Aldi

[Fridaysgirl]

I don't normally shop at Aldi but today I did.
I bought a packet of ham, a loaf of bread, sun cream, apples, a mango, cheese, tomatoes, asparagus, chicken breasts, a box of ice lollies and a bottle of wine (all food groups covered ). The specifics don't matter- but as you can see a grand total of 11 items.
I opened a bag in my trolley to lift the items into. I put the first item in and she stopped the conveyor belt and in front of everyone refused to continue to proceed until I had put the bag away "on health and safety grounds". I felt like I was back at school and she was quite aggressive. I kept packing into bag and she then said she'd get the manager if I continued putting stuff directly into the open bag!
Now I know Aldi like to keep costs down and they don't like packing at the till for efficiency but I can lift ten items into a large open bag for life at the same speed I can lift them into an empty trolley. If I had a weeks' shop I can also understand I would slow checkout down.
Forcing me to then push the trolley to the side and re-handle all the items again has got to be more risky to my "health and safety" hasn't it?
So AIBU to think Aldi are hiding behind "health and safety" to re-inforce their no packing at the checkout policy? Or can anyone think of a genuine "health and safety" reason for this?

[dementedpixie]

Bizarre. I shop in aldi from time to time and have never encountered this

[DailyMailHater]

I do a full weeks shop at Aldi every Sunday and put stuff directly into bags in the trolley as they scan them and have never been asked not to

[StepAwayFromGoogle]

I work for Aldi and I've never encountered this. It's certainly not policy.

[Varnas]

That was weird. I regularly shop at Aldi and always do as you did - never an issue!
What if you didn't have a trolley, just few items in a basket, where are you supposed to put them if not in the bag?
Very strange rules 🤔

[soupmaker]

Our local Aldi asks that customers load shopping into bags in their cars where possible. But I've not seen anyone stopped when packing bags at the checkout.

[ShowOfHands]

It's policy at our local one during Corona and it's blanket policy for absolutely everybody. It's to minimise time at the checkout and prevent you handling the bags near the checkout operator.

[ItsGoingTibiaK]

I do all my supermarket shopping at Aldi and have done for years - I do all my packing straight into bags in the trolley and it’s always fine. The amount of shopping makes no difference either - I’ve just done a massive shop tonight for both us and my in-laws and did it with zero issues.

[FrustratinglyFrustrated]

I always shop in Aldi and if I have only bought a few items I pack at the till, like you say, just as quick to bag straight away as it is straight in the trolley, they never grumble if I'm a little slower than I should be and will slow down if needs be (I do usually go to the shelf of shame if I need to, but usually due to courtesy to other customers) . I've never had "health and safety" thrown at me... How odd.

[Poshjock]

Also regular Aldi shopper and usually - when buying a small number of stuff like you did, pack directly into open bags at the checkout. Never been an issue and even during Covid - have never been advised not to.

[Fridaysgirl]

To be honest I was quite impressed by the things I had bought and it's an easy stop for me on the way home from work to become a regular.
But will take my business elsewhere if they are going to talk to me like that- she really wasn't very nice at all.

[Jjttmm]

Something similar was being discussed in my local aldi this week.

[leolion1]

I always open 3 large bags into my trolley and pack (throw) things straight in and always keep up with the checkout operator and can't for the life of me imagine why it would cause a health and safety issue?

[userxx]

Weird, I did the exact same thing the other day. Massive bag lining the trolley and in it all went 🤷‍♂️

[OneMoreLight]

If I use a basket I pack items straight into a bag, if I have a trolley I open the bags in the trolley and put the shopping into the bags. I might go to the packing area to reorganise the bags for any reason.

[Frannibananni]

I have large IKEA bags that I drop my shopping into in the trolley at the checkout. I’m sure some people don’t like it but oh well.

[Tohaveandtohold]

I always shop at Aldi and always open my large shopping bags in the trolley and just throw my shopping inside however since corona, they’ve stopped anyone from packing at the tills. The assistants have been acting just like you described.

[FusionChefGeoff]

This happened to me last week!! I've shopped before during lockdown with bags in trollley no probs but this week she said no - she said imagine the virus is like flour on the bag, every time you get bags out or drop things into the bag etc it increases risk of virus becoming airborne and it's not safe for checkout staff.

It sounded INSANE to me but I've got no right to
question them as they are doing absolutely vital work in scary circumstances so if this batshit rule makes them feel safer then I'm happy to go along with it.

I did chunter to myself the whole time I was repacking into the car at the time but I've had a word with myself and I'm over it now

[ProseccoBubbleFantasies]

Was it naice ham? misses point of thread

[TimeWastingButFun]

They should say whether or not you are allowed to pack at the checkout . It's not clear. I've been going recently because my normal supermarket has long queues, and I have been impressed that I've managed to get most things on the list and that you don't have to wait. But they are so fast at pushing stuff through that I put it straight in the trolley then if it's nice weather I pack it into bags at the car - a small part of keeping the queue down and it's nicer to pack in the sunshine than in the supermarket!

[welshweasel]

Ours started this during covid but seems to have given up on it. I think it’s crazy. I can pack just as quickly whether there are bags in my trolley or not.

[Mum2jenny]

Similarly I open 3 bags in the trolley and throw things in, however this week there was absolutely no social distancing. I had a person virtually crawl over me to get things off a shelf, so I’ll be avoiding Aldi in the future. Even if I have to queue around the car park to get into Sainsburys.