A woman who stole two bottles of wine from Tesco in Walworth Road was bailed so she could be assessed by the probation service.
Shana Baxter, 30, was seen taking the booze on January 16 and as she was being detained outside the shop the bottles smashed to the floor.
Baxter admitted a charge of theft from a shop when she appeared in the dock on Friday and also admitted to having a drink problem.
She said she drank around two bottles of wine a night. Baxter, of Lilford Road in Camberwell, was told she would be sentenced on January 30.