crimes against grocery

[PopsicleToze]

Oh now. And how many of us are logged onto eGullet while we're at work? Getting paid to add our two cents here, are we? Now that's stealing too, y'know.

So, you agree that taking things from the market and eating them without paying for them, the question here, is stealing. With that I agree.

Stealing from your employer is another thread, no?

[foodie52]

I work in a grocery store. Only difference is that our employees are educated as to product. All produce partners carry knives and are there to sample out product. There is always someone on the floor willing to slice open a melon or an apple for you to sample.

There definitely is a difference between sampling and stealing.

In our Bulk department, we provide gloves so that you can try a candy before you buy it. And therein lies the difference between customer and thief. The customer has a cart full of products he/she is going to buy.The thief is cruising for a free lunch and usually doesn't even have a grocery cart.

Oh, and by the way: watch out for people walking around in two's, carrying only a few items in a hand basket. They are our loss prevention control officers. If we catch you drinking a bottle of soda and then disposing of it in the trash, some day you'll get caught. We care about what goes on in our store.

I once found $50 worth of crab legs stashed behind the cake flour....

[beans]

Oh now. And how many of us are logged onto eGullet while we're at work? Getting paid to add our two cents here, are we? Now that's stealing too, y'know.

So, you agree that taking things from the market and eating them without paying for them, the question here, is stealing. With that I agree.

Stealing from your employer is another thread, no?

That was all built into the argument that we all have ways to rationalise what we do in the bigger picture of things.

Okay, playing a bit of devil's advocate and not saying anyone here, but how does it compare? I mean really? One who samples various mustards (or whatever), breaking the seal, then returning it to the shelf. Don't they know they just contaminated a jar potentially making another ill? That's two acts of crime! Helping yourself for a taste then allowing that item remain to be sold.

Then what do you do? Take it to customer service and state "I tried this _____ and I didn't like it, so I don't want another to get ill from my germs so I recommend this be tossed away." ???

Do you take that jar you just opened and tasted and upon the decision of not liking it, do you take it for purchase so as not to potentially make another ill with your germs?

Okay, sub in produce. Cherries are in season (I got my PNW yellow lovelies right now calling to me....), so are grapes and well, then there's the olive cart. After plucking a grape, eating a cherry, do you just dip your fingers into the "salad bar like" display of where you scoop your own variety of olives into a plastic container? With the same fingers that have already been near, possibly touching or in your mouth? Then leave the rest behind because you didn't like them? Okay, produce does get washed once it gets home, but what about the olives? Rationalise that the brine will kill the germs? And as KateW mentioned (I've had this happen with same bunch of grapes too!) how many grapes do you munch before you feel is a fair representative sample?

I think some of my own beliefs are showing a bit, because I believe that eating in a commercial kitchen while at work or in a grocery store while shopping only leads to problems. Something wasn't rung up that otherwise is costed and considered for sale and revenue bottom line dollars -- in both situations. Possible contamination issues, and even thoughtlessness to the next unsuspecting consumer. (yum, complete stranger's germs -- with all sorts of possible undesirable medical conditions)

Just throwing all of this out there.

[tommy]

I think some of my own beliefs are showing a bit, ...Possible contamination issues, and even thoughtlessness to the next unsuspecting consumer. (yum, complete stranger's germs -- with all sorts of possible undesirable medical conditions)

you certainly do seem to be preoccupied with germs.

[beans]

I was playing devil's advocate. But look at how many threads/posts exist about how a cook show host rubbed their nose, touched their hair, licked their fingers, placed the spoon they just used to sample their sauce back into the pot; and as I mentioned ealier about those that freak when they spot another kitchen or waitstaff person touching their food without wearing gloves.

Besides, when the homeless walk around the market you shop in, you start to wonder where those little fingers were as you see them chewing while walking up and down the aisles. (I live near to two large soup kitchens within walking distance... ah, the joys of an urban redevelopment, historical neighbourhood...!)

[egator]

To me that’s just bad management/business.  If you are going to have employees whose job it is to price produce, then they should be trained to identify those items.  Cart them over to the produce department for a tutorial.  If you don’t want to take the time for training, expect to lose money because employee rings up asparagus as green beans.

they ain't losing money. they build a buffer into the price to offset losses. don't you worry about that.

They lost money somehow because they're out of business!

[tommy]

They lost money somehow because they're out of business!

reesek must have been shopping there a lot, pulling off those stems again.

[Pan]

I think that anyone who can't shop without eating should either eat before shopping, bring food to the store, or pick up an entire bag of something, eat part of it, and purchase the product, if for no other reason than to eat more of it on future visits to the store. Unless the store is officially providing free samples, I don't buy any rationalizations for "sampling" a product. Feeling fruit to see if it's soft or hard, though, is fine with me (though totally unacceptable in some countries).

Edited July 9, 2004 by Pan (log)

[jschyun]

Feeling fruit to see if it's soft or hard, though, is fine with me (though totally unacceptable in some countries).

Like Germany?

[beans]

They lost money somehow because they're out of business!

reesek must have been shopping there a lot, pulling off those stems again.

How much does those wee stems weigh anyway?

