Terese Odette Harris was on Friday jailed for three years and seven months on 90 charges relating to a nine-month shoplifting spree which cost 13 Christchurch businesses about $7000.
Judge Mark Williams told the 47-year-old "this is one of the largest amount of shoplifting charges that has been dealt with at one time".
"Your actions went beyond persistent, they were relentless," he said.
"You caused a total loss of $7000."
Bakeries, supermarkets and petrol stations were among the businesses targeted by Harris.
She had continued to steal even after being trespassed by some retailers, while on bail and even behind bars.
Harris was convicted on 44 counts of burglary, 30 of theft, 14 of trespassing, as well as one each of wilful damage and breaching bail.
She had claimed her offending was to feed the homeless and it was a victimless crime.
However, Judge Williams did not agree.
"This isn't a victimless crime. The costs are passed on to legitimate customers," he told her.
"The offending was committed out of a sense of entitlement and greed."
In a letter to the court, Harris claimed she had taken ownership of her crime and was now remorseful, however, Judge Williams believed she was more remorseful about the situation she now found herself in.
Harris had a history of similar and other offending.
