I posted the following on a GQ thread, and was asked to take it to IMHO:
I have never “sampled” any grapes or any other product in a supermarket unless it was offered to me by an employee. To me it seems to be stealing.
To clarify: I am talking about corporate supermarkets here, not charming little produce stands where you know the owner. And I’m not including situations where there is a clearly labelled area for samples. Just the regular, shelved bags of grapes sitting there waiting to be put in a cart.
For me, the only thing remotely approaching this that I’ve ever done is when my kids were really hungry, I’ve put something in my cart (not something that needs to be weighed at checkout) and given them some or even all of it as we continue shopping. But even if I’m just having them scan an empty box at the checkout line, I’m still paying for all of it–though even then, I do feel a bit sheepish about doing this.
I stopped by Kroger this morning on my way home from work. The produce manager happened to be out there (A guy I’ve chatted with on several occasions.)
I asked him if he thought it was stealing. His response was: [shrugs] “I don’t know. I DO know that if I kicked people out every time I saw someone eating a grape, I’d lose half my customers.” (Hyperbole, I’m sure.)
He said the only thing that irks him are the kids. Kids can’t seem to tell the difference between “sampling” and “eat your fill”.
ETA: And the kicker to all this: As he’s telling me all this, he’s filling up a giant trash can full of expired produce. I found that slightly amusing.
I wish stores would post a sign that it’s OK to sample one grape, because very occasionally you run into some that are very sour. People aren’t sampling them for a snack.
I hate this. I hated it as a checker and I hate it as a customer. Feed your damn kids before you leave the house. Teach the little buggers how to have a little delayed gratification. Parent your freakin’ child, stop giving in to their tantrums.
If I take something that doesn’t belong to me, and I don’t have permission, I consider it stealing.
Why you you care if the item is being paid for?
It’s not sampling, it’s stealing.
Many foods that I’ve seen people feed their kids in the store create a mess of crumbs and pieces if you were to try to scan the empty package, and I’m sure the cashier loves having to clean up the belt and scanner afterwards.
I don’t think it’s right to eat the grape, but I’m not sure it’s bad enough I’d consider it shoplifting.
Thanks for starting this thread!
It is theft (minor, but still theft), and it’s low-class. It’s about as embarrassing to witness as someone trying to haggle in a big-box store. I can understand that cultural norms in other countries may not follow, but classy people don’t do this in the US.
As I stated in the other thread, just because it’s easy to take a bite of something doesn’t mean you have a right to do it. You wouldn’t take a bite out of an apple before buying a bag of apples. I’m sure no produce clerk wants to get a reputation for yelling at people over a grape. That doesn’t mean he’s OK with you doing it, dammit.
This. I see this all the time in my local SuperStore in the bulk section, too. I think it’s worse in the bulk food bins because people are dipping in there with their grimy paws to steal the food they’re eating - blow your nose, cough in your hand, then stick that hand into the bin.
Let me perhaps give people some perspective on how a small theft is still a theft - I have done some housecleaning in my day, and I never took so much as a penny off of a counter in someone else’s house, because IT WASN’T MINE! Taking a grape and eating it instead of paying for it is stealing.
I wish the poll was multi choice.
I’ve done it. I consider it theft. I don’t think it’s a big deal. I feel guilty about not thinking it’s a big deal.
I’ve worked in food retail for 30 years, currently as a produce manager in a moderately large chain.
Shakes’ anecdote hits it fairly close to reality. (Regarding kids eating their fill, children in public spaces should be monitored and disciplined by their parent(s) - whole 'nother thread, that…)
Grapes are a bit of an outlier (to me, anyway) in the produce department - they are a random weight item (unlike, say, berries, which are sold by the ounce/pint/quart, etc.), and can vary widely in flavor. All fruit varies in sweetness, texture and overall flavor (usually due to seasonality), but grapes in particular seem to exhibit a wide range. Some are almost like biting into a lemon. Some are so sweet as to be cloying.
I specifically mention random weight produce, because sampling one or two grapes from an open-ended bag is beyond negligible from a loss prevention standpoint. I routinely toss out hundreds of pounds of culls (sub-prime product) every day. What difference does a couple grapes make?
That said, I sample everything and anything I can to customers, if they want a taste. I myself routinely sample almost every fruit product that comes through my doors, just so I can offer customers an honest opinion of the product.
And over the years, I have become painfully honest.
If the stone fruit (peaches, plums, etc.) is mealy and tasteless, I tell people, and offer a sample if they want one. Savvy consumers know out of season produce can be sketchy at best. Sometimes you get an exceptional product off season, but not often. Your best bet, IMHO, is to buy peak in-season produce when it is available in abundance.
It will be fresher, cheaper, closer to home (possibly even local), have much better flavor, and often be good for your local economy as a side benefit.
Regarding the OP:
SlackerInc; good question. Thanks for posting it.
That said, I have to add that your wife is almost spot-on perfect in her guess (at least in my neck of the woods - northern Vermont) about the percentages. After years of observation, were I to put a number to it, I’d have to say about 20-30% of shoppers taste grapes, (usually just one or two) to determine flavor. Heck, these things are often $2-$3.99/lb. (here) these days.
I not only do not blame these folks, but actually encourage them to try a couple, if they want. I always offer to wash them out back first, but most people don’t seem to care. (They should, though.)
Look at it this way: Thieves steal; that’s what they do. Regular shoppers who just want to know if they are willing to shell out 10 bucks for 2-3 pounds of grapes (which may or not be sour and have to be returned- a hassle) are perfectly entitled to a sample if they want one.
If they are uncomfortable just doing so themselves, they can always ask. I never say no. Ever.
And no decent produce seller should.
Let me know if you want any clarification to my response.
After seeing some of the slightly more vitriolic responses after posting my answer to the OP, I feel the need to add that there is a big difference between “grazers” (those who randomly wander around stores and eat out of bulk bins, and eat a banana, and open and partially consume packages they do not purchase) are indeed thieves and are usually targeted by the loss prevention department.
A regular customer who wants to know if a grape has flavor, is not, IMHO.
YMMV.
I’m pretty sure I’ve “sampled” grapes at least once in my life but I do consider it stealing and I voted accordingly.
Does your monocle pop out of your socket whenever you see this happening?
This poll is not really valid because it’s missing a crucial choice: “I don’t do it often, but from time to time (with fruit that is often bad), it’s acceptable to do.” Or something like that. IOW, there’s a difference between abusing the custom (i.e., doing it even though you have no intention of buying), and doing it when there’s a high risk of getting ripped off by bad fruit.
By leaving this choice out you have built in bias to the poll.