# I cut the tough, woody ends off the asparagus...in the store. Did I steal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 15, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544 "2010-03-15T15:34:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/81 "2010-03-16T17:47:11Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > I agree. So my two per bunch of 200 equates to me eating 10-20 of a few bunches, no? You should just go to a farmers’ market. At all the ones near me, the vendors have samples for people, or will let you sample if you ask. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/82 "2010-03-16T17:58:31Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > No Lindbergh babies were harmed in the making of his post. 😛 I vote that we all make sure this phrase lives on in Doper lore. . . ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/83 "2010-03-16T18:05:06Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Telling them you ate some does nothing save soothe your own conscience. The checkout operator has no way of charging you for the produce you ate, whether you admit it or not. Why is that? I eat candy bars all the time and yet they manage to grab another one and scan it. I’d happily pay half a pound extra for the added satisfaction of being sure that my grapes are good (or simply the selfish reason of me eating some of the grapes walking around) How is this hard to understand, really? ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/84 "2010-03-16T18:06:09Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > You should just go to a farmers’ market. At all the ones near me, the vendors have samples for people, or will let you sample if you ask. I do, when possible to do so. Our farmer’s market is only on the first weekend of the month ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/85 "2010-03-16T18:33:30Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Why is that? I eat candy bars all the time and yet they manage to grab another one and scan it. That’s because it’s clear from the per-unit packaging how much you ate, and it’s easy to compute the price of what you ate from the barcode of an identical item. > [@Kearsen](#): > > I’d happily pay half a pound extra for the added satisfaction of being sure that my grapes are good (or simply the selfish reason of me eating some of the grapes walking around) But how is the store clerk supposed to know how much you ate? The store has a checkout policy of weighing the produce **as you buy it** and charging a price for it **based on that weight as recorded by the scale**. They don’t just tack another half-pound’s worth on the total price because you suggested it. Here’s a suggestion if you really want to eat grapes as you walk around the store without ripping off the store in the process: **Pick a small bunch of grapes and BUY them BEFORE you do the rest of your shopping.** Then you can enjoy eating the grapes as you shop with a clear conscience, and if the grapes aren’t good, you won’t waste a significant amount of money buying more of them. > [@Kearsen](#): > > How is this hard to understand, really? To be honest, we were kind of wondering the same thing about you. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/86 "2010-03-16T18:47:25Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > That’s because it’s clear from the per-unit packaging how much you ate, and it’s easy to compute the price of what you ate from the barcode of an identical item. > But how is the store clerk supposed to know how much you ate? The store has a checkout policy of weighing the produce **as you buy it** and charging a price for it **based on that weight as recorded by the scale**. They don’t just tack another half-pound’s worth on the total price because you suggested it. > > Here’s a suggestion if you really want to eat grapes as you walk around the store without ripping off the store in the process: **Pick a small bunch of grapes and BUY them BEFORE you do the rest of your shopping.** > > Then you can enjoy eating the grapes as you shop with a clear conscience, and if the grapes aren’t good, you won’t waste a significant amount of money buying more of them. > To be honest, we were kind of wondering the same thing about you. I already agreed that I was in the wrong, therefore my willingness to pay for the transgression (even paying a premium for it) Say I ate 4 ounces but paid 8 oz 🙂 Surely honesty should be rewarded! (and it usually is by the clerk shrugging it off as unimportant) ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/87 "2010-03-16T18:53:25Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > I already agreed that I was in the wrong, therefore my willingness to pay for the transgression (even paying a premium for it) Say I ate 4 ounces but paid 8 oz 🙂 > > Surely honesty should be rewarded! (and it usually is by the clerk shrugging it off as unimportant) It’s good that you recognose that you are a hardened criminal. I’m not sure how I feel about the ‘sin now and repent later and everything is copacetic’ plan, though. Also, you are asking the store to fudge around with prices based on unknowns and guesses. This is kinda dodgy from an a accounting, and probably a legal standpoint, isn’t it? 'Tis better if you pay for the actual known amount of whatever it is you’re buying, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/88 "2010-03-16T18:55:57Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > It’s good that you recognose that you are a hardened criminal. I’m not sure how I feel about the ‘sin now and repent later and everything is copacetic’ plan, though. > > Also, you are asking the store to fudge around with prices based on unknowns and guesses. This is kinda dodgy from an a accounting, and probably a legal standpoint, isn’t it? 'Tis better if you pay for the actual known amount of whatever it is you’re buying, isn’t it? I’ll admit I am in uncharted waters when referring to specific accounting practices for retail stores. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/89 "2010-03-16T19:02:48Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > I already agreed that I was in the wrong, therefore my willingness to pay for the transgression […] > > Surely honesty should be rewarded! (and it usually is by the clerk shrugging it off as unimportant) Well, if you know you’re in the wrong, then why not figure out an alternative approach that **isn’t** wrong, such as paying for a small amount of grapes **before** you eat them? That way you’re not filching produce from the store that you’re not paying for, and you’re not dumping the responsibility of your wrongdoing on the clerk by telling him/her that you filched an unknown quantity of produce that the clerk has no practical means of measuring or charging you for. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/90 "2010-03-16T19:09:23Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Well, if you know you’re in the wrong, then why not figure out an alternative approach that **isn’t** wrong, such as paying for a small amount of grapes **before** you eat them? > > That way you’re not filching produce from the store that you’re not paying for, and you’re not dumping the responsibility of your wrongdoing on the clerk by telling him/her that you filched an unknown quantity of produce that the clerk has no practical means of measuring or charging you for. Not to nitpick but I could come up with an entirely feasible approach to paying for lost grapes dear. You ring up the grapes, and then you ring up a handful of grapes to cover any lost produce. You keep telling me that I am doing wrong. Clearly I am not or the store clerk would admonish me like you are. