There are signs in the lounges stating very clearly "items must only be consumed in the lounge". I don't think there's anything unequivocal about that.

I have NEVER been "actively encouraged to take away" anything on "some" BA flights, apart from the BA inflight Magazines and the amenity kit/PJs/slippers. The wrap in F clearly states must not be removed from aircraft. I've been given a couple of bottles of 'poo in my time, and even a BA milk jug (!), but other than that there's nothing free for the taking.

Do I think taking a pack of biccies or a pack of crisps from the lounge is woth bothering about? NO, not really. It is theft? Yes, probably, but not really worth bothering about.

Do I think taking multiple items from the lounges is worth bothering about - multiple bags of crisps/biscuits and decanting booze for later consumption? YES. It is theft? Yes, but again really not worth getting the Police involved, particularly as they are often wholly incompetent.

That sort of chiselling should be aggressively discouraged by BA, and I would hope by FTers and those who fly BA more generally.

However, I would hope that the threat of being publicly shamed by being asked to replace the items by a lounge attendant or manager would be sufficient, rather than this awful Americanistic tendency to want to involved the Police and legal system in everything. Always the sign of "milk monitor syndrome" if things like this get blown out of proportion.

But there are a lot of "milk monitor" types in the world.....!