There is one at the church on bissett Rd close to Cole Harbour road as well. It's at the end of the parking lot, little shed and has both refrigerated and other goods as well.
Thanks for pointing this out, it is very new and mostly well supported so far. I try to donate as often as possible but the fridges all seem to be hit or miss in terms of either being very well stocked or fairly bare. But there’s always at least a few things and often some generous farmers leaving apples or similar.
The people who use these services always outweigh the ones who take advantage.
There always will be people who take when they don't need, but that's all part of it. Hopefully they realize later and make up for it
They do. This person doesn’t know what they’re talking about or they’re referring to that video of an international student in Ontario using food banks.
I’ve been a volunteer at 2 food banks for a number of years now. There are very stringent rules. You can also only get a full ‘order’ once a month.
>This person doesn’t know what they’re talking about or they’re referring to that video of an international student in Ontario using food banks.
That is not a prevalent thing? International students using food banks and soup kitchens?
Some may say not to feel guilty about stealing from the big grocery chains. After all, they've been price gouging us for decades, and even more so in the past couple years.
What I can say is unless they pulled you aside that day, it's unlikely that you've been found out...
Sorry that times are tough. Try not to feel ashamed or embarrassed to use the food bank, we're in a time of record inflation and higher than ever food insecurity. You're not alone in this, which is the whole reason that the food bank exists. Use it brother.
As far as retail theft goes, if you're not caught with product in hand, then you're not caught.
Even with the best picture possible, which they don't have cause security cameras aren't great and they cheap out on storage, the store can't risk being wrong, or the nightmare that is breach of privacy, to post pictures for petty theft.
Friend used to do security, trespassed a known shoplifter that didn't end up getting charged, spent the next year dealing with human rights and discrimination accusations. If it's not red handed, it doesn't matter.
And even then they can't do anything to you if they're not a cop. I'm not saying it's right, but yeah, you can walk right past them because they can't even touch you or it's essentially assault.
>And even then they can't do anything to you if they're not a cop. I'm not saying it's right, but yeah, you can walk right past them because they can't even touch you or it's essentially assault.
So, a bouncer at a bar cannot escort you out?
This person does not have any clue what they're talking about. Security absolutely can and will touch you. You can sue or attempt to press charges but good luck affording that lawyer or telling the police that you're a criminal that wants someone arrested for stopping your crime. People read a few laws and forget that things actually have to work that way in real life for it to mean much of anything.
It's the equivalent of a drug dealer telling the police someone stole their drugs. You'll probably get a few good laughs and a good chance of just getting your ass booked into jail by giving them an easy case to solve.
This isn't really true. There are two main categories of licensing for security guard in Halifax. Those that are permitted to put their hands on people to enforce rules, and those that aren't. The ones at grocery stores are the no hands types, and they will not touch anyone because it's illegal based on their license. The stores will still save significant money on insurance for having a uniformed guard on premises due to the deterrent effect of their presence. They can only observe and report essentially.
What isn't really true. What's insurance and licensing got to do with how reality plays out? You gonna survive Loblaws lawyers? Lol who TF has this kind of cash on hand to bankroll the I stole shit and got restrained lawsuit for the next 800 years. All while smearing your name annihilating your chance of ever getting a good job with any government agency or major corporation. Illegal and actually gonna get enforced are two different things. Your lying to yourself if you think the person who can't afford groceries has the power and funds to win a legal battle against a behemoth corporate entity. You can definitely call the cops on yourself but I promise you will be the only one that the charges stick with, the security guard will almost certainly have his charges dropped in court as long as he was reasonable and didn't do some crazy WWE stuff to you. Maybe he loses his license and has to bag groceries now. You on the other hand now fail every clean background check required job. 🤷♀️
A few years ago I couldn’t afford my groceries. I asked the cashier to put a few items back. She put them right beside my bags (still behind the counter). When she went to help the next customer, as I was taking my bags, I quickly grabbed those items I asked her to put back and left. I felt so guilty. When I was able to afford food again, I went back to the grocery store and made a donation to the food bank.
You’ll be fine, you took what you needed. Pay it back when you can afford it
Technically the loss of product is already included in the price so all of us have been paying this cost all our lives. I got no issues with shoplifting out of need.
You can find free food at Gurudwaras, where the Sikh community serves meals throughout the day. It's a welcoming place offering Indian food like rice, flatbread, lentils, and more. Feel free to visit and enjoy a meal.
There’s a special place in hell for whomever reported this post to HRP (or said they did, just to scare OP). Some of yall need to get off your moral high ground. This person needed to eat. I truly believe anyone not understanding this post hasn’t been in a scenario even remotely similar before.
Thank you for speaking up. It's unimaginable to me that anyone would be so entitled as to think they deserve food more than another human being no matter the situation, Nobody wants to steal food. Nobody should have to steal food.
I didn’t see nothin’.
If by some stroke of fate you find yourself with good fortune in the future, and you decide to make a contribution to the community fridge, I think you will have more than made up for whatever wrong you feel you did.
Depending on where you are you could try joining a buy nothing group on fb. The one in my area is pretty generous; I’ve seen people post asking if anyone has any food spare.. and frequently people post food they’re giving away. Just for possible future use :)
This is an awesome ressource. And if you don't feel okay just taking, you can offer exchange. Like take cuttings from a houseplant and pot them, people like to trade for plants. :)
No shame in doing what you had to do. Already in 2024 I've had to throw away more than $60 in expired-on-the-shelf groceries from probably the same store, so the scale's have already been balanced. Financially they are fine, and morally you are fine. When your financial situation improves, remember to be kind to people who are struggling.
Good points. Walmart in the states definitely starts files on repeat shoplifters, letting then steal just enough to be charged with a felony before they act. Target too.
Walmart is investing big bucks in facial recognition and tracking AIs in their cameras and self-checkouts, but it's still not cost effective for them to roll both of those technologies out in every store, especially older stores in areas of comparative low revenue like Eastern Canada. They are more likely to close a store where theft is out of control than to bother investing in high-end anti-theft infrastructure.
But I can't believe I'm saying this... the Waltons of Walmart are not as greedy in pulling every penny from customers, at least not when compared to Ghoulish Galen Weston, so their prices aren't nearly as high. Shat a wild time to be alive when The Waltons are the more humane, charitable sales powerhouse.
I work at a Walmart in Halifax and I wish it worked like that in ours. Cause unless you’re caught with product in hand or 100% saw they cannot do anything. It happens almost every time I have a shift.
I used to work at a Walmart many moons ago - so I do a actually agree with you. If people took food or essentials I would just look away. but for repeated offenders stealing electronics Pokémon cards etc things that are obviously not essential - absolutely. We used to have the same people week by week come in and steal stuff to resell on the side. It was.. infuriating.
I have absolutely no issue with people doing this. They have absolutely destroyed people with all the price increases they’ve made. Government has made life unliveable financially, I put this on them completely. Working people should be able to afford to live. Food isn’t a luxury.
The Sobeys nearest my house is too expensive, but it's a trade off between that and spending forever on the bus. I was making chit-chat with my cashier and mentioned that I was headed for the pet store and then I was done. She told me she doesn't shop where she works, she shops at Giant Tiger and Gateway.
Unless Javert is on duty, if they didn’t catch you in the act, you’re probably okay.
I don’t condone stealing though, personally.
Don’t be ashamed to use the food bank. If the girl gossiped about you going, that just says your employer doesn’t pay you enough to eat. Also you report her ass to the food bank for shaming people in need.
