Tesco Anti-wombling - New Policy

ampersand

Apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere -

As of last Monday, 15 October, only 2 wombled receipts per day can be added and they must not be more than 14 days old.
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I'm wondering if they could be HO Freephoned through.

Diamonds_2

What the heck are wombled receipts?

StuH_2

Diamonds wrote: »

What the heck are wombled receipts?

Wombles pick up what others leave behind.

Tescos policy seems reasonable to me as using others till reciepts is simple fraud. If you forget your clubcard one day you can get your points updated still.

The term wombling is much 'nicer' than fraud. Think I'd use the term stolen however.

VeryTrying_2

StuH wrote: »

The term wombling is much 'nicer' than fraud. Think I'd use the term stolen however.

You can use whatever term you like, especially if you wish to look a little stupid in public. Even as I type I KNOW I shouldn't get involved in this discussion, but I get so tired of those superior beings who pass judgement on what we lesser mortals do. I don't womble myself (probably because I don't seriously collect points), but it really doesn't worry me what anybody else does in this regard.

BUT ..... I would be interested to know how it is possible to STEAL something (the wombler collecting a receipt left in the trolley) that has been thrown away (by the earlier shopper). I suppose that somebody could construct a complex argument about the trolley belonging to Tesco, and the carpark, and if the original owner throws away the receipt it therefore becomes the property of Tesco, etc. etc. However, on the face of it, the original owner threw it away, the wombler collected it ..... how is that stealing?

blackrat62

Theft is the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving them of it.

Then of course case law kicks in so borrowing someone's season ticket and giving it back late is still theft, as treating something as your own outside the agreement can be theft, even though you were going to give it back later.

Also picking up a discarded item can be theft - that is why the people who picked up and sold discarded London Travelcards (valid for whole day on nearly all public transport - so quite sellable) were convicted of theft - part of the terms stated that the cards remained the issuers property, so they stole from the issuer despite them being discarded by the buyer. I doubt Tesco have such a policy?

I doubt this is pure 'theft' - other deception offences may apply. I doubt anyone would act though as the sums are very small and the hassle would be more than its worth - thousands of pounds at court over a questionable practice that nets pennies.

Tesco's policy seems a prudent (as the ex-Chancellor would say) and proportionate measure.

Now where was the bargain.

freddysmith

Like a true Womble its the reward for picking up other peoples rubbish.
If they supplied secured waste bins on the store exits for unwanted receipts and people used them (the bins), and were also made aware that other people will use discarded receipts for their own personal gain. It might help to stop this problem.
After saying that Tesco's allow quite a few things to go on, to keep customers.

floydy

s' been this new policy since sept in my local, didn't know until i overheard a customer arguing with customer sa bout it ( mind she did have bout a dozen too),

rarely able to womble these days anyway as my local is just too damn tidy, those pesky trolley boys and cleaners are too efficient, lol :rotfl:

hth

foreversomeday

Wow I had never heard of this, must be quite easy to pick up in the self-service tills.

I used to work for WHSmith and we were always told if the customer didn't take the reciept to tear it up before throwing it in the bin - to stop fraud as it later turned out another member of staff was keeping reciepts customers didn't want and using them as "proof that she had bought" turkish delights, when she had actually nicked them!

webuserisme

LOL, what sort of an idiot would risk their career for a few Turkish Delights? There really are some VERY strange people about, aren't there?

Perez

At the end of the day, whether it's legal or not to actively look for receipts that others have dropped and claim back the points, it's a bit skanky isn't it?

VeryTrying_2

Perez wrote: »

At the end of the day, whether it's legal or not to actively look for receipts that others have dropped and claim back the points, it's a bit skanky isn't it?

Well, it's certainly not for me, but some people feel the need to do it for whatever reasons. They are most probably hooked on getting as high a points total as they can and, being addicted, look at the process differently from you and me.

But I feel it went a bit far for them to be accused of stealing.