Shops and moral ambiguity

[optimusskids]

While our heating was broken I went to the Cinema in Harrow and next to the cinema is a Wilkinsons . Now right next to the exit closest to the cinema is a whole rack of popcorn bottles of coke, bags of M&M's etc. and even just outside the exit a vending machine selling tubs of icecream. Wilkinsons is a hardware store so snack food is not there core business so surely it must be obvious to everyone concerned that the reason that display is there is so people can see it and buy food and drink and smuggle it into the cinema rather than having to pawn there first born in order to afford the exorbitant cinema prices. I believe the profit margin on popcorn is higher percentage wise than drugs.

Now presumably the cinemas policy is only that a policy and has no force of law and Wilkos will claim they have no control on where and when the food is consumed. But they are being a little naughty.

Not quite the same league but if a shop opened up next to a bank selling fast cars , shotguns and stockings, not only would it have some intriguing window displays and some very odd customers but the bank might have something to say about the matter

[Sades]

I'd do the exact same thing. A little competition never hurt anyone, and the people who have their hearts set on the stuff the theatre sells is going to buy it anyway.

You would never make it in the business world.

[Skyquake87]

I'm with sades, plus wilkinsons are becoming more and more like woolworths used to be selling a range of stuff from beyond core DIY/ household offering to include things like confectionary, stationary, computer supplies toys and perfume. some larger branches do furniture too, so i don't see what they're doing as unusual or 'unfair' - its just competition in the capitalist spirit.

Like Sades says, there will always be people who buy stuff at the cinema, but not everyone is so flush as to think paying £5 for some popcorn is acceptable. popcorn which, i might add, you have no idea how long its been there as its frequently bagged up at the end of the day and shoved back out again the next day.

Plus this:

http://youtu.be/QTWr2eqz3b0

[inflatable dalek]

That's nothing compared to people I've been out clubbing with who've brought their own vodka with them (cunningly in bottles of water).

[Summerhayes]

Its definately a bit cheeky, but in terms of how evil and stupid shops can be its barely on the list. For example, a tv was stolen from a local sainsbury's because the management had decided that having empty boxes on the shelves hurt sales and they'd rather have the thefts! The cinema might not have any power to do anything to shop, but they can kick people out! I bet wilkinson's don't tell people that...
tbh, sneaking food into cinemas is standard practice these days. I like the popcorn there though because its warm

That's nothing compared to people I've been out clubbing with who've brought their own vodka with them (cunningly in bottles of water).

I'll admit, if its the last week before payday and i'm a bit skint, I might sneak a hipflask of jd into my pocket just order coke...

[Sixswitch]

It's good business. As you say, cinema prices are exorbitant anyway, so they deserve to be ripped off by anyone who can get away with it.

I'm all in favour.

-Ss

[Denyer]

I believe the profit margin on popcorn is higher percentage wise than drugs.

Not as high as printer ink, though.

I'll buy drinks and popcorn if company wants on the rare occasion I get prodded to an Odeon fleapit, but generally prefer healthier snacks.

Never looked to see if cinemas sell that. And, to be honest, wouldn't care if they went out of business faster, unlike decent pubs. One of the last few places I was at insisted on bitching at customers taking out their mobiles in order to turn them off before the film, which led to a complaint to management. Couldn't be bothered to accept the free tickets we were offered.

(This was Iron Man II, which at the time had already been widely warezed, IIRC.)

[Cliffjumper]

IIRC (it must be ten years since I worked in one) cinemas do have the right to kick you out for outside food and stuff (their property, their rules or something - it's usually in the small print somewhere), but we never bothered, and most just settle for doing what they can to make you feel paranoid and uncomfortable about it. Mostly they're staffed by minimum wagers who thought working in a cinema would be fun (rather than a way of spoiling the ending to every film out), and think about the same about their prices as the average punter (ours was a pain as it was difficult to get far enough to get something else on a break, so most people had popcorn for dinner - fun).

Even if the prices were better I wouldn't recommend buying anything from them, though, after some of the stuff I've seen done.

[inflatable dalek]

That applies to all food though doesn't it? I've developed a very lackadaisical attitude towards food hygiene, if people can survive what I put in their cottage cheese they can survive anything.

[Cliffjumper]

That applies to all food though doesn't it?

I tend to follow a rule of thumb whereby if it's made by someone on round or about minimum wage and out of sight, I don't eat it. I've always wondered if that's why most fast food places have kitchens right behind the counter to allay suspicions.

[Denyer]

If I listened more to our Environmental Health people, I'd probably never eat out or get takeaway...

Eh, constitution's been robust enough so far.

[inflatable dalek]

I tend to follow a rule of thumb whereby if it's made by someone on round or about xminimum wage and out of sight, I don't eat it. I've always wondered if that's why most fast food places have kitchens right behind the counter to allay suspicions.

But, unless you have very expensive tastes, that's all the food you eat. The sheer amount of health and safety rules I break every night is actually fairly scary. Mind, officially, when I used to walk home with my shopping and it would take 20 minutes an.y chilled stuff would have been out of a fridge for five minutes longer than the point it legally couldn't be sold in store.