Earlier this week news.com.au reported that a greengrocer in Sydney’s inner west had been forced to put up a sign warning customers that they would be charged double for broccoli if they snapped the stalk off before taking it to the counter.
Even at the current high prices of the popular brassica, discarding the stalk surely cannot save an appreciable amount. But apparently that is not the point.
“It’s not about the cost, it’s the principle of being forced to pay for a stalk that won’t be used,” one customer told the reporter. “Similarly, at the butcher I always ask that any excess fat is trimmed off.”
The broccoli case opened up a wealth of other moral dilemmas at the greengrocer.
Is it OK, and if so to what extent, to squeeze avocados to determine their ripeness?
What about removing vine tomatoes from the stalk and passing them off as from the slightly cheaper bin? Is it acceptable to break up large ginger roots if you only want a small amount? If you accidentally knock an apple onto the floor, are you obliged to buy it, or can you sneak it back into the pile?
And in these coronavirus times, what are the limits on handling produce, then leaving it for the next customer?
Tell us in the comments below where you draw the line. And if you are a greengrocer, what are the shopping habits that most infuriate you?