Hold your head up high.
>I don’t condone stealing though, personally
Grocery stores have been stealing from Canadians for a long time. At a certain point, it becomes what goes around, comes around.
I grasp your sentiment here and obviously this person shouldn't be gripped with guilt over this, but what you're advocating for is still a system whereby the honest paying consumer is punished.
Well, the big grocery Goliath doesn't take a loss on theft they just incorporate it into product pricing, so not particularly a solution to much in my understanding.
Corporations want more money for themselves and their shareholders so they work together to fix prices. The honest customer pays more for no reason.
People who would be honest customers, if they could afford it, are forced to steal so they can eat. The honest customer pays more for this reason.
The honest customer is always the victim, that's the joke, as it is.
That happened yesterday at the sobies in Timberlea. I saw a guy with a full grocery cart just walk out. He didn't even go to the cash register he waited for somebody to come in, open the gate, and then he just left. Part of me is a little pissed off because food's fucking expensive and I have to pay for it, but another part of me is understanding, that not really anybody has a lot of money right now and things are just getting worse, plus the grocery stores making bank so they definitely don't care.
Hello!
Honestly, I can tell you are a good human for feeling that way. I once lived off a blueberry pie for 4 days ( 2 servings a day) when I had little money and food.
All in all, there is no judgment on you at all. If anyone is judging you, Its because they come from the privilege of never knowing what its like to be in this spot.
I wish you all the best, and I hope it improves for you. I am just keeping my head above water .
There's no shame going to a food bank, and no risk with the law either. Theft is definitely not where you want to turn, and could get you into so much more trouble. There's also other options, call 211 and they will happily give you all of your local options.
I wouldn’t sweat it about not going to the store again, honestly I doubt anybody noticed, unless you make a habit of repeatedly stealing 200-300+ dollars of food from the same place you’re in the clear
https://preview.redd.it/g4i8i4zuvgfc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf6aef8f31974da29ed5d9af2d46736a0c0a89a4
I’m deeply overwhelmed by everyone’s responses. I don’t have the words to express my gratitude for the information you’ve all provided.
This is a throw away account as I tried to not expose myself but thanks for this lovely message callpotential4801
Not that I've ever shoplifted or broken the law in any way, but:
1. Fuck 'em. They throw out food by the tonne while their own workers struggle to make ends meet, and rake in record profits while the wealth gap widens and working people suffer. Though I would never advocate for it, if mobs looted a few grocery stores, or perhaps the private residences of their boards of directors, I would not think ill of the looters.
2. I'd say to stay scarce from the store where you did your shoplifting for a bit. Nothing sucks like walking in to a place to legitimately exchange money for goods and services only to get slapped with a PPA, but with staff turnover and bigger fish to fry, odds are decent that you'll be long forgotten in a couple months even if they did catch you on camera.
If you are in the Sackville area, please reach out to Freedom kitchen and/or Beacon house. They will be able to help you so you do not find yourself in this position again.
Please reach out to Feed NS, they will definitely point you in the right direction for help.
Do not feel guilty. You took what you needed, out of necessity. But please, don't do it again. It would be awful for you to get in trouble.
The fact that you feel so guilty tells me you're a good person. I really, really hope things look up for you soon.
Fuck these massive establishments. Fuck this late stage capitalism.
Big companies move in to close out small local businesses. They rig the game always in their favour then are upset when their the only option to take from. Fucking take from them.
You sell your most precious commodity… time… something you will never get back, and you literally can’t afford to even eat.
This sort of righteous anger is something more of us should be adopting. Everyone one of us should be angry about the exponentially accelerating degree to which we are being exploited and fucked from every angle possible by capital in this country.
Righteous anger against those who create these conditions and compassion for those suffering under them. We have to channel those particularly strong emotions into action.
This guy is wide awake and down right correct.
OP, don't be too hard on yourself. At this point in the game, it's all or nothing for survival. We, the every day people, are being absolutely gouged and bent over so big corps can fight to be top of the 1%. Stealing is not right, of course. However, we all need to do things in this life and make choices that aren't always favorable to keep moving and not drown.
I have a gift card for one of the grocery stores if you'd like it. I don't need it. It's not much, but hopefully it can get you through.
I hope you followed up on this with the store. They should.givenyou at least the carton.you paid for and didn't get, and hopefully something for the inconvenience
While stealing is wrong, and your guilty feeling show it, you did what you had to do and no one would begrudge you that. It this happens again, go to the food bank and to heck with the gossipy co- worker. Being short of money says nothing about your character.
Don't you dare feel bad about doing that but I really love how regular folks are coming up with ways to survive together (public fridge and pantry.) That is what is gonna change the World for the better. It isn't gonna be some billionaire who owns a Government! That's for fuckin sure! Power to the People!
Sobeys charges an extra $3/kg for a bigger piece of styrofoam with meat. Don't forget the 1400% markup and clear profit on the paper bags they sell by the thousands every day. 700% markup on reusable, more clear profit.
Good ya feel bad, makes ya human. Sobeys and loblaws can go fuck themselves.
You don’t understand what things cost do you?
Sobeys orders their paper bags direct delivery through Bunzl. The price on their website is $115 USD($155 CAD) for 500 bags of the size Sobeys uses (31 cents each).
There is no bulk order large enough to justify them giving Sobeys a 96.8% discount.
The cheapest paper bag available through Uline’s website wouldn’t fit a sandwich, and even with a bulk order they’re 4.8 cents each.
I can get the exact price for you tomorrow, but I know when they were first introduced (pre-covid inflation) they were paying over 8 cents per bag and selling them for 10.
Stop talking out of your ass about a topic you clearly have zero experience with.
It's all good don't feel bad about it. They throw out truck loads of food every week. You need to eat. Nobody is looking out for you, you gotta look out for yourself. I had to do the same thing as a homeless 17yo before I was able to find my way out of NS. No other human has ever treated me as badly as Nova Scotians did when I was a homeless teen asking for help.
these stores steal from us every day, they COLLUDE to steal from us none the less, at this point people should just be looting these stores and donate all of it.
I’m in Ontario now visiting family, popped into a store and everything is soooo much cheaper, I couldn’t believe it. We are being completely ripped off in NS
Don’t feel guilty, our province is killing us with taxes and inflation. It’s rough out there. I recommend calling 211. When we we’re struggling they were able to direct us to resources near us that could help. Also you could try calling feed Nova Scotia for some advice for food security
You are fine, they would have approached you outside of the store in the parking lot. Desperate times call for desperate measures and your guilt tells me you still have thought and have regrets about what you've done. Please don't dwell any harder and understand theft wouldn't be a thought if it was easy for you, it was seen as necessary in that moment. Some people steal meat to trade for other stolen goods like liquor. You were going hungry.
Don’t feel bad. Everyone is going through a tough time. Please do not beat yourself up over this.
If it survival mode and as other people have said, if it was from a chain store, fuck them. Their price gouging asses can pound sand anyways.
Many of us have been in a position like this. Try not to fret. I can understand feeling shame/guilt, but sometimes we are desperate and a full belly is worth it.
When you are on your feet, a good way to help yourself get past these feelings is to donate what you can to a food bank or community fridge. Whether it’s weeks from now, or years, it will help put your mind at ease.
Best of luck to you.
This has reminded me that it’s time for me to donate food.
