I witnessed a christmas act of kindness

thorsoak

Treevo wrote: »

Could you please tell us which Supermarket this was so I can avoid them. As PersonOne has said, I don't like the idea that discounts should be given based on how cute somebody looks.

Oh dear - it would appear that the "equality police" are everywhere .... I've re-read this thread and nowhere does the OP say that this was a "cute couple" - it was PersonOne who suggested this.

Dunroamin

Unless it was done with the management's permission, I'm afraid it strikes me as exactly the same thing as taking a fiver out of the till and giving it to the couple; a kind gesture but theft nonetheless.

Treevo

thorsoak wrote: »

Oh dear - it would appear that the "equality police" are everywhere .... I've re-read this thread and nowhere does the OP say that this was a "cute couple" - it was PersonOne who suggested this.

When you were re-reading the thread did you miss out the part where I said "As PersonOne said..."?

LEJC

skintandscared wrote: »

It would be an act of kindness if the cashier was giving discounts and putting her own money in the till instead. It is not the same when she is effectively giving away her employer's profits. She might as well pass them a pack of biscuits with a wink and say "go on, stick them in your pocket". The goods are not hers to give away!

I understand completely what you are saying and you have expressed a very valid point,however I do not believe that the act of kindness was perpetrated by just one cashier...and I actually think that it was smething that had in the least been sanctioned by the management of the store....therefore thats the reason I still care to look on it as an act of kindness rather than a fraudulent use of supermarkets money.

Of course I do not have all the facts,but it did appear to me as if this one particular cashier was not operating alone so to speak....and the way in which she handed over the receipt and wished the gentleman a merry christmas from the staff gave me the impression that whilst it wasnt a "national" thing happening in all supermarkets of this brand on Saturday...those who were in a postion of authority within that particular store were in agreement.


I am astounded at the level of debate my one observation has made,but I guess it takes all sorts to make the world the place it is.

I would also like to point out that in no way do I think that being old is "cute"...and if that came across in my original post then it certainly was not designed to....there isnt enough kindness in the world...and actually in all my years shopping ive never witnessed an act of kindness like this,which happened to be directed to an elderly couple but could have easily been to any other branch or denomination in the community.

I hope in the least it may have made some of you think about "kind acts"....it certainly has made me think that sometimes something as small as paying 10% of a persons shopping bill can bring a smile to the recipients face....I saw real gratitude on the faces of the couple on saturday,so much so that its possibly even inspired me to offer to pay for someone elses shopping in the future....

Emmarillo

I don't know whether its the same everywhere or even still happens, but I worked part time for a supermarket and had a discount card, and there was a limit on how much discount you got in a year - presumably to stop advantage being taken. I can't remember any details because I was a student at the time so not spending much, but I can remember members of staff with families running out of discount at the end of the year (which I think was March). If that still happens now, the only people missing out are the staff themselves, so maybe that will calm the discount police down.

Person_one

If it was authorised by the store, I have to wonder how they determine who gets the discount.

I'm a big fan of fairness, I'm sure the gesture was meant kindly, but there were probably lots of people to whom that £5 off would have meant just as much if not more.

LEJC

Person_one wrote: »

I'm a big fan of fairness, I'm sure the gesture was meant kindly, but there were probably lots of people to whom that £5 off would have meant just as much if not more.

oh me too....I love fairness....but considering I was stood behind this particular old couple I cant comment that it didnt also happen to other just as deserving shoppers on Saturday....
The particular store I was in does have strong community links and maybe this is where the idea stemmed from.

Perhaps what I should have done was hang around a bit longer,queued at a few more tills and generally asked more questions....sorry I didnt....I just saw it as beinging a bit of christmas cheer to a face and lighting it up.

Person_one

LEJC wrote: »

oh me too....I love fairness....but considering I was stood behind this particular old couple I cant comment that it didnt also happen to other just as deserving shoppers on Saturday....

Well, it didn't happen to you, so there's obviously some unscientific selection process going on. Yes I'm a cynic, but I do suspect it has a lot to do with 'cute'.

xoxo_2

Surely the store must have been aware of this. I doubt a cashier can use their own discount card when they're logged in to that till? Perhaps they have a stack of discount cards to use at their discretion over the festive period.

I think it's a lovely thing to do. :T

LEJC

xoxo wrote: »

Surely the store must have been aware of this. I doubt a cashier can use their own discount card when they're logged in to that till? Perhaps they have a stack of discount cards to use at their discretion over the festive period.

I think it's a lovely thing to do. :T

Thats exactly the way I took it.....