I’ve done this a few times with my kids and it was never an issue. These days the major supermarkets have a basket of free fruit at the front of the store for kids to eat while you’re shopping, so we always use that. If there’s nothing in the basket and my kids want something, I get them to ask a worker in the produce section and we’ve always been told yes, it’s fine to get an apple or something to eat.
I think as long as you’re paying for it, does it really make much difference?

So…… you want to be thanked for paying something your kid already half ate? ! No, sorry, regardless of what the cashier said or how she said it, the basic premise of shopping at the supermarket is you pay then you eat. You were wrong. Cashier probably should have kept her opinion to herself, but she’s probably fed up of being handed half eaten packaging! Also, hello, has covid taught you nothing?! Please dont throw shade on the majority who do the right , polite thing and pay before they consume.

I never did this with my children and don’t see any reason to let children eat while in a shop. It gives the wrong message in many ways.

I used to let my boys eat while walking around the shops and they knew to put the product in the trolley when finished with. I was never told off. All I ever got from the cashiers was a thank you for actually paying for something that had already been consumed. I wouldn’t let them do it just because they wanted it or would throw a tantrum though. I believe the cashier didn’t have the right to say anything since it was paid for in the end.

What a society we live in. How dare she be ‘judged’ for illegal theft of their product.

I don’t see the issue, as long as you pay for it, who cares? I’ve opened bottles of water when I’ve been dying of thirst. Maybe in future, go through self serve.

When my kids needed to eat something whilst shopping, I simply packed something in my bag and they weren’t given a different choice than what i brought with me.

I think it’s wrong. Go to the checkout and pay for it first. It’s a bad example to set for kids otherwise. What if the child suddenly needs a toilet break and you have to leave the store.

Absolutely I do this. As long as I pay for it why does it matter.

I use to always do it, and make sure I pay for it when at the checkout. Never once was I questioned or made to feel bad. Now that my youngest is almost 5 he doesn’t need to eat while we shop but he gets a thrill out of passing his treats to the cashier or scanning his own at the self serve register.

Better to feed a child than have them crying or screaming loudly in any supermarket. At least she paid. Next time she could have some wipes with her so the cashier feels some hygiene has been adhered to, especially when this child had been sick for a week and not eaten much.

Feed your child is great the supermarkets are stealing our money every day . You think they care about us . Just pay your bill and eat away as I have done for years.

I have never and would never do this. I can totally get where the checkout operator was coming from.

I can totally see where the cashier is coming from. So many people eat and don’t pay, this lady is definitely in the minority. People no longer trust people because of people that destroy that trust

None of the cashiers business. The items were put up for scanning, end of argument. I have done this previously for my children and always put the finished items for scanning. I NEVER received any judgement, just a thanks for being honest.

I can see both sides here. I’ve maybe even done this one myself. There is really no harm done so long as you’re honest and still pay. However, there would be a lot of people who wouldn’t be honest and dump the evidence around the store. No one, especially an employee of the store, has the right to judge, especially when she was doing the right thing.

You don’t see adults eating as they go around the supermarket, children shouldn’t be taught they can. My answer is a firm no. Do not encourage this behaviour. Great time for talking, education, about shopping, prices/numbers, what we will cook/bake/make, looking for colours…

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  • • Ellen replied
    • 16 Jan 2024 , 8:08 am

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  I agree, not behaviour we should encourage or instill in our kids

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    • • mom468034 replied
      • 23 Jan 2024 , 9:21 am

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    Agree!

It’s not something I have ever done and I have raised three, the oldest now being nearly 25 . I know I certainly wouldn’t want to be the cashier handling sucked on slobbered on sachets to scan . It horrifies me when I see people touch poke squeeze fruit and vegetables before buying but that’s a whole different conversation for another day . Maybe I’m strange but if my child was recovering from an illness I’m sure there are other alternatives with todays wide range of shopping that could have been organised and probably a lot more comfortable for all involved including a recovering child …. But everyone is entitled to their point of view ????

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  • • mom160270 replied
    • 16 Jan 2024 , 10:51 am

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  Great comment. I fully agree.

If this Mom or any Mom or Dad pays for the food – half eaten, or empty my opinion is no problem. Where I get annoyed is when they, or anyone, takes without paying. We’re all trying to save. Groceries have skyrocketed. The other day I saw a Mom who had not 1 but 3 red-tipped bananas eaten in her art, also empty yogurt sachets. Not my business and not good with conflict, so I said nothing but it annoyed me. This is for staff to monitor and stop so the rest of us aren’t paying more because of shop-lifting, which is what this is.

Look, there wasn’t really any harm done cause the lady paid for the items, not like some mothers who let their kids eat and dump empty packing into shelves. My two boys went through a phase of eating the pouch yoghurt while I shopped, still paid for it. Now, they learnt to wait til the end. However, if a child is sick, I know sometimes parents have no choice but to take sick children with them to places, the mother should of advised her son was unwell before handing the pouches or in cases like at Coles/Woolies, staff can let you reach over and scan the item. But when the mother said her son was unwell – can’t be quick to judge. He may have been unwell but past contagious stage OR unwell could just be a run down. My youngest has had a runny nose for 4 weeks now and its all due to the inconsistent weather systems here in Melbourne where he has had lost his appetite for several days. At the end of the day, whether the child was sick or not,.they mother did the right thing by still paying for it… And the staff should be up to hygiene standards as they are suppose to sanitise their hands and wipe down before next customer.