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My (very small) good deed for the day

(35 Posts)
granfromafar Sat 19-Aug-17 20:42:34

After a shopping trip to the supermarket this morning, when I returned to the car I noticed that someone had left a large carrier bag on the hook of the trolley after returning it to the trolley park. It was one of the sturdy types and bright orange so you might think hard to miss, but it's easy to get distracted and have done something similar myself! After a closer look, I realised that the bag contained quite a bit of fruit and veg so decided to take it into the customer services desk in case the customer returned for it. I meant to phone the store later to check whether it had been claimed but forgot. Just wondered how many people would have walked off with the bag plus contents which would have been easy to do. I could have done so but would have felt guilty for evermore. The contents would have been worth approx £10 max I estimate.

Oriel Sat 19-Aug-17 20:50:50

I think I would probably have left it where it was. I would expect the person to remember it and come back.

It was good of you to take it into the shop.

LyndaW Sat 19-Aug-17 20:55:58

Good for you grandfromafar. I'd like to think the person got it back and will appreciate that someone took the trouble to do that, not everyone would. flowers. Hopefully they pay it forward. I know I always take more care to look out for a good deed to do when someone's been kind to me so I think you've made the world a better place with that. I bought a man who was searching through the bins a coffee last week. I offered to buy him food too but he said he only wanted a hot drink. I've realised I'm often too shy to offer or approach people who may need help because I don't want to offend them (ridiculous?!) but whenever I do pluck up the courage I realise how easy it is and (I hope) they appreciate it.

granfromafar Sat 19-Aug-17 20:57:14

I did consider leaving it where it was but felt it would be safer in the store. May not have been the right choice after all. If the owner didn't discover the loss till they arrived home I think they would more likely phone the store.

bikergran Sat 19-Aug-17 21:52:19

granfromafar I think you did the right thing, I work in a well known supermarket and we have a hook on the front of our trollies...I often try and remind people not to forget their bag that they have hung on the front of the trolley.

We have lots of calls via the customer service asking if anyone has handed in things they have left on the trolley.

As we still have porters (trolley collectors) you do stand a good chance of your goods being spotted and taken to customers services.,if you have accidentally left them.

Charleygirl Sat 19-Aug-17 22:47:22

I would have done the same- I would never in a 100 years decide that I should take it, even if it was only one item I would take it to customer services.

I am scatter brained nowadays so I have to be extra careful where I put my debit card etc. I leave my shopping bagged and lying in the trolley and then it is easy to pop it in the car boot. I never hang anything because certainly carrier bags are not strong enough and I rarely remember to take anything stronger.

callgirl1 Sat 19-Aug-17 23:12:36

Once on holiday in N.Wales, we did some shopping at a large-ish supermarket in Colwyn By. When we got back to our caravan, a few miles down the road, I realised I`d left one bag of shopping hanging on said hook at the end of the trolley. Not only that, but my purse was in the bag as well! We drove straight back, and it had been handed in! Great sighs of relief.

cornergran Sat 19-Aug-17 23:29:51

I've recently handed in two walking sticks and a bag left in supermarket trolleys. Customer service assistant said I must go looking for them smile.

Greyduster Sun 20-Aug-17 08:15:23

On a couple of occasions I have arrived home and found I had left my handbag hanging from the trolley hook! On each occasion I was lucky that someone had returned it to customer services with all its contents intact. I would do the same, whether it be a handbag or a bag of shopping. After the second time I bought myself a bag I could wear across my shoulders. I think the majority of people are honest enough to do what you did.

illtellhim Sun 20-Aug-17 08:39:43

We had just arrived at Sainsbury when a couple, we know, came over with a purse that they had just found, take it to customer services my DH said, so off we went. Their might be a reward so if you leave your name & address we'll let the owners know, said the young girl.

We had known this couple for about 20 years and were use to having coffee with them at the Sainsbury café. 3 days later we met again, vey upset they were, telling us, the police came around, very early and asked about the £300 that was in the purse when the person lost it.

Lesson Well I don't have to say it to you wise and knowledgeable GNetters, Do I ????

Smithy Sun 20-Aug-17 09:39:41

You did by far the best thing.
I once left a bag on a trolley, when I went back out was gone and never handed in. Trouble was it had a purse, glasses, my work pass and other things in worth about £100 altogether. I never got them back. If I ever found a bag on a trolley I'd also hand it in.

moobox Sun 20-Aug-17 09:58:50

Good idea, granfrom afar. I did that with my purse once! I think I missed it fairly quickly, but some kind person did what you did, and I knew where to go and ask for it

madison Sun 20-Aug-17 10:20:19

I went through the self serve till at a large supermarket the other morning. I pressed for £20 cash back as I was paying but was in a bit of a tizzy and forget to take the cash. I remembered a few hours later. I phoned the store and spoke to a lady in customer services who said I was very lucky that one of the young workers on the self serve tills found my £20 and handed it in. She said that 99% of customers would never hand it in. (I was shocked as I would always hand it in). I will go and collect my money and will give £5 to the very kind, honest, young man. It made my day to know that there are still some honest people left.

