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Regret causing a scene in Aldi

311 replies

Liiz92 · 08/02/2026 16:51

I went to Aldi earlier. While I was scanning an item at the self checkout, the price was more expensive than the price on the sticker on the shelf. I asked the assistant if I could quickly go back to swap it. I was away for only about 2 minutes.

When I came back to the till, there was a man arguing with the assistant, saying she had to remove my items so he could use the till. I explained that the items were mine and that I had just gone back to swap something. He started shouting at me, saying I had “jumped the queue” and that I shouldn’t go to the till until I had finished my shopping.

I stayed quiet for a few moments. When he was in the queue, I approached him and pointed my finger, saying, “don’t fucking speak to me like that again, or at any woman.” He shouted at me in response, telling me not to point my finger or swear at him. I said, “You’ve chosen the wrong person to be rude to,” and went back to DD.

We finished paying at the same time, and he was walking close behind me, looking at me. I said, “I didn’t appreciate you shouting at me in front of my child.” He then said, “I’ll see you here at 4pm next Sunday.” I said I wasn't from the area so no chance and continued walking to my car.

As time has passed, I regret my actions and wish I had just stayed quiet.

OP posts:
AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 08/02/2026 20:57

beadystar · 08/02/2026 20:15

Supermarkets are annoying but he wouldn’t have started on you if you were a brick shithouse of a man would he. That’s the clincher. A man tutted at me in
a very crowded supermarket today because I stepped back to let someone pass and he had to wait a grand total of 2 seconds extra. More of us need to tell them off, they aren’t toddlers.

Supermarkets seem to be a place that threaten mens delicate egos for some reason.

Last year I was in Lidl and put a divider and my shopping on the conveyor belt behind a man who was stood in front of me. The cashier shouted out that another till was available (in general, not just to me) but i guess bloke in front misunderstood because he turned to me and said "this one's shutting. You need to leave" in a needlessly aggesssive tone. I was a bit baffled and pointed out the till number was still green so he lent forward and asked the cashier if he was closing. Cashier looked confused and said no. Bloke then glared at me, snapped "fucks sake" and slammed down another divider between our shopping, even though I'd already put one down.

Watching him make a bit of a dick of himself amused me rather than made me cross (that came later) so I smirked and said "whoops"! loudly. Which earned me another glare.

Liiz92 · 08/02/2026 20:57

Thank you, everyone. I can’t reply to each of you individually, but I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. As I’ve already said, I’ve learned from this experience and won’t let my emotions get the better of me next time.

OP posts:
MissAustenMadeAQuilt · 08/02/2026 20:47

This could all have been avoided if you had uttered a general "so sorry about this" in the direction of the people waiting behind you.

I imagine he was annoyed at having to wait at your convenience and the fact that you couldn't even bother your arse to acknowledge that you were making people wait.

Then you strolled back, still didn't acknowledge that you had made people wait and, in response to your lack of manners, said something.

He didn't swear and I say, good on him.

What a twat you made of yourself and, by the way I agree with other PP, that you no more did your Joan of Arc speech about other women than you have been to a charm school. Both highly unlikely.

HeisseWeisseSchokolade · 08/02/2026 20:46

Honestly, it's like the people above saying "oh, you shouldn't have wandered off to the replace the item" never had a faulty item at the checkout or done a price check? Happens all the time, I do it myself and I never think twice about people ahead of me in the queue doing that. I do get annoyed when the previous customer is trying to talk the cashier into a discount that isn't valid or counts out 57 pounds in small coins... still I don't say anything.

Shopsrshut23 · 08/02/2026 20:41

I think this is a case of being embarrassed about swearing in a public place with children present. You know it's wrong, but you reacted in the heat of the moment. Run away, never go back and don't loose sleep. He didn't recognise when he was in the wrong, but you did. It means you're self aware, the better person and can handle it differently next time.

Prancingpickle · 08/02/2026 20:37

In our Aldi if you walk away from your shopping at the self checkout then your transaction is voided, shipping out back in your basket or trolley and when you get back you go to the back of the queue.
Honestly neither of you came out smelling of roses!
You for holding up the queue for probably more than 2 minutes, and then swearing at someone, and him for moaning!

Zov · 08/02/2026 20:33

Growlybear83 · 08/02/2026 20:17

It’s one thing standing up to someone who you feel has bullied you, even when you have actually created the situation to start with, but why does everything on Mumsnet have to come down to how terrible men are and women can do no wrong? It could just as easily have been a woman who was pissed off at the OP disappearing back into the shop and leaving her shopping at the checkout. It would have really annoyed me if I’d been waiting, and I would probably have said something to the OP. The fact that the OP felt the man was rude isn’t an excuse for the way she behaved.

🙄

HeisseWeisseSchokolade · 08/02/2026 20:33

Walkden · 08/02/2026 18:28

"The staff do nothing and say nothing re a customer abusing another customer,"

To be fair, I don't blame them - would you risk an physical altercation for minimum wage?

Edited

Ehm, they have security guards for that exact reason. They are paid to be ready to physically intervene if needed.

ThatCyanCat · 08/02/2026 20:28

Growlybear83 · 08/02/2026 20:17

It’s one thing standing up to someone who you feel has bullied you, even when you have actually created the situation to start with, but why does everything on Mumsnet have to come down to how terrible men are and women can do no wrong? It could just as easily have been a woman who was pissed off at the OP disappearing back into the shop and leaving her shopping at the checkout. It would have really annoyed me if I’d been waiting, and I would probably have said something to the OP. The fact that the OP felt the man was rude isn’t an excuse for the way she behaved.

why does everything on Mumsnet have to come down to how terrible men are and women can do no wrong?

