Is It A Crime To Eat Your Groceries Before Paying In Buffalo?

We’ve all found ourselves in the mood for a little snack while shopping at Wegmans, Walmart, Tops, or Aldi, especially if you skipped breakfast or lunch.

While grocery shopping while you’re hungry is never a good idea (that’s how cupcakes end up in your cart when they’re not on your list), what’s the harm of nibbling on something while you browse?

Is It Illegal To Eat While You Shop In Buffalo?

The answer is, frankly, a tad complicated. 

You may get some strange looks from fellow shoppers and store employees, but that’s the most of it – because it’s perfectly legal to eat while grocery shopping here in Buffalo…

But be warned… There's one big exception.

Warning To Buffalo Residents Who Snack While They Shop

If you’re nibbling on a grocery product that's sold at a fixed price (ex: a bag of chips or cookies), and you eventually pay for it at the register, you shouldn’t face any consequences.

However, eating food that’s priced by their weight, like bulk nuts, individually wrapped sweets, or produce, is a huge no-no. 

FindLaw.com explains that shoppers are legally obligated to pay for whatever they took from the store– so by snacking on a banana or an apple before you hit the register, you’re technically shoplifting. Yikes!  

Here in Buffalo, shoplifting anything under $1,000 could get you charged with Petit larceny, a misdemeanor punishable by fines and up to a year in jail. 

There are stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's that encourage their customers to sample products they haven’t had before they buy them, but many stores aren’t okay with that, and may ask you to stop immediately. 

So the next time you find yourself hungry in the grocery store and want something to eat, your safest bet is to pop open that bag of chips (or, obviously, eat before you go).