Opening something for your child/ren to eat whilst shopping?

[Frangipani]

I usually pack a little bag of treats (usually in DS1's little backpack cause he insists on taking it anyway so why not make it useful ) so i don't usually open stuff we're buying for them to eat. I don't have a problem with people doing it though- i just have never (that i can recall) had the need- i've always done the shopping prepared. But if i ever needed to i would to keep my boys happy- which in turn makes shopping much more enjoyable and less rushed.

We do however give them a grape or 2 as we are putting them in a bag. But it has come in handy to know whether the grape they claim to be seedless are actually seedless (my boys will not eat them if they aren't seedless). Plus also its nice to know they're not sour too.

We also have made a bit of a habit (i blame DH cause he started it ) lately when we all go shopping- which is rare these days as i try to do the shopping on my own mostly- of letting them both have a little bottle of flavoured milk each to open- which is at the first isle in all our supermarkets. DS1 even runs up to them now- picks 2 colours and asks DS2 which colour he wants then gives it to him. I don't mind doing this- even though i've also brought water with us- its small little treat that keeps them happy for rest of the 30-45mins we are shopping...so its worth it in our eyes

[lilima]

One of our local stores has a stand in it. You put 30 cents in a money box and can grab a piece of fruit. My kids think that this is great.
If the shop is ok with you opening a package, I don't see what the problem is. Can't say I have ever seen a sign that says do not consume goods until they are paid for.

[misty]

Forget the moral / ethical implications (FWIW, I do think it is immoral, unethical to consume something you haven't yet paid for), It is illegal.

To me, that is enough.

It is against the law.

I also personally feel that it doesn't hurt kids to wait for things, and to learn that they cannot have everything as soon as they want it. Even my not yet 2yr old grasps the concept that he has to pay for thing BEFORE he is allowed to eat them. He will dutifully hold the treat until we get to the checkout where it can be scanned. Although I will admit to occaisionally opening the treat straight after scanning and prior to actual payment on the rare occaision.

[*Efjay*]

Forget the moral / ethical implications (FWIW, I do think it is immoral, unethical to consume something you haven't yet paid for), It is illegal.

To me, that is enough.

It is against the law.

I also personally feel that it doesn't hurt kids to wait for things, and to learn that they cannot have everything as soon as they want it. Even my not yet 2yr old grasps the concept that he has to pay for thing BEFORE he is allowed to eat them. He will dutifully hold the treat until we get to the checkout where it can be scanned. Although I will admit to occaisionally opening the treat straight after scanning and prior to actual payment on the rare occaision.

I don't let my kids open "treats" before they are paid for. If they are well behaved and are allowed a treat, then that have to wait till they give it the lady. For me, when I say little ones, its usually up to about 2 years of age that I will allow them to have something while I do the shop. Its always been a squeezy yogurt thing or before I reached that age, a baby food that comes in the same squeezy style pack. Its either stop completely & breastfeed OR keep going & keep little one happy. But No, I wouldn't allow them to open a chocolate or something like that before its paid for.

What is the actual law that makes it illegal to pay for an empty wrapper?

[Just Me]

Forget the moral / ethical implications (FWIW, I do think it is immoral, unethical to consume something you haven't yet paid for), It is illegal.

To me, that is enough.

It is against the law.

I also personally feel that it doesn't hurt kids to wait for things, and to learn that they cannot have everything as soon as they want it. Even my not yet 2yr old grasps the concept that he has to pay for thing BEFORE he is allowed to eat them. He will dutifully hold the treat until we get to the checkout where it can be scanned. Although I will admit to occaisionally opening the treat straight after scanning and prior to actual payment on the rare occaision.

I'm not sure that it is illegal - in restaurants we often eat before we pay. I don't know if it is the same thing though

If I ever find myself without snacks, I go to the deli and buy cherios (****tail weiners I think they are called in other states ... learned that the hard way on a holiday to Sydney ) and ask them to leave a couple out for me. They always do it and sometimes they give them to us for free

I don't like opening packets myself but that's because I feel funny about doing it. If I buy my kids something, I let them carry it out of the shop and that is usually enough to keep them happy. But the ultimate solution ... online grocery shopping Everyone wins

[wysiwyg]

DD often has an apple or a carrot. I always buy two and then just weigh one twice (if doing self service pay - or ask the cashier to weigh the uneaten one twice (but normally they just say it doesn't matter). I would rather do that then buy an apple and let her eat it going round the store because how do they know I have already bought it (same with other food) - is like if I buy a Mars Bar from Target will always eat it before go into Woolworths so it can't look like I am eating it from the shelf. She knows we pay for it at the end because today she was trying to hand the half eaten apple to pay and I had to explain had already paid. Several places I buy fruit and veg from have taster plates out, and often the market stall holders are falling over themselves to give her stuff to eat - and is interesting that she has never shown any interest in wanting to eat anything else apart from fruit and veg while going round the supermarket - so I think she believes is a normal part of shopping. I don't see anything wrong with it really as long as you pay for it before leaving the store.

