Fake posters designed with Sainsbury’s branding have been spotted in Brighton supermarket stores encouraging people to shoplift.
The signs say “Shoplifting is encouraged in this branch” and “Please present your digitus medius manus if stopped by any insain personnel.” Digitus medius manus is latin for the middle finger.
A video of the posters, claimed by guerilla art group Pattern Up, in the London Road and Lewes Road stores has gone viral on TikTok, with the post having received more than one million views.
Pattern Up – responsible for previous posters suggesting Brighton was a designated drugs zone – say the art is designed to get the public to question the cost of living crisis.
A caption on a Instagram post claiming the posters by PatternUp says: “We have grown tired of the amount of sexually frustrated security guards gripping up vulnerable individuals by the reduced section in Sainsbury’s. We have decided to take action.”
PatternUp said: “This is satire artwork used to provoke the reader into questioning the current cost of living crisis that is being forced upon us by the government and big business, furthermore indicating the individual, ie those who see the notice to think.”
Sussex Police and Sainsbury’s have been approached for comment.
I think most of us are questioning “cost of living crisis”. Idiots @_artworks.com
Gotta love the creatives. But I mean it’s stating the obvious and hitting the wrong people tbh… maybe resilience art in humour, which is needed.
I don’t think anyone is or has been immune to finding themselves increasingly hard up over the past decade of austerity.
Sometimes this stuff comes across as maybe made by kids trying to juggle food and eating for the first time making a point.
If they really want to make a point… EAT THE RICH. (Joking).
Or like hang banners saying ‘food bank/ Free bar ’ across parliament gates. > the supermarkets do more to donate to foodbanks, and the five finger discounters than this govt. if your short of ideas/ I suppose it’s more vegan than eating rich people.
“We have grown tired of the amount of sexually frustrated security guards”
Don’t threaten me with a good time.
Legends
Such a pointless story.
The facts are that Sainsbury’s have big branches – and then small ones, where prices are much higher.
I’m still shopping at my nearest store, which is Sainsbury’s compact on Portland road – because they’re the nearest grocery shop to me.
Some of their prices for basic goods are OK, whereas other basic prices are a complete rip off. If you know, then you know.
On the plus side, the staff are nice.
if you can travel a little further, then I’d recommend Aldi or Lidl.
I remember being taken to Sainsburys when it was just a small shop with counter service near the top of George Street.
It then moved around the corner to what is now a gym.
Iceland used to be Tescos.
Those were the days.
Tim Sainsbury was our MP then. No lefty do-gooders here in those days.
Did you have to walk 5 miles to school uphill both ways?
Many of the prices at Sainsbury’s are the same as Aldi’s, so this is a fairly misinformed prank
Puerile