Is What I Witnessed At A Texas Walmart Even Legal?
We've all done our shopping inside a Walmart at one time or another. It's a place where you can get just about anything - and see just about anything too. Everyone knows that at Walmart you'll find a variety of different people inside. No judgment here. However, I have noticed some pretty strange happenings while doing my grocery shopping.
I've got to share this with you. I was making a quick trip through Walmart. I noticed a man coming from the hot deli area making his way toward me. He was eating a corn dog. No big deal, right? I've seen folks having a snack while shopping before. It's what I witnessed next that floored me.
LOOK: IS WHAT I WITNESSED AT A TEXAS WALMART EVEN LEGAL?
We ended up walking down the same aisle where you find all the condiments. That's when I watched this man stroll up to a new bottle of mustard, open it, and squirt some on his corn dog. What did I just witness? Is that legal to do, before the item is paid for? Is it considered shoplifting or just not cool? I had a bunch of questions.
According to the legal resource website Find Law, two things have to happen before an item is considered shoplifting.
- Taking possession of an item that is for sale
- The intent to permanently deprive the rightful owner without paying for it
In other words, you would have to not only take the item but also skip checkout for legal measures to be taken. I couldn't find a law anywhere that specifically addresses the consumption of new food items while shopping. Does that mean if you have the intent to pay for it, it's alright to do?
Proceed with caution while snacking inside the store, especially when it comes to opening new packages before paying for them. That's "grazing" while shopping, and it could get you flagged by an employee, like a cashier or loss prevention officer. I think we'll all agree that being detained until this sort of matter is straightened out is not how you want to spend your time.
