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What would you have done?

(103 Posts)
Chucky Sat 13-Jul-19 09:39:12

First I know I have been fair, but should I have been?
I was shopping yesterday with someone else. My budget is pretty tight so I tend to buy in bulk, things like cat food, pasta, potatoes etc. I also add things up in my head as I go along, so I know roughly how much my shop will come to.
I got to the checkout and because a number of my items were largish the assistant told me to leave them in my trolley and he scanned them through with bar codes on cards he had beside him.
After he finished he told me how much my shopping had cost. The total he asked me for was significantly less (around £20) than what I had added in my head, so I said to him I thought he had missed somethings out. He checked, and sure enough he hadn’t put everything through. He put through the 2 items he had missed and gave me the new total, which I paid.

After we left the shop the person with me asked why I had told the checkout assistant that he had missed some items out, and not just paid the original total? My answer was that it never occurred to me not to tell him, as that would have been dishonest!

She said she wouldn’t have queried it and would have paid the lesser amount. I said that wouldn’t have been fair!
Here’s the question as per my title.....What would you have done?

Gonegirl Sat 13-Jul-19 17:27:16

Oops! My name is gonna be mud again. grin

Tedber Sat 13-Jul-19 18:03:13

No Gonegirl....your name isn't going to be mud! All boils down to your own conscience and not what the store is!

Stealing is stealing and anybody who is happy knowing they are stealing is no better than a common thief in my opinion. (Does't apply to people who have no idea about it b.t.w)

Doesn't really matter how big the store is does it?

Day6 Sat 13-Jul-19 20:20:18

I was given change from a £20 note instead of a £10 note not long ago. When too much change was put in my hand I just had to say something to the shop assistant.. I'd have felt like a cheat or a thief otherwise.

My friend also asked me why I hadn't remained silent and seen it as a lucky mistake.

Gonegirl Sat 13-Jul-19 21:07:21

I would have spoken up about that Day6 because the cashier would have been short on their till.

nanny2507 Sat 13-Jul-19 21:15:32

i,m with gonegirl a big store nope i wouldnt say as if its not scanned then the cashier wouldnt be punished. If it was a change thing i would speak up as short tills can mean being accused of all sorts or having to pay it back from their own pocket

Deedaa Sat 13-Jul-19 21:21:41

The only time I did it was when I was with DH and he was driving an artic through Switzerland. I had to go and get all the paper work dealt with and the fees paid (Gosh a No Deal Brexit is going to be such fun!) The clerk I was dealing with was very unpleasant and not impressed by my schoolgirl French. When we had finally sorted the forms I handed him some Euros and he counted out my change with a very bad grace. It wasn't till I was back in the lorry and we were driving away that I counted my change and found he'd given me 30 euros too much. I didn't feel any urge to go and give it back.

paddyann Sat 13-Jul-19 21:27:47

my daughter and I found a small bundle of £20 notes in the street when she was 5 I told the girl at he till about it and asked her to tell anyone who asked that we had handed it to the local police staion.Three months later we had a call to say it hadn't been claimed and we should go collect it .It was a good way for my 5 year old to learn that honesty is the best way

52bright Sun 14-Jul-19 00:29:45

DH and I were having a meal in a window seat in pizza express early one evening. All of a sudden as I was talking, mid sentence dh leaped out of his seat and ran out of the restaurant. Mystified, I and the people at the next table saw him racing past the window at a speed I'd never seen him achieve in many a long year. He had seen a wad of notes drop from a young man's pocket and was running to catch up with him. Luckily he caught up with him at the traffic lights and was able to return the young man's property. Quite a wad of £20 notes. The guy had no idea he'd dropped it. Had just drew out £200 from a machine. Maybe he was rich ...or a bit inebriated although the night was young because apparently he laughed when he realized he'd dropped it and didn't seem at all bothered. I would have been devastated if I had lost such an amount ...maybe the young are different grin I didn't have a clue what dh was up to because I had seen nothing. His reward was a not very warm pizza and a breathless 5 minutes after his extremely rare run along the pavement ...and a normally discouraged desert bought by me smile

absent Sun 14-Jul-19 06:23:11

I used to live diagonally across the road from a pub, where I often ran up a tab for drinks and meals. Nobody minded if I wandered off i a rather vague way without paying it because they knew I would be back and deal with it. I cannot remember how many times I corrected their arithmetic – in their favour.

Marydoll Sun 14-Jul-19 06:56:58

I would have done the same, my conscience wouldn't allow me to keep quiet. In my opinion, it's stealing, no matter what kind of shop it is.
Years ago, we were in holiday in Malta and went to settle the bill. We realised we hadn't been charged for breakfast and said so, The receptionist was astonished and said she couldn't believe how honest we were!
It's the way we were brought up.

sodapop Sun 14-Jul-19 08:25:21

Yes I would have said something as well in the same way as I would tell the cashier they had over charged me. If the cashier was rude or wouldn't check then I would walk away.

harrigran Sun 14-Jul-19 09:01:52

Yes, I would have told them it was not correct, we are quick to complain when we are overcharged.
DH and I have returned to a restaurant to tell them we thought they had missed items off the bill, I fear a waiter or waitress would have the shortfall docked from their wages.