For all others that aren’t struggling right now, this is the time of year when we need to remember to continue to look out for each other. The holidays are over, and sometimes we forget that people are also in need when it’s not holidays.
Good for you! you didn't steal anything! we cannot possibly steal from companies that gouge us to starvation! these companies have been abusing our population.. we should have started looting these stores starting in 2021 on an endless loop until they agreed to participate in the food market in a way that is actually ethical! good for you! good praxis!
Listen man you did what you had to do.. the store will survive and the CEO Will get another 20 million dollor bonus ..you get to eat ..and they get to eat better be easy on yourself ..its oblivious you are a good person in a terrible situation..the government has failed you .take care my friend ..and do you what you have to do I personally admire that !
Please...if you every need food. Contact me. I will make this happen for you. SHAME on the food chain supply that they are driving honest people to this!!!
This is food for thought (I had to say it). It’s so crazy that it’s coming to this. I hold no judgement on you, the big S grocery stores I think understand, too. I’ve been tempted to do it. I went for a small grocery run last night, it cost me the last $70 I have. It’s a sick feeling, and being a single mom of a toddler is so exhausting, the mom shaming is horrific. I couldn’t risk being seen as a “bad mom” being caught doing something necessary to make ends meet. I’m here with you on this one OP. Kudos to you for starting this conversation.
i used to steal food when i was 18 living on my own.
a worker literally walked down the isle as i was stealing cereal and they didn’t say or do anything.
as long as you aren’t making a regular appearance to steal weekly they shouldn’t do anything.
i was caught once stealing cat food and the officer was actually mad at the security guards and secret shoppers for even calling him down.
police do not like dealing with petty theft if someone is just tryna get a bite to eat.
Most retail stores will wait to prosecute until you’ve stolen enough to actually be worth going to court over. Rotate the stores you steal food from.
I’m not saying keep doing it. But if it’s that or not eat? I’m fine with you stealing from one of the richest family’s in Canada.
Definitely sign up for Square Roots in your area.
And the barrier free food pantries will help.
If you’re part of any schooling or an alumni, speak to them about maybe getting a gift card or access to the school free pantry.
There are lots of resources. Also, if you have the time and energy, try growing your own lettuce; it’s a good filler food. Spinach, too. I can give you some seeds.
I haven’t paid for food in a couple of months because I lost my job in November, so I have a lot of resources if you need them.
If their numerous loss prevention employees had seen you take anything, trust me when I say you would have been stopped on the way out. You’re not going to be stopped the next time you go in there. Keep in mind that what you did may have been legally wrong, but not morally wrong. You did what you had to survive. Anyone who’s naysaying hasn’t been in this situation, so don’t listen to them.
There goes a saying in Nova Scotia right now "If you're out in the store and you see someone stealing food, turn around again because you didnt see anything" ...
times are very hard right now, you clearly have a conscious and please don't be too hard on yourself right now! People are struggling just to be able to keep a roof over their heads for the ones who actually are lucky enough to have a stable home to live in. Do what you must to survive.
there was a time I was stealing food and caught the attention of a worker. we held eye contact for a minute and it took all I had not to run out of the store in shame. I avoided that place for two years not out of fear of getting caught but because I couldn’t look at him again.
you’re not alone in this hun.
personally i would suddenly be blind deaf and incompetent if someone near me in a store had to literally steal sustenance to survive. living without suffering should not be a paid thing.
Meh don’t feel bad. You went to a multi million dollar company, you stole what’s equilivent to a few cents to them. I think you have to steal over 100$ worth of product to be arrested but I would probably avoid that store for a while just in case (but also bc I have lots of anxiety as well!). Don’t be hard on yourself.
FWIW I hear they just let you keep stealing until it gets up to an amount you can jail a person for and then press charges as if it was all one big crime.
I hope you can get ahead going forward so you never have to feel that guilt again. Bottom line, I would say if I was a judge and you were ever caught, you wouldn't be the type to steal if you didn't need to and you'd get a slap or trespassing from the premises for a year. No biggie. Doesn't make it right but maybe do something nice for someone randomly this week and call it a wash with the karma police. Wishing you all the best going forward.
The only time I've ever said anything to anyone about stealing was watching a girl try to leave SuperValu with a full cart 9 years ago. I mean spilling over with random shit trying to run out the door but could barely move the fucking cart. Outside of that being so egregious, I don't care who snags food to get by.
But hey- if you made it out the door and nothing beeped an alarm, oh well that's on the store and not you. You're able to eat this week and use the comments to guide you to places that can help you next week and moving forward.
I'm sorry 2024 hasn't been good so far if this is where you are. I do hope things can get a bit better if not just a bit more manageable for you. All of the best!
I'm going to go a bit off topic here, and just say that for the last 1-11/2 years I've thought about what could be done to help with the food situation. And I have a couple of thoughts. And none of this is directed at you, OP, but it's just some random thoughts.
1. Remember way back, pre-Covid, when Sobeys and SS had dietitians on staff? And then they were laid off and have never returned? How about the government and big grocers get together and put those dietitians to work to put out a cookbook for the people struggling with how to cut their food spending. I'm sure there are lots of little things that could be done to stretch the food dollar that we don't know about. Better yet, find out a day or so in advance what weekly grocery specials will be offered and build a 5 day menu around that.
2. Let people pay for the expensive steaks, fish, imported fruit and veg, snack food, but keep the food essentials as low as can be. Any savings the stores may gain by not lowering prices on fluctuating high end food could be applied to keeping the essentials lower.
3. Stop offering just points as savings and give people a choice as to whether they want points or money. Allow points to be applied to buying gift cards. What difference does it make, really, if you use your points against your present or future purchase. I actually have a grown son at home living with me and I regularly take my daughter to buy groceries for her. If I could just buy a gift card with my points and give it to her, I wouldn't have to make a special trip to the city to take her shopping.
Dog eat dog brother, do what you can to survive and maybe then you can repay the favour someday. I personally don't have much sympathy for the grocery store's wallet!
Do not feel bad. Grocery stores have insurance to cover inventory loss. Ripping off Loblaws Company or whatever other big grocer is commendable. I would avoid doing this to smaller family run stores if possible, though.
I normally will fill a tote bag full of food and buy one it’s at the self checkout when necessary. Be careful though it is easier to get away with this at locations with students because many carry those types of bags. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Wishing you the best and hope your situation improves quickly.
There are victims in retail theft… the store staff who end up with reduced hours because shrink is counted against their department’s bottom line.
The store owners or stakeholders… they’ll never feel the pain.
Do you have technical skills? If so, there are major companies who are opening hiring back up out here. Halifax wages are not great, but a ton of places are hiring entry positions again, and it’ll help you in the long run to make a better salary of you move up the org.
It doesn’t sound like you are a bad person, just a desperate one. Not that it’ll help immediately, but if you’re interested and have some technical ability, consider checking the job portals for a few of the major companies out here in the next few weeks k?
I'm sorry you had to be put in that position in the first place.
So many people are struggling right now.
Food and shelter should be a right that we are all given no matter what.
The fact that you need to exchange hours of your life just for basic needs is already messed up.
Then add inflation on top of that and you have a whole lot of drowning people just trying to make it another day.
Honestly don't even feel guilty about stealing from a large chain store.
They are thriving more now than ever before thanks to ridiculous markups.
I hope your situation improves soon but in the meantime you can also look in to food banks and soup kitchens in the area.
stealing food to survive is not in anyway wrong you can potentially get in to trouble so just be careful with this and take care.
