http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/life-style/family-home/super…
I saw something shocking at the supermarket recently. I saw a man shopping for deodorants who overstepped the bounds of what I think is acceptable.
The man took the lid off a roll-on deodorant, which in itself I think is fair enough. Then he smelled it, which is fine. And then he rolled it along his forearm before testing what it smelt like on his body. Then, unconvinced it was the right fragrance for him, he put the lid back on before returning it to the shelf. I quickly left the aisle, as I did not think I could stomach watching him repeat that process over again, in the knowledge that someone else was going to buy that deodorant, completely unaware a stranger had rubbed it onto his body.
I’ve been known to sneak the occasional grape at the supermarket. Not because I was hungry, just so I could tell if they were juicy or not. I may have also even eaten a few almonds because they are yummy, and the occasional cherry because, let’s face it, cherries are expensive so you don’t want to buy dud ones. And I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in spraying the odd puff of perfume here and there, when I’d forgotten to put my own on.
But the deodorant incident got me thinking - what other products are people 'testing' in the supermarket?
I wonder how many people have applied sunscreen to their children on a hot day, or put moisturizer on their dry hands? How about the nail polish and lipstick? Maybe you’ve grabbed a slice of bread for a screaming child and returned the rest of the loaf? What about apples and peaches? Do you stick your finger in the honey or a new jam to see if you like it?
So what do you think - is it okay to test before you buy? Where do you draw the line? :)
The deodarant sampling is just gross. There are clearly some things that are not OK to sample — toiletries, hygiene products, and well, anything that could spoil or be contaminated easily.
As for food, I reckon sampling a few loose nuts or grapes in the fruit store to make sure they're not expired is fairly common practice, but products which are sealed in a bag, can or jar has to stay sealed, because they are already pre-weighted and priced as such — not to mention breaking the seal to sample the item already counts as you consuming the item.