Grocery store shopper divides internet with his unusual try-before-buy policy

A grocery store shopper has sparked a furious debate after revealing he samples grapes before buying an $17 bunch. 

The man named Dave Bogansky explained that he refuses to pay full price for the grapes without first ensuring they are sweet enough in a now-viral TikTok video.

But the clip, which has amassed over 1.3 million views, divided viewers with some labelling him a 'thief.'

Bogansky appears to be in a Weis Market when he is asked on camera: 'Why are you eating grapes when you're not gonna buy them.'

He then replies: 'I will not buy a pack of grapes at the price they're charging for them unless I know they're sweet. And if they don't want me to try them, they could rot on the shelves.'

The cameraman - who uploaded the video to his account named Raising Dylan - then accuses Dave of stealing.

The incensed shopper replies: 'You want to know what stealing is? Stealing is when I go there with a pack of grapes and they're $17.' 

He added that what makes it a waste of money is if he buys grapes that end up tasting like a 'Sour Patch Kid.'

'If they can't afford for me to taste their grapes with the amount that I spend... I won't buy any grapes at all.'

Dave didn't mind Bogansky's laughter, but then he told him to stop once he finished talking about a sour grape scenario.

Dave went on a similar rant about other produce items at a supermarket, including pineapples.

He said: 'I've had pineapples that were so sour... I swear to God they soaked it in vinegar.'

He later picked up what he believed was an inadequate zucchini and compared it to a pickle.

He said: 'You're getting me wound up. You can get your own produce and don't be worried about what I like. Maybe you like sour grapes.'

Several commenters agreed with Dave's actions, and more than one person revealed that they, too, tasted grapes before buying them.

'Team Dave on this! I never buy grapes unless I try one or six or so…,' a TikToker wrote. 

'Another person wrote, 'For the price of unknown grape taste, I agree with him. I have paid $8 for grapes that turned out to be beyond sour.'

Others appeared to be upset about his actions.

'I'm not paying almost 20$ for something that's open in the store for any nose picker to touch,' a TikTok user wrote.

'It is not right to taste, but with the cost of living today, I would at least taste two,' another said  

A third said: 'That's theft no matter what.'

'No excuse for stealing, lessening the weight for someone else, buy the thing and leave it to ripe,' another wrote.