In a supermarket in Saint-Étienne, France, a shopping trip turned into a headline-worthy spectacle when a woman attempted to walk out with over €1,000 worth of groceries—while paying just €0.88. Her bold attempt at deception, however, didn’t go as planned.
A Bold Move at the Supermarket
Back in 2020, a 39-year-old woman pulled off an elaborate scheme at a Géant hypermarket. With a shopping cart overflowing with food, cosmetics, and other items totaling €1,070, she attempted to settle her bill with mere pocket change—€0.88, to be exact.
Her method? A crafty manipulation of the store’s self-checkout system. But while her plan was audacious, it was ultimately flawed. Alert security staff were quick to catch on, leading to a dramatic confrontation at the store.
How She Attempted to Do It ?
Using the supermarket’s app, designed to simplify the shopping process, the woman scanned her items as she moved through the aisles. The app, intended to save time at checkout, allowed her to track her purchases digitally.
But here’s where things took a turn: at the self-checkout, she voided nearly every item she had scanned, leaving only one—a single product priced at €0.88. With this tactic, she hoped to fool the system and slip through without paying for the rest of her haul.
Caught in the Act
Her plan might have worked if not for the sharp eyes of the supermarket’s security team. They noticed the discrepancy and examined her receipt, which didn’t match the mountain of goods in her cart.
Upon confirming her trickery, store staff called the authorities, and the woman was taken into custody. It was later revealed that she wasn’t acting alone—a 16-year-old accomplice had joined her during the scheme, further complicating the situation.
The Legal Fallout
The consequences of her actions were swift and severe. First, she was forced to pay the full amount for the groceries she attempted to steal. Then, she faced legal charges for theft in collusion due to the involvement of the teenager.
The case was brought before a tribunal in Saint-Étienne, serving as a stark reminder of the risks and repercussions of such actions.
The Importance of Integrity
While this story might sound like something out of a heist movie, it underscores a vital lesson: shortcuts and dishonesty often come with steep costs. Supermarkets and retail stores increasingly rely on technology to improve the shopping experience, but this case shows that even clever tricks are no match for vigilant systems and staff.
For consumers, this incident is a reminder of the importance of integrity, even when temptation strikes. At the end of the day, honesty is always the best policy—and trying to beat the system often ends up costing much more than it’s worth.
