Is Hoarding Free Samples OK in Tough Times?

If you’ve noticed groceries getting more expensive, it’s not just you. In January Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst with the NPD Group, told ABC News that food prices would jump in 2012 as the costs to harvest, transport and store food  increased, and those hikes would be passed to consumers.

Against this economic background, “What Would You Do?” wanted to see what would happen if customers at a Long Island deli saw someone take an entire tray of free samples. Not munching them one at a time — our actor puts the entire tray of samples into a plastic to-go container and moves on, merrily singing to herself  ”Dinner!”

Later in the day, we changed the actor’s apparel to reflect a story of a woman struggling to buy food amid rising prices. How will customers react to her sample hoarding?

Watch the preview video below of two customers who were appalled by our actor’s behavior, and let us know if you have any similar “self-serving” stories! And see the whole scenario unfold on “What Would You Do?” Friday at 9 p.m. ET.