Food Grazing and Sampling Products

[Crime Doctor]

Another thread reminded me of this common in store policy question. Many stores struggle with this one.

What is your store policy on customers who graze on food items like fruit, bulk candy, and nuts? Also, where do you draw the line on sampling items like lotions, colognes, and hair products?

[Michele]

We had testers for the lotions, colognes, and hair products.

[Ryan]

Originally posted by Crime Doctor
Another thread reminded me of this common in store policy question. Many stores struggle with this one.

What is your store policy on customers who graze on food items like fruit, bulk candy, and nuts?


Also, where do you draw the line on sampling items like lotions, colognes, and hair products?

If they open a package to eat it, and it's no longer saleable, it's a stat. Don't mess with the bulk nuts and candies.

Customer service the ones that need the extra lotion and cologne..... I don't see any way to get involved from an LP standpoint...

[kevin]

One of the biggest ways customers cause shrink is by opening packages, eating some chips, crackers or cookies and then putting in back on the shelf.

My company wants to promote a friendly shopping environment so they have put cup holders on all the carts. This produces a lot of "theft" because people will pick up a drink, shop while drinking and throw away the container without stopping to think about what they are doing.

The sickest thing I ever saw regarding this type of theft was when I was following this guy around the store and he picked up a steak from the self service meat case. He proceeded to rip off chunks of bloody meat and eat them. When he was done, he threw the package behind some product on the shelf and proceeded to the frozen food aisle. From there, he grabbed a frozen pizza and started biting pieces of the frozen dough. A customer approached the man and asked if he was ok, and he took off running. When I finally stopped him, he started asking me questions about the starving people in Ethiopia and how come we couldn't spare some food. It was his form of protest.

On a different note, we had an elderly gentleman bring in a letter from the local food bank asking if we could donate our "expired" bread and bakery items to them so they could feed the homeless. Our managers thought this sounded like a good idea and each morning, he would wheel out a cart of bakery items. I grew suspicious and followed him home one day. As he pulled up to his driveway, about fifteen people got out of their cars and began purchasing the bread from him.

Needless to say, I put a stop to this racket and called the local police who subsequently found out that he had broken into the food banks office and stolen miscellaneous items from them. He was charged with fraud and an assortment of things. What would you guys have done and has anyone come across this sort of thing before?

[Crime Doctor]

I've seen people go to the products section and use a half can of hair spray, lint rollers, mouthwash, deodorant, creams, lotions, and the grossest thing was to install one Tampex.

[LisaLP]

I would have apprehended her for concealment..........