was made. We then redeem coupons at face value from retailers who have accepted them from shoppers upon the purchase of the specified product. If you haven’t done so already, please add our site to your favorites and visit us again soon! * * * OK, this clears up nothing. It seems as if, as long as the product is listed on the coupon, they’re fine with it. They want people to try “a variety of their products,” so maybe they put them on the burgers and have a “purchase two” clause so that people will be encouraged to try something different. I really don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/167 "2005-08-09T01:40:01Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I’d really like to know too. > > Surely, they would prefer for you to buy their product. And I firmly believe that’s why they put the coupon on it in the first place. I mean really, they are in the business of selling the product. Not to give stuff away out of the kindness of their own hearts. > > So, as long as they never knew there was a coupon on it, it’s OK to ‘cheat’ them? I don’t think that it’s cheating them. They are the unlucky ones that got there too late. It’s like being the first person in line at the movie theater that gets turned down for a ticket. Boca prints X coupons, expecting X customers to receive them. **Otto** was one of the X customers. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/168 "2005-08-09T02:28:11Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Agree to disagree, then. I reserve the word “wrong” for more significant things, things that actually harm someone. Like the customer who ends up buying the couponless box? You’ve cheated him out of 50 cents (or whatever). ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/169 "2005-08-09T02:57:21Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > Like the customer who ends up buying the couponless box? You’ve cheated him out of 50 cents (or whatever). You have a different definition of harm than I do. That customer will surely be able to find a box that still has a coupon on it. If they can’t, and they don’t want to pay full price, they don’t have to buy the burgers. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/170 "2005-08-09T10:57:40Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > You have a different definition of harm than I do. That customer will surely be able to find a box that still has a coupon on it. If they can’t, and they don’t want to pay full price, they don’t have to buy the burgers. But then they might have to eat BEEEEEF! Ingest steroids and hormones and pesticides and toxins! Is that what you want? To promote America’s dirty, crooked beef industry? To let the corporations get rich from your money!? (all of which should be taken with a smiley of some sort) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/171 "2005-08-09T11:24:18Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > OK, this clears up nothing. It seems as if, as long as the product is listed on the coupon, they’re fine with it. They want people to try “a variety of their products,” so maybe they put them on the burgers and have a “purchase two” clause so that people will be encouraged to try something different. I really don’t know. Right. It clears up nothing because this part \*\*We offer many store coupons for our products, with purpose of maintaining our existing consumers and also to encourage new consumers to try a variety of our products. These coupons are offered with the intent of using them simply as an incentive to the consumer to purchase the product.\*\* is exactly what I’ve been saying all along and you seem have some kinf of blocd that doesn’t allow you to see how subverting that is damaging to Boca. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/172 "2005-08-09T11:25:26Z")
some “kind of block” rather. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/173 "2005-08-09T11:45:49Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Right, and if your activity pisses off the next guy that’s OK? Anyone pissed off because they’re aware of not being able to use a coupon has a petty vindictive mind. Might as well get annoyed because somebody else got to the store before you and bought the last bag of charcoal. Or because the person behind you in line will get 50 cents off the same stuff you’re buying because they clipped a coupon at home. If the manufacturer wanted to limit the coupon to the specific item it’s attached to, they could. They choose not to. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/174 "2005-08-09T11:50:45Z")
> [@Barbarian](#): > > Anyone pissed off because they’re aware of not being able to use a coupon has a petty vindictive mind. Might as well get annoyed because somebody else got to the store before you and bought the last bag of charcoal. Or because the person behind you in line will get 50 cents off the same stuff you’re buying because they clipped a coupon at home. > > If the manufacturer wanted to limit the coupon to the specific item it’s attached to, they could. They choose not to. If the manufacturer wanted to attach the coupon to other products, they could. The choose not to. ---
**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 9, 2005, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/175 "2005-08-09T12:21:49Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Thank you for visiting [http://www.bocafoods.com/](http://www.bocafoods.com/). Blah, blah, blah. I hate it when you clearly ask a question and get a lot of useless bullshit in return! Do they not understand English? Just for that, I’m buying Gardenburgers next time. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/176 "2005-08-09T12:40:43Z")
Why do people keep saying Boca (or any other company mind)? Of course they wouldn’t mind! Someone is still making money for them. Customers aren’t being stolen fom either. They obviously have the choice of the box missing the coupon or a box with the coupon. It is no great suprise to **Otto** or anyone else that they choose the box with the coupon. **Otto** IS stealing from the supermarket. If the supermarket get the money back from Boca without proof of purchase, then he really IS stealing from Boca (but they probably like that kind of "stealing’) Sounds like a headache for the supermarket though. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/177 "2005-08-09T12:53:06Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > Why do people keep saying Boca (or any other company mind)? Of course they wouldn’t mind! Someone is still making money for them. I have NEVER seen a thread where a point was made so repeatedly in so many different ways and so many people still have missed it. Nobody has disagreed with it or made an alternate argument. They have just repeatedly stated "I don’t get it, " or “I don’t agree with it” with absolutely no alternative given. I guess we need to go back further in time, because I thought everyone at least understood the rudiments of this. . . Boca has put research and development dollars into producing “food product X”. They now are overstocked with it because people aren’t buying enough of it. It’s sitting in their freezers and they’re getting worried that they’re going to have to eat a loss. So, they start shipping product X out with a coupon on it. They hope that people who buy it will buy more of it. They hope that people who don’t buy it will start to buy it, like it, and continue to buy it. When you remove the incentive for other people to purchase that product, you are undermining Boca’s efforts. Essentially, you are putting them back to square one where product X was not moving and their inventories of it are growing. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/178 "2005-08-09T13:15:14Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > If it’s the first, and every customer does this, eventually there are no boxes left with coupons, and the customers **don’t know that there ever was one, and they don’t feel cheated.** > [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > I don’t think that it’s cheating them. They are the unlucky ones that got there too late. It’s like being the first person in line at the movie theater that gets turned down for a ticket. Boca prints X coupons, expecting X customers to receive them. **Otto** was one of the X customers. In your original post you implied that the customer that did not get the coupon gets cheated. He just doesn’t know it. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/179 "2005-08-09T13:33:49Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > \*\*Don’t you think Kraft has an army of marketing people who know exactly what’s going to happen to those coupons? \*\* Or do you think you’re more on top of it than they are, and you know better? I doubt it. **Kraft pours big money into R&D on how these things work, and if they didn’t mean people to take it off the box, they would not have put it there.** End of story. > . I do wonder how Kraft and other companies refer to the subset that swipes these coupons from the paying customer? I wonder if they are a + or a - in their ledger? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476/180 "2005-08-09T13:48:03Z")
> [@continuity eror](#): > > But they do, because there is a small frame that went around the coupon. And I for one would not buy a box with a frame on it, because that means it’s damaged. Sure, there might be enough people out there who would buy boxes with frames, but if enough people took the coupons and the non-frame boxes so that only framed ones were left, I wouldn’t buy it. So Boca would lose a sale. I don’t know how many people out there would not buy a box with a frame on it, maybe it’s just me, but you can’t deny that in at least one instance this scheme would result in lost sales. I’m picky about this… I will usually pass over a product that has damaged packaging, even a missing tab-stick coupon. The product seems “used” and damaged, less appealing. I guess, not only is this stealing it’s the work of a vandal as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accused-of-theft-at-the-grocery/315476.md?page=10)