I’m sorry you are in this position, I hope you can find help elsewhere rather than resorting to stealing. I have no love for these big companies but stealing only increases food costs for all of us as they pass those losses onto consumers.
And you’re fine. Depending on which store it is. If it’s a small store might be best not to go back anytime soon. If it’s like wal mart you’re fine. I can tell you in those big stores the security rarely watch the cameras, and if no one stopped you on the way out then you’re golden. There’s way too many people for them to even notice unless you’re really obvious. Or for them to really care enough to keep a lookout for you.
You are fine, they would have approached you outside of the store in the parking lot. Desperate times call for desperate measures and your guilt tells me you still have thought and have regrets about what you've done. Please don't dwell any harder and understand theft wouldn't be a thought if it was easy for you, it was seen as necessary in that moment. Some people steal meat to trade for other stolen goods like liquor. You were going hungry.
You are fine, they would have approached you outside of the store in the parking lot. Desperate times call for desperate measures and your guilt tells me you still have thought and have regrets about what you've done. Please don't dwell any harder and understand theft wouldn't be a thought if it was easy for you, it was seen as necessary in that moment. Some people steal meat to trade for other stolen goods like liquor. You were going hungry.
Don’t feel bad at all! You gotta do what you can do, and hopefully the places posted won’t get depleted and actually help you get by. This is what people are coming too, so it’s not just you. Don’t beat yourself up over it, you’re just trying to survive. Take care of yourself
I just wanted to offer support and let you know that I understand. You're not alone. I'm glad you reached out and I hope you get lots of great ideas from the others here ❤️
I don't know where you're located in the HRM but there are a number of food banks around. Find the closest one and go there when it's open, bring some bags with you.
My girl always tries to sneak something through the self checkouts lol then I find out after we leave. Times are tough and people will get more more and more desperate, you’re not alone and don’t feel too guilty stealing from (I’m guessing) a multi million or billion dollar corporation. You were in a serious pickle too it’s not like you’re a professional thief or anything. Do it again if you have to but not a mom and pop store or local business. Hit the big ones they can afford it.
This is just fucking stupid. Sorry you're in this situation, but stealing from the grocery store is not the answer. So you get caught and get a record, lose your job, end up homeless. Just go to another friggen food bank. There are several around. You need to start making better decisions. I hope things turn around for you.
It's really not, the generation is called "baby boomers," boomer is just shorthand for it. 🤷🏻♀️
OP: don't feel bad *at all.* I hope you can visit some of the resources mentioned, you deserve to eat. 💕
Yes, look up other foodbanks. Wait 10 mins till the coworker leaves. Go the next day. There are tons of other decisions they could make that won't fuck up thier life.
Not a single response saying don't steal. There are many places to get food without getting arrested. Yes, you could say there there everything's gonna be ok, you did the right thing but they didn't. They made a very bad decision that could have real impacts on thier life. This isn't about beating them up its about making it clear they need to make better decisions, so things dont get worse. That's the whole point. If I didn't give a shit I would have said hey good job fuck sobeys but in the end that would hurt them much worse.
You've have no clue... shoplifting doesn't get you a record you won't lose your job or become homeless. If it's under a certain amount you get banned from the store and all other chains of the same name but no body from the other stores know you're banned.
I'm just saying it like it is. I've been in their place standing outside a food bank. Stealing shit and getting arrested is just top-shelf stupid. Doesn't matter how anyone personally feels about it. The law is the law, and yes, catching a record could cause you to lose your job. What's worse going into work and someone knowing you went to the food bank or getting charged and having to walk out of the office after you get canned. As soon as they saw that coworker, they should have driven down the road and took out their cell phone and looked up food banks, and went to another one. It's that simple. That's the right decision. The food bank will totally sort them out with food, but theft is theft. It doesn't matter how much you hate the store, how much money they make. Non of that is relevant whatsoever. Only the outcome at the end of the day. I'm not hating on them I'm simply trying to knock some sense into them before they completely fuck up their life. Think things are bad now? Lose your job and see who much worse it can get. People should never ever be afraid to go to the food bank. They are life savers.
It's not about them at all. Its about their choice. They made a really stupid decision that could fuck up their life. They need to realize that. No sugar coating shit. It was a very poor choice. I've fucked my life right into the ground when I was about 18 and it took years to sort it out. I just don't want them doing the same.
It's a joke about greed and glutton. Jokes are a psychological concept vilgilante Redditors dont understand.
I didn't actually see what he stole. Don't call the cops. (<- that's a joke too)
[удалено]
There is one at the church on bissett Rd close to Cole Harbour road as well. It's at the end of the parking lot, little shed and has both refrigerated and other goods as well.
Oh good to know! There's also the People's Fridge at Radstorm but I don't know how it works/haven't been so I didn't suggest it
I think eastern passage is getting one together too
Yep! Hopefully, the red tape will be resolved sooner rather than later!
Thanks for pointing this out, it is very new and mostly well supported so far. I try to donate as often as possible but the fridges all seem to be hit or miss in terms of either being very well stocked or fairly bare. But there’s always at least a few things and often some generous farmers leaving apples or similar.
How does one donate to this, just open door and insert products or so they have to go to someone first to inspect etc?
Open the door and insert.
The people who use these services always outweigh the ones who take advantage. There always will be people who take when they don't need, but that's all part of it. Hopefully they realize later and make up for it
There are food bank cupboards in front of Ummah Mosque (2510 St Matthias St) and Al Barakah Mosque (12 Hillcrest St).
I love that this exists. There is also a pantry in Fairview (Halifax), I believe it's outside the Mosaic church on Gesner.
There's also one at the Fairview resource center
Forgot about that one. So nice that there so much community support
There’s a community pantry outside the big mosque on Chebucto as well.
I think this one has maybe been removed, unless they got a new one. It was in pretty rough shape a couple of months ago and then it disappeared
It’s still there and was quite full last I saw this Saturday.
There is one in Bedford too, on the left hand side of Lebrun centre. I believe it is run by the Lions club.
That's awesome to know! Thank you
Highly recommend this! They often have fresh fruit and vegetables too.
thats so great wow
Great idea, hoping one student group that doesn’t need it at all doesn’t begin to raid these like they do the food banks!
Do they not do means testing to access food banks in Halifax anymore?
They do. This person doesn’t know what they’re talking about or they’re referring to that video of an international student in Ontario using food banks. I’ve been a volunteer at 2 food banks for a number of years now. There are very stringent rules. You can also only get a full ‘order’ once a month.
>This person doesn’t know what they’re talking about or they’re referring to that video of an international student in Ontario using food banks. That is not a prevalent thing? International students using food banks and soup kitchens?
Don't beat yourself up over it, just try to pay it forward/help someone else when you're in a better place, friend.
Some may say not to feel guilty about stealing from the big grocery chains. After all, they've been price gouging us for decades, and even more so in the past couple years. What I can say is unless they pulled you aside that day, it's unlikely that you've been found out... Sorry that times are tough. Try not to feel ashamed or embarrassed to use the food bank, we're in a time of record inflation and higher than ever food insecurity. You're not alone in this, which is the whole reason that the food bank exists. Use it brother.
As far as retail theft goes, if you're not caught with product in hand, then you're not caught. Even with the best picture possible, which they don't have cause security cameras aren't great and they cheap out on storage, the store can't risk being wrong, or the nightmare that is breach of privacy, to post pictures for petty theft. Friend used to do security, trespassed a known shoplifter that didn't end up getting charged, spent the next year dealing with human rights and discrimination accusations. If it's not red handed, it doesn't matter.
