To be irritated by Asda card woman?

I think that's fair enough. You should not shop at places that don't suit your needs or align with your values.

I didn't know Asda did this, I love this!!

As soon as you mentioned the volunteer badge I guessed that she might have SEN, can't believe you didn't twig op. Easy solution, buy your cards elsewhere. If you want cheap and cheerful (which is what Asda offer) go and stock up at card factory.

Or just be polite to this lady. Going to Asda is hardly my idea of a relaxing shopping experience anyway.

I think that it is a really good thing that Asda is doing, but I agree that the card section may not be the best place for this individual. That is not to say that they could not be invaluable elsewhere in the store. We obviously do not know if other shoppers are finding her approach to be overbearing either. That would depend on whether shoppers engage in any feedback to the store.

I would hate this, I have autism and hate unexpected social interactions like this and I’m a people pleaser so find it hard to articulate no thank you, especially to someone who doesn’t take the cue. I would probably end up buying a card I don’t want from her because I would find it hard to say no. I think I would just shop elsewhere.

Maybe they put her on the cards because they didn’t envisage someone shopping there so often, like say the milk or bread aisle?

Dear god she is likely to have issue making work impossible .
So hard to get meaningful opportunities to experience a working environment for some people.
Suck it up be grateful that you don't know someone in this position who needs this support .

It's funny how kindness, empathy and understanding only seem to work one way according to many posters on here.

No one here knows what else the OP (or anyone else saying they wouldn't like this) has got going on in their life, or what mental health conditions they may suffer from themselves.

It also seems that many pp are missing the fact that OP is politely saying, "No, thanks" to the help offered, but that this woman continues to pester and will then start giving OP cards to look at, when OP's already said several times that she doesn't require help and wishes to be left to look alone.

@ExitSandyman I think all you can do is have a quiet word with the store manager and say that whilst you appreciate her role, she needs to be given further training to understand/accept that when customers decline her offer of help that she accepts this and leaves them alone.

Definitely not appropriate to discipline her. I think it would be sensible for someone to explain to her that if someone says no thank you she should leave them alone. If it were me I'd just feel very stressed and uncomfortable, but would always be polite. However, eventually she's likely to meet someone who will have a go at her which could be devastating for her. It would be better for the manager to explain when to back off to protect her from such an incident.

She could always buy the cards in one go if it’s causing her that much hassle.

I too think it is a bit odd that the OP is in the card section so often to be honest. I mean no judgement….maybe she has a lot of friends/family members to buy for 🤷‍♀️. Or maybe she is just exaggerating 😂

Well now that you know she is most likely SEN you can look at the situation differently.

You can’t be in the card section that often that it’s become such a hassle surely?

The "not taking no for an answer" could easily be a part of her particular disability/difficulties and if so, Asda could be in a tricky situation addressing that. Discipline for something that is directly resultant of a disability is a major no no legally.

Now this lovely lady wouldn't bother me and I'd let her help me pick something out, but failing this, just maybe don't get your cards from Asda?

I'm with you and the op too, I don't want to be pestered when I'm doing my shopping. I'm socially awkward as it is, never mind if someone keeps going after saying "no thank you"

You’ll just have to be firm but polite. ‘I like to shop in peace, thank you for your time but please stop helping now’.

Bless her, but, if you can why not just let her help? Interact with her, she’s trying to do something good. Think of how different you could make her day if she’d felt like she’d helped you.

Failing the above, go to card factory.

I didn't know Asda did this either. Good for them.

I'd manage the situation with the cards OP because the good it's doing far outweighs your inconvenience.

How many cards are you buying??

How unpleasant you are.
Im not madly keen on shopping but have some lovely interactions with other people when out and about.
People just want to feel connected and will make conversation, sometimes I’m busy and will keep it short and friendly-other times I will have a little chat.
I mean unless your running the country how BUSY can you be to not have some humanity 🤷🏼‍♀️

Everyone with autism is different.

Personally I can only be happy and chatty when talking about my latest obsession. So unless people want me to talk non stop about Harry Potter all day then I am sure people would prefer I stay quiet 😂

Fuck me, the lack of compassion and empathy in this world (MN!) amazes me.
Maybe she doesn't listen when you say "no thank you". Maybe you have to spend a whole two more minutes talking to her. Ah well. Sometimes we have to do things we're not always that keen on to make someone else feel better and valued.

Stop being so precious. We're all busy. Maybe take a couple of minutes out of your oh so busy day to think about someone else?

It's great that Asda are supporting people with learning difficulties, but they do need to be trained properly. On the whole I'm pretty confident dealing with situations out and about and I'm happy to chat with people, but I get really stressed by people trying to sell things to me. I've left shops because of it. It would really bother me. Fine if she offers and then leaves you alone, but from the description it seems she won't take no for an answer, which would make me very stressed.

A lot of disabilities and mental health issues can cause communication issues.

Personally I have autism so yes my communication skills are piss poor.

I would struggle with this situation but personally I wouldn’t say anything and just start shopping elsewhere. Then again I rarely go into Asda because those lights are just so damn bright.

I also no longer go into Lush because I can’t get the stuff to STFU 😂

Why should only the volunteer's needs be considered?

Repeatedly its been pointed out that she doesn't take No for an answer

For other people with MH and SEN needs this could be incredibly difficult. Even just politely asking her to stop once can be hard. Having that ignored can be harder still.

Shopping can be quite a stressful environment anyway, add in being forced into social contact with someone who doesn't take your polite attempt to dissuade them on board and it can become overwhelming

Which as the OP stated is ignored...

I agree but is there a way to say no thank you and for that to be that? If I pop into a supermarket on a weekend or on an evening I would have time to engage and chat. If I go in on my lunch break in the week I can have 10 minutes to get what I need and pay. I don't have time to chat. If I knew I was going to have an issue where I was going to be stuck in a card aisle for those 10 minutes I'd likely go to a different supermarket to get what I needed. I'm sorry if that makes me an arsehole but if I genuinely don't have time to engage it's either I do that or I risk offending the worker by walking away/ignoring her offers for help. I'm not objecting to the scheme and if anything I'm in support of it but it's not always going to work in the way it's intended. In an ideal world if the worker doesn't understand no thank you there would be someone else to guide her and offer alternatives but Asda are unlikely to employ someone just to do that. I don't know what the answer is but the responses on here suggest that people are rude for not allowing the lady to help when that isn't necessarily the intention.

Thankfully not many for bereavement and illness

But you shop your way and I'll shop mine