Money Moral Dilemma: Is pick and mix nibbling theft?

Arcoiris

relaxtwotribes wrote: »

Stop using the word 'extortionate' to describe prices for cinema tickets, sweets, coke, popcorn etc. There is no extortion involved. They offer you a product/service and if you accept the price you get it. If you don't accept it you don't get it.
'Extortionate price' is usually just a term used to justify theft.

Simples.

If you are allowed to bring your own sweets, then you don't need to buy the super-ultra high prices they charge at the cinema. However, if they don't allow you to bring your own so that you have to buy the sweets there, then it IS extortion.
I think there's a bit of chicken and egg in all this: they charge too high to make up for the losses, but people feel they are justified in "tasting" a few before paying because they are paying too much anyway, so the cinema inflates the prices, ... etc etc

andiepool

I am sat here almost peeing myself laughing at some of the responses on here!! You would seriously lose a friend because they ate a sweetie in the queue at the cinema?!! Get a life ...... I'd rather not have such a stick-in-the-mud boring friend anyway if thats the case

Idiophreak

relaxtwotribes wrote: »

And just where is the healthy food and drink in a cinema?

Your post is just full of drivel as is that of BPD.

It's all healthy, in moderation.

Care to elaborate on *why* our posts are full of drivel?

blackribbongirl

Some people have posted about having their bag's searched upon entering the cinema.... is this legal? Its never happened to me and I would like to know what right they have to go looking through your personal belongings - do they need a "reasonable suspicion" that you may have them in your bag?
Anyway, when I go to the cinema I just stuff them in my pockets - they arnt going to body search you!!!
And in answer to your question, yes it is stealing, but theres no way I would report it - to be honest I wouldnt even think twice about it.

Sharx_2

Technically, if you take something without permission and don't pay for it, it's theft. I wouldn't report my friend or say anything about it tho. I always take own stuff to cinema, as with 2 adults & 2 kids, it is far too expensive to buy cinema sweets & drinks, esp when you can get the same pick n mix at the supermarket for 1/3 price. If I ever get stopped by staff for taking own things, I'll just say that due to food allergies, can't eat/drink unknown cinema snacks. Mind you, I do treat myself to nachos n jalapenos when I'm there :-)

pasty_bill

Is it the theft of the sweets or the theft of your money by the price of them we are talking about?

If the cinema was concerned they would only sell pre-packed sweets. If you can't remember to buy your sweets at a fraction of the cost before going to the cinema you must have enough disposable cash to pay for them once you're there.

I was robbed by Langage Farm at Westpoint Arena recently, 2 small tubs of ice-cream £5!!!!! Sometimes the wrong people go out of business, the robbers strangely always seem to survive.

How about pyo strawberry farms? If I owned one I would weigh the people in and out, maybe that's the answer at the cinema!!!!

hawk1979

This is theft by consumption and as my job as a Loss Prevention Officer I have had to arrest people for this before. And the police do take this serious just like anyother kind of theft

hawk1979

blackribbongirl wrote: »

Some people have posted about having their bag's searched upon entering the cinema.... is this legal? Its never happened to me and I would like to know what right they have to go looking through your personal belongings - do they need a "reasonable suspicion" that you may have them in your bag?
Anyway, when I go to the cinema I just stuff them in my pockets - they arnt going to body search you!!!
And in answer to your question, yes it is stealing, but theres no way I would report it - to be honest I wouldnt even think twice about it.

If it's a Licenced SIA Security officer and as long as it's made clear that it's a requirment of entry then yes this is allowed. But I don't know of any cinema where this happens or is practice. The only person that is allowed to make you empty your bag is a police officer and you can request this to be done in private so nobody can see this happening and if it's a female been searched then there at right to request a female police officer or even female security officer to do it.

persian_star

We were taught from a very young age to pay for things before we used them (which of course applies to all saleable goods, not just food), as it's not ours to use until then. We were also taught to wash our fruit before we ate it as we never knew where it had been - so I think I'll give 'trying a grape' a miss!!!

happyinflorida

Our local cinema charges very high prices for everything and to make everyone buy their over priced goods and drinks they have banned everyone from bringing in anything to eat or drink and they do search people who they suspect and lots of people have been thrown out if caught!!!!! Yes, this is a true story, I am not joking!!

So if someone I was with started eating their sweets, I'd say absolutely nothing and probably join in!! I am very angry that these places think they have a god given right to do what they are doing. Their prices for what they sell are too high. I haven't been to the cinema for years though as I don't like and won't pay that high a price. I prefer the comfort of my own home where I can eat and drink what I like and have no one sitting in front of me blocking the screen or figeting people next to me or screaming kids!!!!!! lol