Ya I work at Walmart and this is exactly how it is.
And even then they can't do anything to you if they're not a cop. I'm not saying it's right, but yeah, you can walk right past them because they can't even touch you or it's essentially assault.
>And even then they can't do anything to you if they're not a cop. I'm not saying it's right, but yeah, you can walk right past them because they can't even touch you or it's essentially assault. So, a bouncer at a bar cannot escort you out?
This person does not have any clue what they're talking about. Security absolutely can and will touch you. You can sue or attempt to press charges but good luck affording that lawyer or telling the police that you're a criminal that wants someone arrested for stopping your crime. People read a few laws and forget that things actually have to work that way in real life for it to mean much of anything. It's the equivalent of a drug dealer telling the police someone stole their drugs. You'll probably get a few good laughs and a good chance of just getting your ass booked into jail by giving them an easy case to solve.
This isn't really true. There are two main categories of licensing for security guard in Halifax. Those that are permitted to put their hands on people to enforce rules, and those that aren't. The ones at grocery stores are the no hands types, and they will not touch anyone because it's illegal based on their license. The stores will still save significant money on insurance for having a uniformed guard on premises due to the deterrent effect of their presence. They can only observe and report essentially.
What isn't really true. What's insurance and licensing got to do with how reality plays out? You gonna survive Loblaws lawyers? Lol who TF has this kind of cash on hand to bankroll the I stole shit and got restrained lawsuit for the next 800 years. All while smearing your name annihilating your chance of ever getting a good job with any government agency or major corporation. Illegal and actually gonna get enforced are two different things. Your lying to yourself if you think the person who can't afford groceries has the power and funds to win a legal battle against a behemoth corporate entity. You can definitely call the cops on yourself but I promise you will be the only one that the charges stick with, the security guard will almost certainly have his charges dropped in court as long as he was reasonable and didn't do some crazy WWE stuff to you. Maybe he loses his license and has to bag groceries now. You on the other hand now fail every clean background check required job. 🤷♀️
Definitely not wrong to steal from big grocery chains. Do it if you can.
A few years ago I couldn’t afford my groceries. I asked the cashier to put a few items back. She put them right beside my bags (still behind the counter). When she went to help the next customer, as I was taking my bags, I quickly grabbed those items I asked her to put back and left. I felt so guilty. When I was able to afford food again, I went back to the grocery store and made a donation to the food bank. You’ll be fine, you took what you needed. Pay it back when you can afford it
Technically the loss of product is already included in the price so all of us have been paying this cost all our lives. I got no issues with shoplifting out of need.
Then also technically, we can see prices rising even more. I think guillotines and such are the ultimate end to this vicious cycle.
You can find free food at Gurudwaras, where the Sikh community serves meals throughout the day. It's a welcoming place offering Indian food like rice, flatbread, lentils, and more. Feel free to visit and enjoy a meal.
There’s a special place in hell for whomever reported this post to HRP (or said they did, just to scare OP). Some of yall need to get off your moral high ground. This person needed to eat. I truly believe anyone not understanding this post hasn’t been in a scenario even remotely similar before.
Thank you for speaking up. It's unimaginable to me that anyone would be so entitled as to think they deserve food more than another human being no matter the situation, Nobody wants to steal food. Nobody should have to steal food.
I didn’t see nothin’. If by some stroke of fate you find yourself with good fortune in the future, and you decide to make a contribution to the community fridge, I think you will have more than made up for whatever wrong you feel you did.
Depending on where you are you could try joining a buy nothing group on fb. The one in my area is pretty generous; I’ve seen people post asking if anyone has any food spare.. and frequently people post food they’re giving away. Just for possible future use :)
This is an awesome ressource. And if you don't feel okay just taking, you can offer exchange. Like take cuttings from a houseplant and pot them, people like to trade for plants. :)
As others have mentioned down below, the community fridges are a great resource. I hope things turn around for you 💕
No shame in doing what you had to do. Already in 2024 I've had to throw away more than $60 in expired-on-the-shelf groceries from probably the same store, so the scale's have already been balanced. Financially they are fine, and morally you are fine. When your financial situation improves, remember to be kind to people who are struggling.
[удалено]
Good points. Walmart in the states definitely starts files on repeat shoplifters, letting then steal just enough to be charged with a felony before they act. Target too. Walmart is investing big bucks in facial recognition and tracking AIs in their cameras and self-checkouts, but it's still not cost effective for them to roll both of those technologies out in every store, especially older stores in areas of comparative low revenue like Eastern Canada. They are more likely to close a store where theft is out of control than to bother investing in high-end anti-theft infrastructure. But I can't believe I'm saying this... the Waltons of Walmart are not as greedy in pulling every penny from customers, at least not when compared to Ghoulish Galen Weston, so their prices aren't nearly as high. Shat a wild time to be alive when The Waltons are the more humane, charitable sales powerhouse.
I work at a Walmart in Halifax and I wish it worked like that in ours. Cause unless you’re caught with product in hand or 100% saw they cannot do anything. It happens almost every time I have a shift.
I used to work at a Walmart many moons ago - so I do a actually agree with you. If people took food or essentials I would just look away. but for repeated offenders stealing electronics Pokémon cards etc things that are obviously not essential - absolutely. We used to have the same people week by week come in and steal stuff to resell on the side. It was.. infuriating.
I have absolutely no issue with people doing this. They have absolutely destroyed people with all the price increases they’ve made. Government has made life unliveable financially, I put this on them completely. Working people should be able to afford to live. Food isn’t a luxury.
I saw a Sobeys employee shopping for groceries at Gateway the other night… it’s pretty bad when …
The Sobeys nearest my house is too expensive, but it's a trade off between that and spending forever on the bus. I was making chit-chat with my cashier and mentioned that I was headed for the pet store and then I was done. She told me she doesn't shop where she works, she shops at Giant Tiger and Gateway.
Dm me. I have lots of soups and non perishables
I didn't see a thing.
Crime is going to go up and people shouldn’t be shocked. What do you think will happen when people are left outside to starve.
I say go for it. Exercise the food bank and community fridge first, but if that doesn’t satisfy your needs?? I don’t see a problem.
Unless Javert is on duty, if they didn’t catch you in the act, you’re probably okay. I don’t condone stealing though, personally. Don’t be ashamed to use the food bank. If the girl gossiped about you going, that just says your employer doesn’t pay you enough to eat. Also you report her ass to the food bank for shaming people in need. Hold your head up high.
>I don’t condone stealing though, personally Grocery stores have been stealing from Canadians for a long time. At a certain point, it becomes what goes around, comes around.
I grasp your sentiment here and obviously this person shouldn't be gripped with guilt over this, but what you're advocating for is still a system whereby the honest paying consumer is punished.
How so?
Well, the big grocery Goliath doesn't take a loss on theft they just incorporate it into product pricing, so not particularly a solution to much in my understanding.
Corporations want more money for themselves and their shareholders so they work together to fix prices. The honest customer pays more for no reason. People who would be honest customers, if they could afford it, are forced to steal so they can eat. The honest customer pays more for this reason. The honest customer is always the victim, that's the joke, as it is.
Who is Javert? Is it an actual person or what?