It's not. It's a nest of vipers where women tear each other down all the time and are shit that way. Honestly, try to keep up.

If what you're actually asking is why a community of mostly women tends to centre and empathise with women, well, once you find your Old Bailey online community that's fully blindly just and morally perfect in all things, you can send it over here to do the correcting women for you, but do you really think this is the first place to start?

( What am I saying, of course you do.)

Mrsblobby88 · 08/02/2026 20:26

Fuck him! Go you!

Growlybear83 · 08/02/2026 20:17

Over40Overdating · 08/02/2026 20:01

Good for you @Liiz92 - arseholes like that are far too confident about shouting and bullying women in public. More of us should be giving them what for straight back.

As for the usual pearl clutchers and ‘fowl’ language idiots - it’s women like you that give men like that the confidence to be twats in public. No doubt many of you are married to such piggish specimens. Keep your toddler husbands at home or under control rather than policing the women who stand up to them.

It’s one thing standing up to someone who you feel has bullied you, even when you have actually created the situation to start with, but why does everything on Mumsnet have to come down to how terrible men are and women can do no wrong? It could just as easily have been a woman who was pissed off at the OP disappearing back into the shop and leaving her shopping at the checkout. It would have really annoyed me if I’d been waiting, and I would probably have said something to the OP. The fact that the OP felt the man was rude isn’t an excuse for the way she behaved.

beadystar · 08/02/2026 20:15

Supermarkets are annoying but he wouldn’t have started on you if you were a brick shithouse of a man would he. That’s the clincher. A man tutted at me in
a very crowded supermarket today because I stepped back to let someone pass and he had to wait a grand total of 2 seconds extra. More of us need to tell them off, they aren’t toddlers.

rwalker · 08/02/2026 20:11

Each to there own but if there’s a Que I wouldn’t of held it up by going g back for something

Viviennemary · 08/02/2026 20:09

Sounds like you were quite agressive finger pointing. And it is a bit annoying being in queue when the person in front disappears.

StMarie4me · 08/02/2026 20:02

Breadcat24 · 08/02/2026 16:54

Well swearing at him didn't cover you in glory "in front of your child" did it?
Why not just ask the staff member to deal with him

Letting him walk all over her wouldn’t have either.

She can explain later to her DD that swear words are not a good choice. She’d struggle to explain why she kow-towed to the bully.

Over40Overdating · 08/02/2026 20:01

Good for you @Liiz92 - arseholes like that are far too confident about shouting and bullying women in public. More of us should be giving them what for straight back.

As for the usual pearl clutchers and ‘fowl’ language idiots - it’s women like you that give men like that the confidence to be twats in public. No doubt many of you are married to such piggish specimens. Keep your toddler husbands at home or under control rather than policing the women who stand up to them.

Noshowlomo · 08/02/2026 19:56

Jesus, if a man (or woman) cannot wait 2-3 minutes in a query without kicking off, they probably shouldn’t leave their front door!
You did the right thing. I’d rather my child hear me swear at someone fronting up to me than worry about them hearing me say a word, that I imagine other kids say every day in school.

persephonia · 08/02/2026 19:56

merrymonsters · 08/02/2026 16:56

You were taking up a machine while others were waiting. I can understand he'd find that annoying. It's all done by barcode so how does swapping for another of the same item help?

Yes but that warrants a tut. Or possibly saying to someone "you know you held up the queue" not full blown aggression and high volume shouting. Ive been annoyed in Aldi. I haven't started screaming at staff or other shopprs.

Pumpkinatmidnight · 08/02/2026 19:52

SunMoonandChocolate · 08/02/2026 16:55

Good for you OP! If only more women had the courage to speak up, instead of letting arrogant arseholes get away with behaving like the big I am!! I say, well done YOU!

Yes agreed. I tend to freeze in the face of male aggression, and hate it.

diddl · 08/02/2026 19:49

the price was more expensive than the price on the sticker on the shelf. I asked the assistant if I could quickly go back to swap it. I was away for only about 2 minutes.

Why would the same thing from the same shelf be priced differently though?

Or have I misunderstood?

youalright · 08/02/2026 19:48

zanahoria · 08/02/2026 19:45

You may have gone a bit over the top but so what?

You are my hero

Embarrassing 😳

ReturnOfTheToad · 08/02/2026 19:48

I've never seen two people arguing in public and thought anything other than twats. It's not the way I choose to carry myself and wouldn't be something I would model for my children.

zanahoria · 08/02/2026 19:45

You may have gone a bit over the top but so what?

You are my hero

GreenIsTheColourOfMyHoliday · 08/02/2026 19:44

OP getting in his face and waving her finger at him after leaving it and then deciding to reignite the situation was the aggressive move

If she said he'd done the exact same she did then he'd be absolutely slaughtered on here

This wasn't a "sisterhood" move. It was an arsehole move

ohyesido · 08/02/2026 19:41

Helen1625 · 08/02/2026 19:17

But she needed the item and it was priced wrong. What's the alternative? Not being rude, just wondering what you think she should have done that wouldn't have resulted in this grumpy old git moaning about it.

A member of staff could have gone, she could have loaded her things back into the basket, asked for the transaction to be cancelled then gone and got the item. All of which takes time.

She thought running back to get it would be OK, surely we've all done it. Unless there was a massive queue and no other tills on, two minutes is hardly the end of the world in the grand scheme of things.

I’d have asked the assistant to fetch it, or if I had simply picked up the wrong one I’d put it to the side and just pay before going to get the right one. I think it’s a liberty to expect others to wait while you finish your shopping.

I am not saying that he was right to get aggressive, nor was OP reasonable to swear. And saying he picked the wrong person sounds mildly threatening too imo