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/91 "2010-03-16T19:26:23Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Not to nitpick but I could come up with an entirely feasible approach to paying for lost grapes dear. You ring up the grapes, and then you ring up a handful of grapes to cover any lost produce. Just because it seems feasible to you doesn’t mean that the checkout clerk is allowed to double-charge for weighed produce that way. Why don’t you find out by stopping in the manager’s office next time you’re in the store, and explaining the situation to him/her? If you can come up with a policy for charging for previously-eaten produce that the store is okay with, then good for you and carry on. > [@Kearsen](#): > > You keep telling me that I am doing wrong. You’ve repeatedly ADMITTED that you’re doing wrong. Were you just saying it in the hope that we would contradict you, or what? > [@Kearsen](#): > > Clearly I am not or the store clerk would admonish me like you are. Just because a checkout clerk doesn’t smack down a customer for his/her pilfering from the store, the way one anonymous internet user can smack down another on a message board, doesn’t necessarily mean that the clerk doesn’t think that what you’re doing is wrong. Nor does it necessarily mean that the management is okay with it either. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/92 "2010-03-16T19:34:15Z")
My admission that I am doing wrong (clearly you missed the nuance attached) was/is sincere. The relative harm done is negligible. You are starting to sound like my wife when I fail to completely stop at a stop sign for 5 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/93 "2010-03-16T20:03:31Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > The relative harm done is negligible. You are starting to sound like my wife when I fail to completely stop at a stop sign for 5 seconds. Look, you’re the one who came into this thread to volunteer the information that you steal small amounts of produce from the supermarket, and have now voluntarily spent about a dozen posts trying to persuade other posters that it’s an okay thing to do. That’s fine by me, although I don’t think your arguments have really convinced anyone. But if you think the matter’s so negligible and not worth worrying about in terms of the harm it does, then why’d you bring it up in the first place, and why do you keep talking about it? You can filch grapes from the supermarket all you want, I’m not going to report you to anybody. But if you keep on trying to argue that this habit of yours perfectly okay and there’s no reason why you should change it, I’m going to tell you why I think your arguments are crap. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/94 "2010-03-16T20:09:21Z")
My post was in response to the Op about cutting the ends off asparagus, remember? You are right I offered up a personal anecdote about “stealing” grapes and it has turned into this. Some found it funny, some found it not funny but I never tried to persuade anyone to eat grapes in the store. I still find it funny that you are trying to teach me the correct way to go about doing something. I get that, really I do. I won’t be changing my snacking styles though. If anything, I might do as you suggested and pay for them upfront before continuing to shop, so mission accomplished for you! ---
**Author:** ![Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blut_Aus_Nord)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/95 "2010-03-16T20:09:49Z")
Why were you buying asparagus in the first place? Vile things. _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/96 "2010-03-16T20:16:52Z")
Not commenting on the right or wrong of the OP, but it reminds me of an incident involving [Jamie Oliver](http://www.jamieoliver.com/about) (do you guys over the pond know who he is? He’s a celebrity TV chef, if you don’t). Well, Jamie Oliver, on one of his TV shows, advocated doing exactly what the OP has done. Thing is, Jamie is the sponsored ‘face’ of [Sainsbury’s](http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/index.jsp), a major UK supermarket chain. And sure enough, people hot footed it to Sainsbury’s, tearing their asparagus limb from woody limb, and they felt powerless to stop it as ‘Jamie said it was okay’ (I know this because Sainsbury’s were a client of mine at the time). They felt they had to take it on the chin or be viewed as spoilsports. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/97 "2010-03-16T21:56:16Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I asked if he could’ve made a simple mistake that would make this whole discussion irrelevant. I didn’t need the solution to the case of the Lindbergh baby. Well, since the very first response made the point that asparagus is sold by weight, and he didn’t dispute it, and in the OP he pointed out that less asparagus costs less, I’d say it is a fair assumption that it is sold by weight. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/98 "2010-03-17T00:31:56Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > If anything, I might do as you suggested and pay for them upfront before continuing to shop, so mission accomplished for you! Thank you, that would make me proud! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gruntled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/34f0e0/32.png) [@Gruntled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gruntled)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/99 "2010-03-17T00:39:31Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Well, since the very first response made the point that asparagus is sold by weight, and he didn’t dispute it, and in the OP he pointed out that less asparagus costs less, I’d say it is a fair assumption that it is sold by weight. Right. I saw that the asparagus was sold by weight. Then I noticed that about 5/8ths of what I would be buying was inedible and done that way _ **on purpose** _ to maximize the store’s profit. That annoyed me, so I found a solution. Agree that it was wrong. Not stealing exactly, but more like pricetag switching, which I would never consider doing. Huh. But I did in fact do that. Huh. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544/100 "2010-03-17T01:06:31Z")
> [@Gruntled](#): > > Right. I saw that the asparagus was sold by weight. Then I noticed that about 5/8ths of what I would be buying was inedible and done that way _ **on purpose** _ to maximize the store’s profit. That annoyed me, so I found a solution. That’s just silly. If they cut the “bad” stuff off, they’ll jack up the price. As I said earlier, my store usually offers both. And different people like to use more or less of the stalk. There isn’t a universally agreed upon place to cut it. The proper way to store asparagus, btw, is standing in water in your fridge, and you cut off about an inch or so every day until you use it. Besides, there are so many other vegetables sold with “useless” parts on them. You stole from (or defrauded) the store. No ifs ands or buts about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cut-the-tough-woody-ends-off-the-asparagus-in-the-store-did-i-steal/532544.md?page=6)