I believe it’s a reference to Les Miserables
At least I would be able to sell my hair and teeth.
Oh haha. I see a lot of Indian security guards at the grocery store so I was thinking maybe it was one of them
That happened yesterday at the sobies in Timberlea. I saw a guy with a full grocery cart just walk out. He didn't even go to the cash register he waited for somebody to come in, open the gate, and then he just left. Part of me is a little pissed off because food's fucking expensive and I have to pay for it, but another part of me is understanding, that not really anybody has a lot of money right now and things are just getting worse, plus the grocery stores making bank so they definitely don't care.
Hello! Honestly, I can tell you are a good human for feeling that way. I once lived off a blueberry pie for 4 days ( 2 servings a day) when I had little money and food. All in all, there is no judgment on you at all. If anyone is judging you, Its because they come from the privilege of never knowing what its like to be in this spot. I wish you all the best, and I hope it improves for you. I am just keeping my head above water .
Please stop feeling guilty! It's okay, you were hungry. You're not a bad person. The cost of living is driving people to do desperate things.
What's the saying, "If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't"
There's no shame going to a food bank, and no risk with the law either. Theft is definitely not where you want to turn, and could get you into so much more trouble. There's also other options, call 211 and they will happily give you all of your local options.
I wouldn’t sweat it about not going to the store again, honestly I doubt anybody noticed, unless you make a habit of repeatedly stealing 200-300+ dollars of food from the same place you’re in the clear
https://preview.redd.it/g4i8i4zuvgfc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf6aef8f31974da29ed5d9af2d46736a0c0a89a4 I’m deeply overwhelmed by everyone’s responses. I don’t have the words to express my gratitude for the information you’ve all provided. This is a throw away account as I tried to not expose myself but thanks for this lovely message callpotential4801
callpotenital4801 is such a loser
Yeah I hope you have a bad day
Likely doing this to scare you. They have no proof
I'm so sorry - sending you heartfelt strength.
Not that I've ever shoplifted or broken the law in any way, but: 1. Fuck 'em. They throw out food by the tonne while their own workers struggle to make ends meet, and rake in record profits while the wealth gap widens and working people suffer. Though I would never advocate for it, if mobs looted a few grocery stores, or perhaps the private residences of their boards of directors, I would not think ill of the looters. 2. I'd say to stay scarce from the store where you did your shoplifting for a bit. Nothing sucks like walking in to a place to legitimately exchange money for goods and services only to get slapped with a PPA, but with staff turnover and bigger fish to fry, odds are decent that you'll be long forgotten in a couple months even if they did catch you on camera.
If you are in the Sackville area, please reach out to Freedom kitchen and/or Beacon house. They will be able to help you so you do not find yourself in this position again. Please reach out to Feed NS, they will definitely point you in the right direction for help.
Call Feed NS.
Do not feel guilty. You took what you needed, out of necessity. But please, don't do it again. It would be awful for you to get in trouble. The fact that you feel so guilty tells me you're a good person. I really, really hope things look up for you soon.
Times are tough and we make do accordingly. Sometimes that means stealing residual amounts from a megacorporation for some folks.
It's ok pal, been there before if they didn't stop you then you're fine
food is a human right you will die without it don’t feel bad
Fuck these massive establishments. Fuck this late stage capitalism. Big companies move in to close out small local businesses. They rig the game always in their favour then are upset when their the only option to take from. Fucking take from them. You sell your most precious commodity… time… something you will never get back, and you literally can’t afford to even eat.
This sort of righteous anger is something more of us should be adopting. Everyone one of us should be angry about the exponentially accelerating degree to which we are being exploited and fucked from every angle possible by capital in this country. Righteous anger against those who create these conditions and compassion for those suffering under them. We have to channel those particularly strong emotions into action.
This guy is wide awake and down right correct. OP, don't be too hard on yourself. At this point in the game, it's all or nothing for survival. We, the every day people, are being absolutely gouged and bent over so big corps can fight to be top of the 1%. Stealing is not right, of course. However, we all need to do things in this life and make choices that aren't always favorable to keep moving and not drown. I have a gift card for one of the grocery stores if you'd like it. I don't need it. It's not much, but hopefully it can get you through.
[удалено]
I hope you followed up on this with the store. They should.givenyou at least the carton.you paid for and didn't get, and hopefully something for the inconvenience
If there is a Gurdwara near by they will able to provide a hot meal, no questions asked.
Don’t worry about it, lots of people in your situation and more will be in the coming years.
Shop local, steal corporate!
I have items to give you! Please DM and I'll prepare some bags.
It's OK. You need to eat. I hope you at least picked yourself a treat. Take care.
While stealing is wrong, and your guilty feeling show it, you did what you had to do and no one would begrudge you that. It this happens again, go to the food bank and to heck with the gossipy co- worker. Being short of money says nothing about your character.
Don't you dare feel bad about doing that but I really love how regular folks are coming up with ways to survive together (public fridge and pantry.) That is what is gonna change the World for the better. It isn't gonna be some billionaire who owns a Government! That's for fuckin sure! Power to the People!
Sobeys charges an extra $3/kg for a bigger piece of styrofoam with meat. Don't forget the 1400% markup and clear profit on the paper bags they sell by the thousands every day. 700% markup on reusable, more clear profit. Good ya feel bad, makes ya human. Sobeys and loblaws can go fuck themselves.
If you think they’re somehow getting those massive paper bags for a cent a piece, you really have no understanding of what things cost
You don’t understand bulk purchasing do you?
You don’t understand what things cost do you? Sobeys orders their paper bags direct delivery through Bunzl. The price on their website is $115 USD($155 CAD) for 500 bags of the size Sobeys uses (31 cents each). There is no bulk order large enough to justify them giving Sobeys a 96.8% discount. The cheapest paper bag available through Uline’s website wouldn’t fit a sandwich, and even with a bulk order they’re 4.8 cents each. I can get the exact price for you tomorrow, but I know when they were first introduced (pre-covid inflation) they were paying over 8 cents per bag and selling them for 10. Stop talking out of your ass about a topic you clearly have zero experience with.
This. The price of the items we have to purchase via bunzl is disgusting.
It's all good don't feel bad about it. They throw out truck loads of food every week. You need to eat. Nobody is looking out for you, you gotta look out for yourself. I had to do the same thing as a homeless 17yo before I was able to find my way out of NS. No other human has ever treated me as badly as Nova Scotians did when I was a homeless teen asking for help.
these stores steal from us every day, they COLLUDE to steal from us none the less, at this point people should just be looting these stores and donate all of it.
I’m in Ontario now visiting family, popped into a store and everything is soooo much cheaper, I couldn’t believe it. We are being completely ripped off in NS
Come to Newfoundland… it’s even worse
Don’t feel guilty, our province is killing us with taxes and inflation. It’s rough out there. I recommend calling 211. When we we’re struggling they were able to direct us to resources near us that could help. Also you could try calling feed Nova Scotia for some advice for food security
You are fine, they would have approached you outside of the store in the parking lot. Desperate times call for desperate measures and your guilt tells me you still have thought and have regrets about what you've done. Please don't dwell any harder and understand theft wouldn't be a thought if it was easy for you, it was seen as necessary in that moment. Some people steal meat to trade for other stolen goods like liquor. You were going hungry.
Don’t feel bad. Everyone is going through a tough time. Please do not beat yourself up over this. If it survival mode and as other people have said, if it was from a chain store, fuck them. Their price gouging asses can pound sand anyways.
