Künftig besser informiert: Was gilt im Supermarkt? 10 Rechtsirrtümer im Check

When shopping at a supermarket, many people believe they know the rules, but not everything that seems clear is actually correct. Does a merchant always have to take back faulty goods? Can you cancel any purchase within 14 days? What applies when a different price is charged than what is listed? Numerous misconceptions circulate around these issues, becoming like fixed rules.

It's time to take a closer look: we've examined the ten most common myths about shopping and explained what actually applies. May I taste a fruit or berry to check if it's ripe? "No," says Daniela Krehl from the Consumer Center Bayern's Food and Nutrition department. "Until the fruit is paid for, it belongs to the supermarket. If you eat it, you are taking someone else's property."

Krehl's tip: "Just ask a staff member." However, a consumer is allowed to check the quality of the goods before buying them. "I can gently test an avocado for ripeness, open a carton of eggs to see if all the eggs are whole, or smell a bottle of shampoo," explains Julia Gerhards, a consumer law and privacy expert at the Rheinland-Pfalz Consumer Center.

Of course, the item must still be sellable afterward and the packaging must not be damaged. "If I break the seal on a shampoo bottle when I open it, I can't just do that. I need to ask a salesperson," she says. My child is hungry and wants to eat some cookies before paying. Even in this case, the rule applies: "Until you pay for the goods, they belong to the supermarket."

"If you take a sip of water from a bottle and then put it on the checkout, nobody will probably say anything," says Gerhards. However, the packaging of a chocolate bar can quickly disappear in your jacket pocket, and the bread from the bakery section might not come back at all. "What matters is that I can still document at the checkout that I've already eaten something," Gerhards says.

Can I basically return goods within 14 days without giving a reason? No, many customers have become spoiled by online shopping. While online shopping offers a generous 14-day return policy without a reason, in-store returns require a valid reason. "Broken goods or spoiled food can be returned or exchanged anytime," says Gerhards.

Anything beyond that is the retailer's goodwill. They can set their own rules, such as requiring the item to be returned with the receipt or in the original packaging, or excluding reduced goods from returns. "Exceptions for defects still don't apply here. The item must always be returned," Gerhards clarifies. So a merchant can't insist on the receipt for defects.

It's enough if the customer can prove the purchase, such as with a bank statement or a witness account. "Reimbursements are then much easier, so it's best to keep the receipt," Krehl says. Which price counts: the one on the shelf or the one at the checkout? Supermarket prices change constantly, and what's displayed on the shelf isn't always the same as what's shown at checkout.

"There's no legal right to get the goods at the shelf price if it's higher," Krehl explains. However, the purchase contract only comes into effect at checkout. "The customer can therefore simply refuse the purchase in such a case," Krehl says. Will the cashier look in my backpack? A merchant can ask this question at any time, but customers can refuse.

"If a merchant suspects theft, they are free to call the police," Gerhards explains. To avoid such scenarios, some stores provide lockers near the entrance where customers can store their bags or backpacks before shopping. Customers can be required to use these lockers. "In this case, a supermarket can even refuse entry if customers don't follow the rules," Gerhards says.

I accidentally dropped a yogurt jar. Do I have to pay for it? "If you cause damage, the supermarket can demand compensation," says Krehl. However, for a damaged yogurt jar, the purchase price, not the purchase price, would be due. In the case of expensive items like a bottle of wine, the supermarket may also offer compensation through private liability insurance.

If children are involved, parents have an additional duty of supervision, especially with younger children.