They should also stop one member of staff i`ve seen cleaning her finger nails with a carving knife off the shelf!!!!!

I don't shop at Newton's unless we're looking for something that is unavailable elsewhere, so I'm not sure whether this 2% is a standard thing, or they are scamming customers. In fact, we've not been there since the last time we did so and bought a VCD in store that works for the first 10 minutes and then stops! As usual in India, no one accepts responsibility for anything that they sell that does not work.

At all other grocery stores/restaurants, I have often used both my debit card as well as credit card (Indian bank) and have never yet been told that I would be charged 2% to use them. The sales person totals up the bill, tells me what the amount is and if I feel I'm running low on cash I give them a card. The amount put through on the card appears to be the same as the amount totalled on the till.

I will however make a note to match the till receipt against the card receipt printout the next time I use the card, just to be sure.

I simply tell them that if they're going to give me change in sweets then I'm going to pay them with the same sweets the next time. Amazing how fast they find change. Where it involves stores that I shop regularly at, invariably they'll say "give it next time" or I take an IOU from them when they don't have change.

Thinking about it, maybe if I actually ate these sweets I'd buy a bag and keep a few with me to pay with in the event that I was offered sweets in lieu of change - I mean if they can offer me sweets in lieu of change, why can't I return the favour?? ... but unfortunately I don't like sweets much.

I have kept the sweets in my wallet and returned them, a little flatter than they were originally, they've laughed but not refused, probably because i'm a regular.

As someone that only visits for 6 or so weeks (although a little longer this year) I can view this situation from the outside looking in and frankly find it hilarious! The very idea of offering sweets in lieu of cash makes me laugh; but I think I should try it in my business! ''Sorry Madam we've run out of 5-00 notes would you like a Mars bar?'' I don't really think the response would be printable! Only in India, I think the expression gos!

Try it Steve and report back to us - would give us a laugh!
We only use Newtons to cool down free use of their AC. and to buy a large bag of ice.

Actually as I have said before it wasn't funny in the old days of the small paise coins (25 paise; only just been withdrawn).
What could you do with these coins? at least a few sweets for the children had some use.
When most prices became in rupees the practice ended except it seems in Goa. Sweets instead of rupees ridiculous.

On the rare occasions I do shop in Newtons, I stand there insisting that they give me my change in full.
Amazingly how the change then magically appears.
Last season I did this and one of the guys went out back, returning with a bag of 500 rupees which he tried to hide up his top. Just proves that it is an outright scam, which if you consider the amount of times they do it must make them absolutley thousands every week.
I was pleased to notice that several people behind m in the queue started to insist on getting their change too.

Dread - x

Excellent! If more of us refuse to put up with this ridiculous situation maybe it will start to change.

I heard that they (read a generic 'they' here) collect the coins given to them by customers and sell them for more than the face value. Not sure who buys them though; or why anyone would pay more to buy them ?? Doesn't make sense to me.

Every time I insist on being given proper change, a large bags of rupee coins suddenly appears.
I reckon they bag them up and the owner takes great pleasure in counting them at the end of the week laughing at how much he has scammed of of tourists - bet he or she even looks like the archetypal scrooge !
Then I expect there is a bit of tax evasion too !!

Dread - x

He has a Merc! and shares in a sweet factory!

Gosh! Shock! Horror!

You will never believe this, but today I bought goods totalling Rs 805 in Newtons and I only had a Rs 1000 note. Beleive it or not they let me off the 5 rups and gave me back 200 in change! I knew you wouldn't believe it but it happened. And I didn't even have to give them any sweets

Julia x

For those of you with a Newtons phobia: Bardez Bazaar have opened a small branch just around the corner in Highland Beach Resort - complete with trademark turnstile!

happy shopping!

AndyD 8-)#