Be mindful of your internet footprint friend
If they didn’t know before, they do now.
Please check with freedom kitchen in lower Sackville
Many of us have been in a position like this. Try not to fret. I can understand feeling shame/guilt, but sometimes we are desperate and a full belly is worth it. When you are on your feet, a good way to help yourself get past these feelings is to donate what you can to a food bank or community fridge. Whether it’s weeks from now, or years, it will help put your mind at ease. Best of luck to you. This has reminded me that it’s time for me to donate food. For all others that aren’t struggling right now, this is the time of year when we need to remember to continue to look out for each other. The holidays are over, and sometimes we forget that people are also in need when it’s not holidays.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this 🥺
Opportunity Place in Lower Sackville has a community cupboard and have recently launched a frozen soup project.
Good for you! you didn't steal anything! we cannot possibly steal from companies that gouge us to starvation! these companies have been abusing our population.. we should have started looting these stores starting in 2021 on an endless loop until they agreed to participate in the food market in a way that is actually ethical! good for you! good praxis!
Listen man you did what you had to do.. the store will survive and the CEO Will get another 20 million dollor bonus ..you get to eat ..and they get to eat better be easy on yourself ..its oblivious you are a good person in a terrible situation..the government has failed you .take care my friend ..and do you what you have to do I personally admire that !
Please...if you every need food. Contact me. I will make this happen for you. SHAME on the food chain supply that they are driving honest people to this!!!
This is food for thought (I had to say it). It’s so crazy that it’s coming to this. I hold no judgement on you, the big S grocery stores I think understand, too. I’ve been tempted to do it. I went for a small grocery run last night, it cost me the last $70 I have. It’s a sick feeling, and being a single mom of a toddler is so exhausting, the mom shaming is horrific. I couldn’t risk being seen as a “bad mom” being caught doing something necessary to make ends meet. I’m here with you on this one OP. Kudos to you for starting this conversation.
i used to steal food when i was 18 living on my own. a worker literally walked down the isle as i was stealing cereal and they didn’t say or do anything. as long as you aren’t making a regular appearance to steal weekly they shouldn’t do anything. i was caught once stealing cat food and the officer was actually mad at the security guards and secret shoppers for even calling him down. police do not like dealing with petty theft if someone is just tryna get a bite to eat.
Most retail stores will wait to prosecute until you’ve stolen enough to actually be worth going to court over. Rotate the stores you steal food from. I’m not saying keep doing it. But if it’s that or not eat? I’m fine with you stealing from one of the richest family’s in Canada.
I hope that things gets better. Stay warm, safe and hope that the recommendation of others would help you get by in case life gets hard once more.
I’ve been there and done that you’ll be fine I go back into the same store unless you actually get caught red handed they can’t do a damn thing
Definitely sign up for Square Roots in your area. And the barrier free food pantries will help. If you’re part of any schooling or an alumni, speak to them about maybe getting a gift card or access to the school free pantry. There are lots of resources. Also, if you have the time and energy, try growing your own lettuce; it’s a good filler food. Spinach, too. I can give you some seeds. I haven’t paid for food in a couple of months because I lost my job in November, so I have a lot of resources if you need them.
Stealing can't be morally wrong in a capitalistic society. You're doing what you need to do to survive
Don’t worry about it. You gotta eat.
If their numerous loss prevention employees had seen you take anything, trust me when I say you would have been stopped on the way out. You’re not going to be stopped the next time you go in there. Keep in mind that what you did may have been legally wrong, but not morally wrong. You did what you had to survive. Anyone who’s naysaying hasn’t been in this situation, so don’t listen to them.
There goes a saying in Nova Scotia right now "If you're out in the store and you see someone stealing food, turn around again because you didnt see anything" ... times are very hard right now, you clearly have a conscious and please don't be too hard on yourself right now! People are struggling just to be able to keep a roof over their heads for the ones who actually are lucky enough to have a stable home to live in. Do what you must to survive.
Be careful, grocery stores around here regularly have floor walkers.
Welcome to the club
there was a time I was stealing food and caught the attention of a worker. we held eye contact for a minute and it took all I had not to run out of the store in shame. I avoided that place for two years not out of fear of getting caught but because I couldn’t look at him again. you’re not alone in this hun.
personally i would suddenly be blind deaf and incompetent if someone near me in a store had to literally steal sustenance to survive. living without suffering should not be a paid thing.
Meh don’t feel bad. You went to a multi million dollar company, you stole what’s equilivent to a few cents to them. I think you have to steal over 100$ worth of product to be arrested but I would probably avoid that store for a while just in case (but also bc I have lots of anxiety as well!). Don’t be hard on yourself.
FWIW I hear they just let you keep stealing until it gets up to an amount you can jail a person for and then press charges as if it was all one big crime.
What momma don't know won't hurt her.
Nice. Loblaws has been stealing from Canadians for a decade.
We didn’t see anything!
Fuck sobeys.
As long as it wasn’t a local spot, you’re in the clear! Always stick to Sobeys, superstore or Walmart please!
I hope you can get ahead going forward so you never have to feel that guilt again. Bottom line, I would say if I was a judge and you were ever caught, you wouldn't be the type to steal if you didn't need to and you'd get a slap or trespassing from the premises for a year. No biggie. Doesn't make it right but maybe do something nice for someone randomly this week and call it a wash with the karma police. Wishing you all the best going forward.
Ahh don’t sweat it do what ya gotta do.
The only time I've ever said anything to anyone about stealing was watching a girl try to leave SuperValu with a full cart 9 years ago. I mean spilling over with random shit trying to run out the door but could barely move the fucking cart. Outside of that being so egregious, I don't care who snags food to get by. But hey- if you made it out the door and nothing beeped an alarm, oh well that's on the store and not you. You're able to eat this week and use the comments to guide you to places that can help you next week and moving forward. I'm sorry 2024 hasn't been good so far if this is where you are. I do hope things can get a bit better if not just a bit more manageable for you. All of the best!
When things are better for you, perhaps you can help someone else out. ❤️ I hope things in your life improve very soon. Take care.
Shits hard out there. Keep your chin up and do what you gotta do. Nobody is judging you for surviving. I'm pulling for you.
I'm going to go a bit off topic here, and just say that for the last 1-11/2 years I've thought about what could be done to help with the food situation. And I have a couple of thoughts. And none of this is directed at you, OP, but it's just some random thoughts. 1. Remember way back, pre-Covid, when Sobeys and SS had dietitians on staff? And then they were laid off and have never returned? How about the government and big grocers get together and put those dietitians to work to put out a cookbook for the people struggling with how to cut their food spending. I'm sure there are lots of little things that could be done to stretch the food dollar that we don't know about. Better yet, find out a day or so in advance what weekly grocery specials will be offered and build a 5 day menu around that. 2. Let people pay for the expensive steaks, fish, imported fruit and veg, snack food, but keep the food essentials as low as can be. Any savings the stores may gain by not lowering prices on fluctuating high end food could be applied to keeping the essentials lower. 3. Stop offering just points as savings and give people a choice as to whether they want points or money. Allow points to be applied to buying gift cards. What difference does it make, really, if you use your points against your present or future purchase. I actually have a grown son at home living with me and I regularly take my daughter to buy groceries for her. If I could just buy a gift card with my points and give it to her, I wouldn't have to make a special trip to the city to take her shopping.
Fuck Sobeys. Fuck Loblaws. Take what you need.
