Ok, fine the husband, then. I’m not in favor of paying more for my groceries because someone thinks they are entitled to chow-down while shopping, and “forget” to pay for it.
Remember, when the store opened its doors and put all the stuff on the shelves, and failed to set up a check out verification process (like Costco), they took the risk that their customers could and would make mistakes.
Now they know that the chilluns get seized by the state ~ that's one of the first steps!
Do you imagine that was a thrilling experience for the manager? I do.
This was not a wise manager and he will cost the company the profit on tens of thousands of chicken salad sandwiches.
Again, your store puts products out on shelves for customer selection to cut costs AND increase opportunities for profitability. In electing to use that method they also risk some degree of loss.
That's their choice.
If they control the transactions completely ~ using clerks who wait at counters and go in the back to find the product to sell, and then accept the cash, etc. the risk of loss is substantially reduced. Their costs will increase obviously, but it's their choice.
When the merchant uses modern methods and understands there are risks ~ that customers may make mistakes, or thieves may easily steal from the open shelves ~ then the question of punishment for both mistakes and theft takes a different focus.
We should not expect a hanging in these cases, nor should children be taken from their families.
Quite possibly the smart manager using the latest sales methods will, when he catches the occasional stray, accept payment when it is offered.
At the same time EVERYBODY knows there's more loss on the back dock as that stuff comes out of the truck than there is loss in the front end ~ and it's the manager and his most trusted employees who are probably looting the business.