inishowen Sun 20-Aug-17 10:28:48

I found a handbag in a trolley. Took it to customer services where a woman was having a meltdown due to losing her handbag. It made my day that she got it back.

maddyone Sun 20-Aug-17 11:06:52

You were right granfromafar, I would also have handed it in. Once I took £50 out from the Waitrose cash machine as I going out for the day with a friend the following day, I think I picked it up from the cash machine but maybe I didn't, or when I went to pay (by card) at the self check out maybe it dropped from my purse, anyway when I got home it was gone! Went back to the store but no one had handed it in, or staff were telling untruths, either way, I never got it back, so someone got themselves a bonus that day, and it wasn't me!
Another time, distracted by chatting to my friend as we paid for shopping, I inadvertently left my credit card in the machine at the till. I discovered this around 4 hours later and I immediately rang to cancel the card. The lady at the credit card company told me that my transaction was showing up, PLUS a transaction to Argos for £25, made about an hour before I rang her. Someone, maybe customer behind me, or check out girl, watched me put my pin in, and calmly collected my card and used it with it's pin in Argos about 3 hours later!
So obviously everyone is not honest, good on you granfromafar and all others who are honest. Wish one of you had found my money or my card.

meandashy Sun 20-Aug-17 11:55:44

My step father left a bag on the trolley once... it contained 400 cigarettes & a months worth of lottery tickets! He didn't get them back ?

Nelliemaggs Sun 20-Aug-17 11:57:33

My neighbour a few doors up came back from shopping and later that day realised her lovely leather purse was missing. She phoned the last shop she had used it in, cancelled a numerous cards and wrote off the lost money and detritus kept in the purse, no doubt feeling sad that someone had walked off with it rather than hand it in.

Nearly a year later I had to hire a gardener as I was laid up following an accident and he tackled the jungle which was the end of my garden. There he found a thoroughly chewed purse with many cards and a wad of money in it, all sodden and stinking of fox.

We worked out that my neighbour had deposited her bag on the floor by the kitchen table on her return from shopping and opened the back door to let the sunshine in and Mr. Fox took his chance.

She got the banknotes exchanged for new by the Bank of England

Emmaline Sun 20-Aug-17 12:01:54

I think that you did the right thing too granfromafar.. I'm sure that the person who had left it was very pleased as well.

I once found a purse on a bus and I took it to the police station and handed it in .. after a few weeks I went back to see if it had been collected and the officer at the desk didn't even bother to check the book but said that it had been.. sorry to say but I really didn't believe him especially as I read a post about the same thing and it related an experience where the money had been pocketed and that in future she decided it better to phone the police with the details but hold the item for the person to collect.

win Sun 20-Aug-17 12:11:18

I recently dropped my purse in the car park and realised it as soon as I had to pay the dentist. I just thought I must have left it at home so did not panic unnecessarily. when I got back, there it was in the hall but a few minutes later the neighbour knocked on the door and asked if I had got my purse back!! I naturally wondered how he knew about my incident but was told that a gentleman had called at their door wanting to confirm that I still lived next door before he posted my purse through my letterbox. He had driven 3 miles or more to bring my fully in tact purse back and was thoughtful enough too not to hand it over to a to him stranger. I was totally amazed at the kindness and will be forever grateful. Not many would have done that I believe.

milkflake Sun 20-Aug-17 12:30:31

I would have done the same as you granfromafar . My Grandma always told me "to do as I would be done by" and I have tried to do so.

pamdixon Sun 20-Aug-17 14:15:24

I'm always handing things into Customer Services in supermarkets - of course you did the right thing! Hope the 'loser' was appreciative at the end of the day. Decent behaviour doesn't cost anything does it.

Caro1954 Sun 20-Aug-17 14:43:43

Wouldn't occur to me to take something that had been left in a trolley but maybe, before today, I'd have left it hanging there. You did the right thing OP and I'll follow your lead in future. Thank you and well done!

quizqueen Sun 20-Aug-17 14:44:06

I lost my purse recently and the finders phoned the police who then phoned me with permission to give out their phone number so I could ring and get their address and collect it from them. I didn't even realise it was missing as my friend must have knocked it out of my car when I picked him up at some traffic lights!! I never carry much money but had loads of cards in there. I took them some beer and chocs the next day but they were adamant they didn't expect anything.

jocork Sun 20-Aug-17 14:56:23

I once left my credit card behind in the machine at a supermarket. I realised later in the day when I tried to purchase something else but as it was a Sunday it was too late to go back for it. I phoned and was told they had it so I could collect next day. When I went to collect it the assistant got out a huge stack of cards, probably about 30 or more, just from that week! Obviously not an uncommon problem. I've also left a bag of shopping on a trolley and was glad it was handed in to customer services. Honesty is always the best policy.

Moocow Sun 20-Aug-17 15:24:09

Wow jocork! I once handed in a carrier to my local supermarket, 20 minutes walk away, which had been shoved in a hedge as it contained chocolate bars, school exercise books and a pencil case but also a loyalty card so thinking possibly some men person had dumped it there thought the store might be able to trace the owner and let them know. I was told they can't do that from the few didgets of the loyalty card number. Left it with them in case the owner tried them.