Witzend Sun 14-Jul-19 09:13:13

I have to say that since I wouldn't have been totting it up as I went round, I'd probably just have been pleasantly surprised at the checkout, and if I'd checked once I got home, whether I went back or not would depend on how far/easy it was, how tired I felt, and how much else I had to do.

I did once go back and pay for something the assistant hadn't charged for. But on another occasion, when I had Gdd in the buggy - dd busy with new baby - and was doing some shopping, mostly in a basket slung over the buggy handle, I got to the checkout thinking I was going mad. I could have sworn I'd picked up 2 packs of the expensive cat food - the only one their cat will eat! but there was only one.

Still, I paid and took Gdd and shopping home - only to find that I'd evidently put cat food pack no. 2 on the buggy hood, since basket was getting full, and it had slipped right down between the folds.

I went hot and cold to think how easily I could have been accused of shoplifting - who on earth would have believed me?
But I'm afraid didn't go back and pay for it - it was getting late, plus it was a fair old walk, and starting to rain, and dd wanted help with tea and bath time, after which I was cooking the dinner, followed by a one and a half hour drive home.
I still feel bad about it, though!

Johno Sun 14-Jul-19 09:19:29

I would say nothing. The supermarkets rip us off all the time so a little move in my favour is a blessing. I would not lose a wink of sleep just as the CEO of Tesco does not give a flying kite when he offers us 2 for 1 when in fact you pay for both because the money goes on other products. They also get free advertising on their bags which we have to pay for - so I would not lose a drop of sweat over gaining some free products. If perchance, the shop assistant could in any way be pulled into it then I would be honest.

Theoddbird Sun 14-Jul-19 10:45:14

The same as you...I am honest smile

inishowen Sun 14-Jul-19 10:51:13

Finding a wallet in the street changed my daughter's life. We took it to the police station and while we waited she observed all that was going on. She applied to join the police and was successful. She's now a Sergeant. She married a police officer and has two children. Her honesty that day went a long way.

GrandmaS Sun 14-Jul-19 10:54:36

Oh! Am I the bad one here? I would have paid the lower price and almost ran out the shop with a big smile on my face

deanswaydolly Sun 14-Jul-19 11:01:38

For me i would just KNOW that if i did that then I would end up with a loss or unexpected much larger expense...karma?...so i would have been honest too.

Amagran Sun 14-Jul-19 11:06:31

What a lovely story inishowen!

I too have always done the honest thing when undercharged or have found a lost item.

I cannot accept that dishonesty/theft is justified in a supermarket whose marketing practices we find suspect. caveat emptor. Just don't shop there.

Saetana Sun 14-Jul-19 11:10:17

If a cashier gave me, for example, £10 too much then I would of course immediately return it as I'd be concerned that they may get into trouble over it. However, if they gave me too much loose change then its unlikely I'd notice as I tend to chuck it straight in my purse - not often these days though as I'm inclined to use my contactless debit card for most purchases. Gotta say if I found cash in the street with no idea who had dropped it then I'd likely keep it - if I saw someone drop it then I would of course give it back to them. My husband saw an elderly lady drop her pension book with her withdrawn cash in it a while ago and chased down the street after her to return it - she was so happy and grateful.

Stella14 Sun 14-Jul-19 11:10:34

I agree with Gonegirl. I wouldn’t ‘fess up’ in those circumstances because the cost would fall on a large multinational company that makes huge profits and has questionable moral standards. I would however always give any overpayment back to a cashier as they as an individual would be effected by their till being short.

Mauriherb Sun 14-Jul-19 11:15:40

To be honest I never have the slightest idea how much my shopping might be , but in a small shop I would know and would always own up if I thought I'd been undercharged.
Once in a cafe for lunch I pointed out that I had not been charged for my coffee, they thanked me but told me not to worry, and actually gave me a voucher for a free coffee next visit !!

Mossfarr Sun 14-Jul-19 11:17:31

Once myself and family visited a country pub and had a lovely three course meal. I had offered to pay as I ordered but the assistant waved me away and said just pay after you've finished.
Well, I completely forgot and we all just sauntered out.
When I got home I realised my mistake and was horrified so I phoned the pub and told them that it was a genuine mistake and that I would send a cheque for the outstanding amount.
The pub manager was extremely rude to me and gave me a right telling off! It really upset me as she said that everyone in the pub had been talking about how awful we were.
I sent the cheque with a hefty tip and a very apologetic letter but I was upset about it for ages. Never went in there again.

HurdyGurdy Sun 14-Jul-19 11:22:11

I wonder what would have happened if it had been picked up on CCTV and you had been stopped outside the store? In my case I wouldn't have had a clue if I had been over- or under-charged, so could I have pleaded "honest mistake"? I assume so. But I would worry about the assistant getting into trouble if I'd left the store knowing I had been under-charged

Rosyapple189 Sun 14-Jul-19 11:23:05

Thing is, though many people consider big firms can ‘take it’, that kind of practice eventually results in price increases to cover the deficit.