Mom Used to Let Autistic Son Eat Snacks while shopping Gets Told Off, Supermarket Says It has New Policy

A mom said she felt like a criminal after the local supermarket that she had been visiting for years told her that her son could no longer enjoy a snack while they shopped unless she paid for it beforehand.

The mom's experience left people divided after sharing how the store treated her son. She said the supermarket is a two-minute walk from her home; hence she frequents the store with her children, as per the Mirror.

The regular snacking while shopping routine

The woman wrote that her son, now five, enjoys accompanying her to the shop and their little routine is that she picks up a Fruit Shoot, takes the lid off, and then sips on it. They then go to the ice cream freezer, where he selects an ice cream; she removes a wrapper and hands the ice cream to him.

She then places the wrapper in her basket as they continue to shop. She said she pays for all the items, including the Fruit shoot and ice cream at the counter. She noted that the cashiers and staff are friendly and do not mind their routine.

However, in her recent visit, a staff member told the mom that she would no longer be allowed to do such a routine in the future. The mom talked to the manager and told her that her son was autistic and doing so was their routine. Still, the manager said that she could not do her routine shopping. She left the store feeling uncomfortable.

She said she was disappointed as shopping in the supermarket has greatly improved his son's social skills. Her son learned about road safety, the importance of queuing up to pay, and walking around the shop without needing to hold her hand. She added that regularly going to the supermarket lessened his being a flight risk and learned the importance of social distancing.

Raising Children says that autistic children and teenagers often have life routines and rituals, and they do not like changes. Hence, children on the autistic spectrum would need help in managing routine changes.

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Divided comments on her complaint

The mom then asked for advice if she was acting unreasonably. A mom shared that she has the same experience at Sainsbury, even if her kids do not have autism. She said it makes shopping with the kids easier as they eat in the trolley while she shops. She said she has been doing it for four years, and nobody cares.

However, other commenters said that it is nice that the store allowed her to do the same thing for the past two years, but they are also not wrong in saying, "just to let you know, we cannot do that anymore."

A poll made by Today in 2019 said that for some grocery store employees, eating before paying is stealing.

After reading through the comments, the mom said she may have acted unreasonably. She said she might just have been embarrassed for being approached for it. She says her son was recently diagnosed, and she is still having a learning curve.

Although she admitted that her son might have difficulty getting used to the new routine, she said she needs to teach her son that it is not acceptable to eat before paying.

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