[Pickles]

Speaking of snapping and popping off bits and pieces, I just remembered an incident in the A&P a couple weeks ago. Nice asparagus at $.99 a pound. Woman standing over said asparagus, snapping off all the woody ends and re-rubber banding her bundle! How do like them...asparguses??

[egator]

They lost money somehow because they're out of business!

reesek must have been shopping there a lot, pulling off those stems again.

[egator]

the produce guys, where i come from, are 20 year-olds who just got done blowing a spliff out by the dumpster behind the Super-Stop-and-Shop.  i'm not so sure i need to get to know them.  although i might ask for a sample. 

I didn't know we lived in the same town.

[jschyun]

One who samples various mustards (or whatever), breaking the seal, then returning it to the shelf.  Don't they know they just contaminated a jar potentially making another ill?  That's two acts of crime!  Helping yourself for a taste then allowing that item remain to be sold.

I don't know if mustard is the best example to use, to argue that breaking open jars and sticking your finger in there wil cause others to get sick. I believe mustard oil has antibacterial properties, so the likelihood that someone will get sick from your finger is pretty remote. And if the mustard oil doesn't work, the vinegar and salt would inhibit bacterial growth to some extent.

But I sure as hell will not be buying that jar!

I think a better example would be maybe jars of fruit or veggies in liquid. Perfect for little baby bacteria.

Slightly off topic, I think it sucks when I buy some cosmetic product, say a foundation compact and I get home and someone has taken a finger and swabbed it already. Cosmetic items can be breeding grounds for germs, thus I refuse to use tainted products. But I can't take it back because it's already been used. (I think Rite-Aid allows returns, however). Now, I try to check before buying, but I sometimes forget. One reason to buy your cosmetics at the cosmetics counter at Macy's.

--or go bare!

Edited July 9, 2004 by jschyun (log)

[reesek]

They lost money somehow because they're out of business!

reesek must have been shopping there a lot, pulling off those stems again.

fortunately for the store - i more than make up for it in cheese and seafood consumption.

[gingerly]

a couple of times i've seen people open jars of honey and jam and stick their fingers in once had to return an expensive jar of coffee because the seal had been half torn off-always wondered if that was someone getting themselves a quick fix

[beans]

One who samples various mustards (or whatever), breaking the seal, then returning it to the shelf.  Don't they know they just contaminated a jar potentially making another ill?  That's two acts of crime!  Helping yourself for a taste then allowing that item remain to be sold.

I don't know if mustard is the best example to use, to argue that breaking open jars and sticking your finger in there wil cause others to get sick. I believe mustard oil has antibacterial properties, so the likelihood that someone will get sick from your finger is pretty remote. And if the mustard oil doesn't work, the vinegar and salt would inhibit bacterial growth to some extent.

But I sure as hell will not be buying that jar!

I think a better example would be maybe jars of fruit or veggies in liquid. Perfect for little baby bacteria.

Yeah, I was just grabbed at the first jarred thing that came to mind. But I think y'all get the point.

Slightly off topic, I think it sucks when I buy some cosmetic product, say a foundation compact and I get home and someone has taken a finger and swabbed it already.  Cosmetic items can be breeding grounds for germs, thus I refuse to use tainted products.  But I can't take it back because it's already been used. (I think Rite-Aid allows returns, however).  Now, I try to check before buying, but I sometimes forget.  One reason to buy your cosmetics at the cosmetics counter at Macy's.

--or go bare!

Yes. Eeeeeeewwwww.

[Pickles]

once had to return an expensive jar of coffee because the seal had been half torn off-always wondered if that was someone getting themselves a quick fix

Now that's grounds for reporting someone! *runs and hides*

[denise_jer]

You could just freeze the stems and save them for making stock...

[reesek]

right. i should probably also use those shrimp shells for stock. i almost never do though. the funny thing is - i was unaware (until testing a recipe a week ago) that could even use the stems. i don't know where i got the (wrong) idea that shiitake stems were useless - even for soup, since i use other mushroom stems all the time.

you know the bizarre thing? that asparagus story above outraged me. i don't know why that one sunk in - it's identical and yet...i'd never do that.

oh damn it. sigh. ok. bring in the baptismal water - i'm saved.

[Pan]

Feeling fruit to see if it's soft or hard, though, is fine with me (though totally unacceptable in some countries).

Like Germany?

France, Italy.

[egator]

Feeling fruit to see if it's soft or hard, though, is fine with me (though totally unacceptable in some countries).

Like Germany?

France, Italy.

Really?

[tommy]

right. i should probably also use those shrimp shells for stock. i almost never do though.

oh dear. don't tell me you're peeling the shrimp before buying them too.

Edited July 9, 2004 by tommy (log)

[Pan]

Feeling fruit to see if it's soft or hard, though, is fine with me (though totally unacceptable in some countries).

Like Germany?

France, Italy.

Really?

I'm not sure what answer you're expecting to the question "Really?"

I'll put it to you this way: In France and Italy, in my experience, you are expected to look at the produce but not touch it, and tell the grocer what quantity of this and that fruit you want, so that s/he can select some and bag it for you.

Really.

[reesek]

right. i should probably also use those shrimp shells for stock. i almost never do though.

oh dear. don't tell me you're peeling the shrimp before buying them too.

my fish guys are too smart for that...they keep their wares safely behind reese-glass.