[Amaunet]

I often open a packet of pikelets for DS to snack on and grab a diet coke for me to drink as I go. I think if we are talking "moral or immoral" it's about intent. I fully intend to pay (and always have) so don't see a problem. I have never had any staff member query me about it and I shop at all major supermarket chains.

[RhiChiChi]

I often open a packet of pikelets for DS to snack on and grab a diet coke for me to drink as I go. I think if we are talking "moral or immoral" it's about intent. I fully intend to pay (and always have) so don't see a problem. I have never had any staff member query me about it and I shop at all major supermarket chains.

I am the same - My DD usually spots the drinks & wants water, so I let her have a sip & I pay for it at the end of my shop. I don't take DD to the shops much anyway so it is far & few between. I agree with the past about 'intent'

[MummyNaomi]

I've given DS something before we get to the checkout on the odd occassion, but as we grocery shop online the issue of a tantruming 2yo in the supermarket doesn't usually affect us. When I call into the supermarket with DS, its usually on the way home from work after picking him up from Child Care when he is usually hungry and looking forward to dinner - if I give him something its usually a preemptive strike by me to distract him as I know he is genuinely hungry as always is ready for dinner when we get home. I always pay for anything opened and frankly I've never had any checkout staff have a problem with it. I usually ask DS to hand it over to the checkout operator so he understand that it needs to get paid for - he gets it!
Pre-motherhood I used to work in a large supermarket chain as a Front End Service Manager - we never had an issue with it as long as people paid at the checkout, and most did. We'd sometimes find empty wrappers etc on shelves, but they were also from the nightfill staff
I think you'd find that Supermarkets don't mind, they do look at the big picture of keeping their valuable customers loyal to the store as long as you do the right thing and pay its not an issue. Our Fruit and Veg Manager also used to encourage our customers to try the grapes before they bought a bunch, and I still do this as a habit, some would view this as stealing - However I wonder if one grape would even register a price on the scales if you tried to pay for it

[Pandora]

Onyx - what about stuff like green beans? I always hand pick them, I never just grab a handful randomly.
Or just eating them before you've washed them is ick?

[Phteven]

It's the eating before washing that is ick.

[Boo Boo]

I don't do it with my kids. It is just the way I was brought up and I would feel like a thief doing it. I'm a bit neurotic and my biggest fear in life is going to jail. I always take the kids water bottles and snacks for the kids. They know they don't open anything until they have handed it to the check out person and I have paid. I don't' care what other people do, none of my business, and too busy to notice or judge, I just want the shopping done and to get the hell out of there.

[courts&munchkins]

I don't do it but I don't care if others do. I feel weird about it so its just not something I do. My ds1 will either get a drink or a small lolly if he is good for the shop. I have always told him we need to pay for something before we can have it. So he never even thinks to ask to open it beforehand. Never had a major supermarket meltdown (a few minor ones but not over having something to eat) Ds2 I rarely get anything for and never had any meltdown with him either. They all come shopping with me every week. I think its all they have ever heard, pay before you can have so they just accept it. Not that I care if anyone else does. It's not wrong unless you actually don't pay for it. I just personally find it uncomfortable to do myself.

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[lilima]

I believe it is theft only if you conceal with the intent not to pay, or hide the evidence within the store and leave.

[Pandora]

Misty, it's not against the law unless you leave the shop and don't pay.

[Phteven]

Because I'd rather play than sleep sleep I have emailed Coles and Woolies. Aldi didn't have a contact form.

Dear Coles/Woolworths,
If one is shopping with a toddler and one opens a packet of food and gives some to the toddler prior to paying is this ok?
Is giving a piece of fruit to the toddler and getting a similar piece of fruit weighed at checkout ok?
Thanks for your time.
Chloe.

If they reply I will post it here.

[~*familyof3*~]

Im stricked I pretty much refuse to buy something if its not on my shopping list lol I find it cuts the bill down BUT every now n then they can pick a treat but I wont let them have it untill its been scanned. And drinks.....well on the odd occasion they/we get thirsty I do grab a bottle of water and there allowed to have it.

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[StrawberryFields]

Haven't read the rest of the replies but I tend to agree with the radio caller . Frankly, it seriously ****es me off when I see childless adults do it - I mean are you really going to be in the store that long that you need sustenance? FFS, exercise some self control.

When it comes to kids though, I guess it depends on how you parent. I don't agree with it, and it does kind of cheese me off in a way, but at least I can see why people would do it when its a child - and I'll admit that I appreciate it if it shuts up a persistently screaming child lol

When I was a kid I was allowed to have a grape or something if mum was buying grapes, but otherwise I knew I wasn't getting anything until the checkout and that was only if I sat down, shut up, and behaved myself. It may have been a Golden Book, or a Kinder Surprise or something, but mum never let me know I was getting it until we were at the checkout so it was never really an issue. Of course that was back in the day where parents also weren't afraid to discipline their kids in public, so I also got a quick smack if I misbehaved - on top of no chance for a treat.

Of course, if your child really needs a drink or something and you haven't got any with you/any left then I'd understand opening something before checking out - I wouldn't hesitate to do that if my child was suddenly sick or choking or something!

But...its all well and good for me to say this now - ask me again in 2 years!