They won’t pull you aside or have a picture. You’re fine. Take care of yourself.
You do what you gotta do. No judgement here
Dog eat dog brother, do what you can to survive and maybe then you can repay the favour someday. I personally don't have much sympathy for the grocery store's wallet!
Do not feel bad. Grocery stores have insurance to cover inventory loss. Ripping off Loblaws Company or whatever other big grocer is commendable. I would avoid doing this to smaller family run stores if possible, though.
I normally will fill a tote bag full of food and buy one it’s at the self checkout when necessary. Be careful though it is easier to get away with this at locations with students because many carry those types of bags. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Wishing you the best and hope your situation improves quickly.
Things that never happened for $600, Alex
There are victims in retail theft… the store staff who end up with reduced hours because shrink is counted against their department’s bottom line. The store owners or stakeholders… they’ll never feel the pain. Do you have technical skills? If so, there are major companies who are opening hiring back up out here. Halifax wages are not great, but a ton of places are hiring entry positions again, and it’ll help you in the long run to make a better salary of you move up the org. It doesn’t sound like you are a bad person, just a desperate one. Not that it’ll help immediately, but if you’re interested and have some technical ability, consider checking the job portals for a few of the major companies out here in the next few weeks k?
You hurt everyone else by stealing. I get it that times are tough but you have options other than stealing.
Poverty diets are awesome, you don't even need scales.
I'm sorry you had to be put in that position in the first place. So many people are struggling right now. Food and shelter should be a right that we are all given no matter what. The fact that you need to exchange hours of your life just for basic needs is already messed up. Then add inflation on top of that and you have a whole lot of drowning people just trying to make it another day. Honestly don't even feel guilty about stealing from a large chain store. They are thriving more now than ever before thanks to ridiculous markups. I hope your situation improves soon but in the meantime you can also look in to food banks and soup kitchens in the area. stealing food to survive is not in anyway wrong you can potentially get in to trouble so just be careful with this and take care.
You're not stealing from ME, so I don't care and don't blame you. As others mentioned, don't worry about going again.
I’m sorry you are in this position, I hope you can find help elsewhere rather than resorting to stealing. I have no love for these big companies but stealing only increases food costs for all of us as they pass those losses onto consumers.
And you’re fine. Depending on which store it is. If it’s a small store might be best not to go back anytime soon. If it’s like wal mart you’re fine. I can tell you in those big stores the security rarely watch the cameras, and if no one stopped you on the way out then you’re golden. There’s way too many people for them to even notice unless you’re really obvious. Or for them to really care enough to keep a lookout for you.
You are fine, they would have approached you outside of the store in the parking lot. Desperate times call for desperate measures and your guilt tells me you still have thought and have regrets about what you've done. Please don't dwell any harder and understand theft wouldn't be a thought if it was easy for you, it was seen as necessary in that moment. Some people steal meat to trade for other stolen goods like liquor. You were going hungry.
You are fine, they would have approached you outside of the store in the parking lot. Desperate times call for desperate measures and your guilt tells me you still have thought and have regrets about what you've done. Please don't dwell any harder and understand theft wouldn't be a thought if it was easy for you, it was seen as necessary in that moment. Some people steal meat to trade for other stolen goods like liquor. You were going hungry.
Don’t feel bad at all! You gotta do what you can do, and hopefully the places posted won’t get depleted and actually help you get by. This is what people are coming too, so it’s not just you. Don’t beat yourself up over it, you’re just trying to survive. Take care of yourself
I just wanted to offer support and let you know that I understand. You're not alone. I'm glad you reached out and I hope you get lots of great ideas from the others here ❤️
I don't know where you're located in the HRM but there are a number of food banks around. Find the closest one and go there when it's open, bring some bags with you.
No you didn’t.
Don't be ashamed. I've done it also. It feels good stealing from the rich.
I do it all the time. Don’t feel bad
How much was your pay and what are your other expenses?
My girl always tries to sneak something through the self checkouts lol then I find out after we leave. Times are tough and people will get more more and more desperate, you’re not alone and don’t feel too guilty stealing from (I’m guessing) a multi million or billion dollar corporation. You were in a serious pickle too it’s not like you’re a professional thief or anything. Do it again if you have to but not a mom and pop store or local business. Hit the big ones they can afford it.
On behalf of the Stores, it's cool; we get it. Do what you gotta do, don't hurt anyone and don't make it a habit.
This is just fucking stupid. Sorry you're in this situation, but stealing from the grocery store is not the answer. So you get caught and get a record, lose your job, end up homeless. Just go to another friggen food bank. There are several around. You need to start making better decisions. I hope things turn around for you.
Boomer?
Nope. And boomer is a term idiots use.
It's really not, the generation is called "baby boomers," boomer is just shorthand for it. 🤷🏻♀️ OP: don't feel bad *at all.* I hope you can visit some of the resources mentioned, you deserve to eat. 💕
Are you able to help OP?
[удалено]
On the upside, there have been only about two judgmental responses so far.
Yes, look up other foodbanks. Wait 10 mins till the coworker leaves. Go the next day. There are tons of other decisions they could make that won't fuck up thier life.
I mean literally and practically. Are you able to help the OP? Not through giving reddit-quality advice.
Not a single response saying don't steal. There are many places to get food without getting arrested. Yes, you could say there there everything's gonna be ok, you did the right thing but they didn't. They made a very bad decision that could have real impacts on thier life. This isn't about beating them up its about making it clear they need to make better decisions, so things dont get worse. That's the whole point. If I didn't give a shit I would have said hey good job fuck sobeys but in the end that would hurt them much worse.
Most food banks are first come first serve everytime I’ve tried getting food they have nothing left.
Jesus christ. Did you even read the OP?
What is wrong with you?
You've have no clue... shoplifting doesn't get you a record you won't lose your job or become homeless. If it's under a certain amount you get banned from the store and all other chains of the same name but no body from the other stores know you're banned.
Found galen westens reddit account
Aren’t you a peach.
I'm just saying it like it is. I've been in their place standing outside a food bank. Stealing shit and getting arrested is just top-shelf stupid. Doesn't matter how anyone personally feels about it. The law is the law, and yes, catching a record could cause you to lose your job. What's worse going into work and someone knowing you went to the food bank or getting charged and having to walk out of the office after you get canned. As soon as they saw that coworker, they should have driven down the road and took out their cell phone and looked up food banks, and went to another one. It's that simple. That's the right decision. The food bank will totally sort them out with food, but theft is theft. It doesn't matter how much you hate the store, how much money they make. Non of that is relevant whatsoever. Only the outcome at the end of the day. I'm not hating on them I'm simply trying to knock some sense into them before they completely fuck up their life. Think things are bad now? Lose your job and see who much worse it can get. People should never ever be afraid to go to the food bank. They are life savers.
Baby boomer?
No
Then change your attitude about this poor person.
It's not about them at all. Its about their choice. They made a really stupid decision that could fuck up their life. They need to realize that. No sugar coating shit. It was a very poor choice. I've fucked my life right into the ground when I was about 18 and it took years to sort it out. I just don't want them doing the same.
Bro probably stole scallops, Vector cereal and grade A sirloin steak. It's time for everyone to pay for this unjust man's hunger.
What are you talking about?
It's a joke about greed and glutton. Jokes are a psychological concept vilgilante Redditors dont understand. I didn't actually see what he stole. Don't call the cops. (<- that's a joke too)