As supermarkets across the UK grapple with the rising cost of living, customers have been accused of employing a sneaky new tactic to get more value for their money.
Shoppers have reported discovering “cheaper” own-brand or value eggs in more expensive cartons, and some claim to have caught other customers in the act by swapping the products.
Britons now fear that eggs will soon be subject to the same security measures as high-theft items such as alcohol, laundry detergent and chocolate, as shoppers anticipate security labels being placed on the boxes to avoid furtive exchanges.
In November, a Reddit user known as u/SpudgunDaveHedgehog shared his experience of catching a customer in the act on the popular subreddit, r/CasualUK.
In it mailreported how, while shopping in a Morrisons store, they noticed a man behaving suspiciously in the egg aisle, blocking access to other customers.
After the man left, the Redditor realized that the eggs in one expensive box had been swapped for cheaper private label eggs from another box.
The buyer noticed that the man had left ‘a pile of eggs loose on the back of a shelf with an empty “expensive” egg carton; so you can scan a carton of cheap eggs at the checkout.
He added: “I get the cost of living crisis and things like that, but the price difference is a pound or something.” Our Morrisons now have barriers in the spirits aisle, meaning you have to call staff to open and get spirits.
Shoppers have reported discovering “cheaper” own-brand or value eggs in more expensive cartons, and some claim to have caught other customers in the act by swapping the products (file image)
‘How long will it be before the eggs arrive in an alarmed box or behind barriers? How close are we to stealing expensive milk through decanting?
Since then, the publication has caused hundreds of Shoppers shared their own experiences of spotting incorrect contents in egg cartons, while others expressed fear that supermarkets would retaliate by placing labels on the everyday product.
In response to the shopper’s experience, one Reddit user joked: “That’s a little crazy.” What are you going to do, have the expensive eggs with the cheaper bacon and beans in your fry-up?
Another added: ‘Let’s talk about the man here. This man does not steal out of necessity. You can obviously afford to buy cheaper eggs, but you just don’t want to pay for the luxury eggs you want. It’s not about avoiding hunger.
“He feels entitled to the more expensive product, but he doesn’t want to pay the asking price, so he hopes that another customer (the customer who ends up with the cheap eggs while waiting for the expensive ones) will do it for him.”
Meanwhile, one person reported: “Not long ago at the Lidl checkout the cashier was checking the eggs so I thought she was looking for cracks and told her they weren’t broken. She informed me that she checked the size while people were exchanging them.” “. .’
Another said: “I was thinking about this in Asda today. If you see someone stealing diapers, wipes, pasta, etc., you turn your back on them. Whether it’s steak, expensive eggs, or electronics, they’re nothing more than scum.
A third wrote: ‘A colleague checked a box of eggs and discovered 3 had been swapped for kinder eggs.
The post has since prompted hundreds of shoppers to share their own experiences of spotting incorrect contents in egg cartons, while others expressed fear that supermarkets will retaliate by placing labels on everyday products.
He looked at the customer in disbelief and just said “Really???” “The customer tried to accuse him of changing it, the manager demanded.
‘The manager just laughed and said we don’t have kinder eggs in the box so that’s not possible. They asked the customer if he wanted 3 normal eggs or the 3 kinder ones. And he explained that the client was lucky not to face charges of attempted robbery.
Another customer reported: ‘We have received our purchases and I have noticed on multiple occasions that our expensive eggs (Burford Brown) have been exchanged for cheaper eggs.
“BB eggs themselves are dark brown, so it’s quite noticeable when you receive a box full of pale-shelled eggs.”
One shopper suggested his own solution, writing: “I use Ocado for this reason – everything comes from a closed warehouse, there is much less chance of this happening than using one of those where they pick it up from a workshop somewhere.”
Another recommended: ‘If you buy organic eggs, check that the red stamp on each egg starts with “0UK.” Free Range will start with “1UK”.
It comes as WH Smith has stepped up its Christmas crackdown on the scourge of UK shoplifting by putting security tags on discounted Advent calendars, £2 Terry’s Chocolate Oranges and card games.
The retailer has installed anti-theft tags on items ranging from chocolates and sweets to toys and games, with some items costing just £1, amid concerns about theft.
According to the Mirror, the retail chain has placed some toys and games, such as Cards Against Humanity and Wheel of Fortune, on plastic security alarms in stores in Croydon and Redhill.