Self-service ‘honesty shop’ where customers are trusted to not steal goods or cash is doing a roaring trade
A fruit farmer from Gdynia is proving to be a hit with locals and hikers after opening an ‘honesty store’ offering fresh raspberries, homemade jams and juices.
Initially intended as a way for locals to quickly pick up their orders of raspberries by the box later in the day, Daniel Wojtyński’s little self-service shop now has just a price list, the products on display and a cash box where shoppers leave their money.
The shop named Malinogród & Malinowe Wzgórza, which roughly translates as ‘Raspberry Garden & Raspberry Hills’, sells fresh raspberries, homemade jams and juices.
Operating on the outskirts of the city, the shop named Malinogród & Malinowe Wzgórza, which roughly translates as ‘Raspberry Garden & Raspberry Hills’, also lets customers use cashless payments.
Wojtyński’s daughter Nadia told Trójmiasto.pl that the idea for the self-service store came about because during the season her father’s employees work from early morning hours until around 2pm, but most of the customers bought their fruit around 5pm.
“Therefore, a kind of booth was created near our farm, where our customers could pick up their orders.”
The idea for the self-service store came about because during the season Wojtyński’s employees work from early morning hours until around 2pm, but most of the customers bought their fruit around 5pm.
Three months on and despite a few dishonest people the business is doing well.
Nadia said: “When it comes to thefts, unfortunately we have already had an incident four times in which money from a can or food products was stolen.
“Therefore, we decided to install monitoring. But that's not what it's all about.
Wojtyński’s daughter Nadia said that despite a few thefts “we trust people and we believe that we will eventually start to get used to such points, as a society, and there will be less thefts.”
“We trust people and we believe that we will eventually start to get used to such points, as a society, and there will be less thefts.”
In response to the thefts a sign was put up saying: "Dear thief: you are hungry - eat! You are thirsty - have a drink! But please do not destroy the fruit of our hard work.
“Remember: the good done will return to you a hundred times. The harm done will reach you faster than you think.”
