“I feel zero guilt”: Why 15 Australians shoplift

“The rich should not be this rich, and the rest of us are struggling.”

We won’t sugarcoat it, times are tough. The news is full of recession talk, interest rate hikes, staggering rent prices and inflating inflation. All the while we’re continuing to grind away at our little jobs, grateful for our (stagnating) wages. No wonder we’ve had to turn to our little treats; endless meme dumps and iced coffees fill the void where financial stability should be.

Late capitalism, political dissonance and growing distrust between people and corporations mean that individuals have taken it upon themselves to try and improve their quality of life. One of the ways this has manifested is through shoplifting. In the past two years, New South Wales has seen a 38 per cent increase in retail store shoplifting. According to Finder, almost one in five Australians steal from supermarkets through self-serve checkouts.

Interested to hear how others navigate the world? Head to our Life section.

Shoplifting is a regulatory offence that can come with legal consequences. In order to understand the reasons why nine per cent of Australians admit to shoplifting, we asked 15 Fashion Journal readers to share what they have allegedly shoplifted and why they’ve chosen to do so.

Priya*, 24, she/her

I used to shoplift lollies and chocolate in high school with friends, mainly [because of] peer pressure and just the thrill of feeling like a rebel child. I stopped for a while as my moral compass grew but picked it back up recently during my grocery shops to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

I normally only steal one expensive thing each shop. I also put all my fruit and veg under brown onions at the self-checkout cause it’s usually the cheapest. I don’t feel guilt stealing from large grocery chains cause it barely hurts them but I’ll never do it to small or local brands, that’s fucked up.

Madeleine*, 23, she/her

Working in hospo with a hospo wage means that every single time I go to the supermarket, I’m leaving with at least five things I didn’t pay for. [They’re] necessary items like laundry liquid, deodorant and tampons. The prices of these things bring my overall grocery bill up past my budget but considering I’m already spending upwards of $100 on food… I find it all too easy to morally justify just ‘forgetting’ to scan a few items.

Mary*, 25, she/her

I don’t often but will sometimes [shoplift] things that come from nature! A bunch of basil from the supermarkets is always so overpriced when it comes straight from the earth.

Timothy*, 29, he/him

I used to more frequently in my younger days. They really started ramping up prices around the same time self-service checkouts erupted. It was mostly putting expensive mushrooms and meat through as onions to save a bit of money. Self-service technology has somewhat evolved now so I don’t really bother anymore.

Sophia*, 23, she/her

I don’t shoplift from clothing stores, but [in] supermarkets I definitely do. The insane price gauging while recording record profits has turned me into a bit of a ‘fuck the system’ person. I’m not going to pay exorbitant amounts for basics or fruit and veg.

Every so often, [I] chuck something in my reusable bag and not scan it, or tuck things in my pocket. I have my moments where I feel guilty, especially if I’m pocketing something a bit ‘pricier’ ($10 to $20) but I also know supermarkets are manipulating the cost of living crisis and scamming people out of money while they’re pocketing thousands/millions. I’m just trying to get by and sure, shoplifting isn’t my ideal way to do it, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

Sarah*, 33, she/her

I shoplift every week; only from supermarkets and only from the big boys. Morally, I feel really good about it. I see it as a way to combat the cost of living and to alleviate that guilty feeling after spending too much on a grocery shop. I usually pick two-to-three big-ticket items, give them a sneaky no-scan, and save anywhere from $15 to $30 on my shop. The more I read about the profits these companies make, the more joy I gain from shoplifting.

Penny*, 23, she/her

I only shoplifted a few times in my teenagehood – a pair of sunnies or nail polish, for example. I don’t feel good about it, though at the time I’m sure it gave me a bit of a thrill. I remember a friend of mine would go into [a shop] and walk out wearing more undies than before. I think it was just an exercise of control and seeing if we’d be caught. Nowadays I wouldn’t do that, I’d prefer to keep my good karma and not risk it.

Amy*, 22, she/her

I do it on the regular – possibly every time I go shopping. I started doing it when I was in high school when I couldn’t afford stuff. Coming from a single-income home, asking for money for ‘silly things’ was not an option and working at Maccas only covered [my] bus fare and food. My relationship with it now is definitely because of the current state of the economy and knowing that I can.

If I get frustrated or upset by my [shopping] experience, shoplifting is kind of a way of collecting instant reparations for my negative experience. Morally, I think it’s okay when it’s from big corporations. It’s my take on eating the rich because cannibalism isn’t really my forte. It’s never okay to steal from small businesses though. We love and splurge on them.

Harriet*, 21, she/her

I used to shoplift all the time, it’s so easy. Especially working retail, you realise nobody cares. I thought it was more ethical to steal from [large supermarkets] but then my POC friend told me how much she gets racially profiled and I thought about all the cameras and people those companies invest in trying to stop shoplifters because of people like me. [I] realised how violent my white privilege was. I never thought about being profiled being a white, cis-gendered young woman. I was completely oblivious [and] haven’t done it since.

Ester*, 37, she/her

I grew up in a poor family [and] I went without a lot of times. [I] started this habit only when I needed something and never anything expensive. I feel bad but often the over-inflation of prices makes a lot of things inaccessible. I find staff mostly ignore me and I guess I feel justified.

Juliet*, 31, she/her

I shoplift almost every time I visit a major grocery store. I stand by the concept that it’s an open game to steal from major corporations but a real dick move to do so to a small business. Frankly, when I see the excessive profiteering of major grocery retailers during a cost of living crisis, I’m not stealing enough. They’re cutting costs of labour and invading my privacy through surveillance upgrades? Well fuck ’em, I’ll take a bouquet of shitty grocery store flowers and some expensive shampoo to compensate. Rot in hell.

Monica*, 28, she/they

I semi-regularly steal if it’s from a fast fashion brand or conglomerate. I feel ZERO guilt.

Olive*, 36, she/her

I don’t shoplift regularly but when I do it’s because I feel the item is overpriced for what it is or I can’t afford it. I also shoplift if I feel the corporation selling the item doesn’t need my money… but I still need or want the item. I’ve always stolen things on and off since I was a teenager. I was caught as a teenager and was made to return items. I was banned from shopping at certain stores locally but this really didn’t deter me.

I’d say I have a healthy relationship with shoplifting. I’ll just also say that if I do steal something these days it’s more likely to be a block of cheese or some chocolate. When I was younger, it was more valuable things like makeup or clothing. Morally I feel it’s okay as I’m only knicking stuff from [big], not small, businesses.

Yvonne*, 29, she/her

My partner and I shoplift 75 per cent of our groceries weekly. I occasionally steal clothing items, particularly bras. I would never steal from a small family-owned business, artist or maker. As long as the whole supply chain is fucked up and corrupt and exploitative, I will continue to steal. When there are corporate execs making monstrous amounts of money… I will continue to steal and not feel any guilt or remorse.

Maxine*, 35, she/her

Only at the supermarket. The cost of living is high and the outrageous profits these businesses are making make me feel okay about it. I would feel awful shoplifting from a small business. I wouldn’t do that. I’ve only ever done it from big chains, the ones hoarding all the wealth. It feels like a Robin Hood morality to me;  the rich should not be this rich, and the rest of us are struggling.

*Names have been changed.

For advice on saving money, head here.