WIBU? How do you manage shopping with a buggy?

[SexDrugsAndSausagesrolls]

Most days I pop in a local small supermarket to buy a few items such as milk/ bread/ fruit (big family!). I normally have a buggy with me, either single and holding a toddler's hand or a double buggy. With a few items I often pop them on the hood before paying, with a larger amount I tend to hook a bag for life with a handle over each buggy handle so it's open and pop stuff in there. You could see in it easily. At the till I take the bag off and empty it on the conveyor then refill it after, leaving the bag on the belt. The buggy otherwise is very clear of stuff, no footmuffs, extra bags etc. They have wire baskets and even on a lighter shop with the single I can't control the buggy in the aisles whilst holding one in my hand. The trollies don't have seats either.

Today a member of staff loudly confronted me in front of other shoppers saying 'you can't do that' and 'they'll be watching you on the videos'. I was confused at first and queried doing what, until he pointed at the bag. I'd nearly finished the shop and didn't have hands for the apples/ courgettes/ milk/ bread/ pasta I'd got nor if I got a basket did I have hands free to transport it to the till so I ended up emptying the bag there and then as I couldn't see another way to stop him repeating I couldn't use a bag. I normally do it at least 3 times a week.

I went to the Tesco Metro 4 doors up and asked the guard if it was allowed in there, I got a shrug and a 'whatcha on about' look.

Obviously the solution is to shop elsewhere, but do others do this? WIBU to do so? If so how do those with buggies manage? I used to balance a basket on the hood until it bent.

Also if it is wrong, wouldn't you just bring the customer a basket with a smile and ask them to use it rather than confront? I doubt I fitted any shoplifting profile. The bag was open and visible and I wasn't acting shifty or handling things of value.....

[SexDrugsAndSausagesrolls]

eh...it's long-winded, but it was embarrassing....

[honeysucklejasmine]

I would want to speak to the manager. I am too much of a coward to ask though.

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

I would have got him to get a basket and follow me around holding it like a puppy.

I do it the same way you do and not once has anybody even looked at me funny but then people say I give out an air of 'do not fucking approach me'

[PrincessHairyMclary]

I do it at the corner shop just pop the things in my bag then empty at the till.

Also yes to balancing things on the buggy, you haven't stolen it until you leave the shop with it however lots of people do use pushchairs to steal things so don be surprised to be stopped.

[LifeInJeneral]

Asda home deliveries....it's just easier.

Failing that most supermarkets have trollies that you can strap children to

[Superstar90]

I put items in the pram base or on hood - no hands for baskets! I do always think I must look a bit shifty doing it but no one has stopped me yet! It's impossible to shop otherwise,

[Thatznotmyname]

You should have said "good that they're watching cos they'll see I've done nothing wrong.... so odfod"

[primarynoodle]

My dd is in a carrycot so I pile things around her then take it all out at the end as you do with your bag - when she gets into the buggy I'll do the same as you.

As a pp said if it happens again breezily ask him to get a basket for you then make him carry it! Stupid man

[Artandco]

Move to food deliveries. Get all food delivered to your home hassle free, then only need to get odd milk maybe in supermarket. Use rucksack to carry those odd bits home

[newmumwithquestions]

So I get why a buggy + separate toddler leaves you with no hands but don't understand why a double buggy alone causes such a problem? Why can't you have a basket in one hand and push the buggy with the other? If the basket gets too heavy leave it somewhere not in the way near the checkouts, grab the last few things and then get it again.

Supermarket shopping i either get a trolley, push buggy with 1 hand and pull trolley with other into shop, them dump trolley in a free space somewhere and go back to it with stuff.

[Champagneformyrealfriends]

I walk round, talking to DD in a loud voice saying "MUMMY IS JUST PUTTING THIS UNDER THE PRAM UNTIL WE GET TO THE TILL. I HOPE NOBODY THINKS WE ARE STEALING."

Seriously. That's what I do. It's pathetic.

[Touchacat]

I love playing games with the security guards when they watch me like a hawk because they are convinced I'm going to steal the stuff in my buggy basket. I purposely act quite shifty then make a big show of getting it all out at the till.
Anything that entertains me and gets me through the day

Honestly, I would ignore this idiot and keep doing what you're doing.

[JammyTodger]

I hang the basket off a buggy buddy hook on the pushchair bar, or one basket handle over each buggy handle, depending on which I'm using. It's dead easy. I thought everyone did it that way. (Realise it may not work with a double buggy though.)

[Doilooklikeatourist]

I used to balance a basket on the double buggy and give stuff to DS 1 to hold
All fine until I got home one day and found he'd helped himself to a lovely iced bun currant fancy thing which I definitely hasn't paid for
Carry on as you were it's fine

[Artandco]

If you have double pram with toddler I would also get toddler to walk in shop and put badly in toddlers seat

[SexDrugsAndSausagesrolls]

I wasn't polite about it tbh, I was in a rush and a bit 'WHAT?!'. Then when he said they'd be watching me on the cameras I said 'And? Watching me shop and PAY as usual?'. I pointed out the no hands issue, shopping daily and was short with him, then I just emptied the bag out for him to tidy as he walking on my heels repeating himself. I've never been approached before and I can be spikey, I'm not one to be spoken down to easily....it was just the other shoppers viewing it that was uncomfortable.

Tesco was packed in comparison!

I get food delivered, but I tend to run out of milk and bits and bobs in between.

[timeforachangeithink]

I use my sling for shopping, much easier.

[Artandco]

And yes a sling is easiest. If I needed a few things I would have baby in sling, toddler on reins, rucksack for groceries to carry home. Then in supermarket keep baby in sling and put toddler in trolley seat

[SexDrugsAndSausagesrolls]

newmum, sorry I cannot believe that you can one handed push a double buggy round narrow aisles. You'd go in circles and crash into things. Try it.

Sorry I know this is aibu but that's just silly

[Olivialoves]

I answer supermarket complaints as part of my job. Definitely complain to head office.

Is it a chain?

[SexDrugsAndSausagesrolls]

jammy, the handles are spaced wrong for that. I did with an old buggy.

artandco, the non-existent trolley seat? I have slings but sling + dragging toddler and heavy bag doesn't mean fun.

Ive never been stopped before so I don't really pay attention to guards normally or notice, never really noticed them in other shops.

[SexDrugsAndSausagesrolls]

Olivia, it's a sort of chain. They advertise as an independent supermarket but I think there's a few, Budgens

[JayDot500]

I find my buggy light enough to handle with one hand (Egg). I get a basket and dangle it on my lower arm/inner elbow, I do this at least twice a week with an 8 month old, and shop online for bulkier things.

[Tiredqueen87]

I go to the local sainsburys and they have the big baskets that have a long handle and wheels so you can pull it along behind you, and if DD is feeling helpful she will pull it along and I'll tell her what to pop in whilst I push the pram

[Artandco]

Put them in main trolley if not seat. As I said, I used a rucksack so not dragging a heavy bag

I would order more with your tesco online order tbh though if your running out of that much stuff, or just do an order more frequent? I do my order online with ocado, it's free delivery and I get a smaller delivery every 4 days rather than a huge one once a week. Then it's far less to pick up in store, only things like a random ingredient we forgot or something ds's need unexpectedly for school