What strange behaviour have you experienced in the supermarket?

[silverribbonxmastree]

Yesterday, I was in Sainsbury's with my teenage daughter. We were walking towards the end of the aisle with a trolley and it was blocked by an elderly woman, her grandson (?) aged about 15/16 and a shop assistant who were talking. The lad. Saw us approaching and wanting to get past but refused to move. I said excuse me and he reluctantly moved. Didn't think much of it.

We were then at the checkout putting the items on the conveyor belt. The lad walked past and the next thing I know is that out trolley is rammed into us. No apologies or anything. So I thought ok maybe it was an accident again and arrived on.

We were walking out of the supermarket and Sod's law they were just ahead of us. The elderly lady was walking very slowly and the lad ahead of her a bit. My daughter tried to overtake him and he blocked her way sidestepping in front of her as she tried to pass. I called her back to me and just said to her to let them get ahead of us as I was beginning to realise by this 3rd incident that it was all intentional by now!

So we walked way behind them. We saw a car slowly reverse out of a parking space and the lad stick 2 fingers up at this person.

As they were taking so long to get to their car and unpack, we held back a bit at the trolley park (as I didn't want him to see where I had parked as I had other shopping to do and thought he might damage the car as 'punishment' to me). He then started staring at us and walked towards us with their trolley to return it. At this point, we just returned to the shop to avoid any confrontation.

I wasn't shaken up by it but felt quite sad that he felt the need to be so hostile and try to intimidate us. I do wonder if he would have behaved like this is my strapping 20 year old son was with us! His gran was completely oblivious to all of this!

Anyone else had this or similar?

Had a row with a woman at the checkout a month or so ago, she was behind me and so eager to get forward, despite the person in front of me having not even paid yet.

I could feel her breathing onto my hair, I’m not too concerned by COVID or social distancing but when she actually bumped into my back, I asked her to step back a bit, even said please.

She launched into a complete tirade about why am I having a go at her when it’s the checkout guy that’s slow, who do I think I am, you know the usual. I pointed out if she’s in a rush go to the self checkout or just wait your turn. She had what can only be described as a tantrum and threw her own box of eggs on the floor sort of at me. I jumped back in time but then she stepped forward like she wanted to get in my face. Was really odd, doing gritted teeth and everything! Had to really give her both barrels. It was really weird, came out of nowhere although she was obviously agitated from the start.

I’m ok with confrontation but I had an adrenaline high for about 2 days, haven’t been back to that Sainsbury’s since either.

A few months ago a woman loudly complaint about how busy the supermarket was and how unacceptable it was. She was with five members of her family including 3 teenagers.

I spent my weekends working on a checkout and stacking shelves through 6th form and university. All human life is there. I think that working in a supermarket, especially when you're young, gives you tolerance, awareness of people's vastly different life experiences and an ability to rub along at a superficial level with just about anyone.

I can make small talk until the cows come home and have been commended at work on my ability to notice and defuse aggy situations way before they kick off - I totally put this down to getting through endless shifts at the supermarket.

@MaMelon

I’ve had a few people in Aldi (only Aldi, nowhere else for some reason) putting their stuff on the belt before I’ve unloaded my jug trolley load - meaning I had nowhere to put the rest of my stuff, the checkout person couldn’t scan anything more and everything ground to a halt. I’m wise now and block the belt with my trolley as I’m unloading.

Another time two young teenage boys were throwing a soft toy belonging to the store around at the entrance area. I bent down to pick it up, told them to stop it and they squared up to me and starting filming me on their phones My 23 year old, 6 foot plus DS saw the whole thing and came charging over to them, shouting at them, and they scarpered. It was horrible to be filmed like that - they just laughed when I told them to stop.

That must have been awful being filmed. A complete intrusion of privacy. Going slightly off topic but my daughter was in Hyde Park on Tuesday (?) during the day. That night a young man got stabbed there. I told her about it and she said she's seen the recording of the stabbing on SM 😒

A couple of years ago in Asda I was walking towards the checkouts to pay and spotted an empty one so headed for that. There was a woman standing near it but not actually at it (if that makes sense) and she had no shopping with her.

I put my items on the belt, I only had four or five things, and she suddenly started shouting at me for jumping the queue. I said that I hadn’t realised there was a queue as no one else was waiting with any shopping. She continued to shout, really shout, and everyone was looking. Her husband then appeared with a full trolley so she’d obviously been standing near to save a place. He tried to calm her down, the checkout lady was just watching, security came (and did nothing) and still she continued to shout at me.

The checkout lady then decided to start serving me, it took a matter of a minute to get my shopping through and paid for and still I was being called a cheeky bitch for (allegedly) pushing into a non-existent queue.

I cried as soon as I’d left the store and it left me feeling really shaken up.

I work in a supermarket and seem to have experienced a fair amount of weirdness - there was the very bearded middle aged man who came in one Saturday morning wearing a faux leather lace up back mini dress and above the knee boots. The lady who in her disgust when the limits of number of products purchased in one transaction during the panic buying days lifting her tip to show me how much weight she'd lost while yelling at me....

Being effed at for the same reason of not selling 4 limes only 3 - lovely young man top of his voice he didn't give and F about other people - charming. Old chap who, while I was just a plain clothed shopper, ramming his trolley into the back of my legs because I was waiting to get round someone in an aisle and using some choice language when I said please wait in will only be a few seconds.

All this in one of the more 'well to do shops'.... on the other hand have seen some touching things such as an older lady bursting into tears after buying shopping for others on her card and then not having enough to pay for her own shopping and then the lady behind just handing me her card saying it was on her.

Someone had a shit in Tesco during the lockdown, it was an older lady and I think she maybe had dementia. I did feel sorry for the poor to worker who had to clear it up.
Years ago a man, maybe early 20's, had a seizure in Asda. I worked a Special School and was used to them so went to help. I ended up physically wrestling a pencil from a man who insisted it had to go between the young mans teeth. The manager told him to go away in the end.
Also the mans mum was there and was very distressed. I was asking her questions so it could be relayed to the ambulance crew. She isisted he had never had a seizure before.
When the paramedics came I said he's never had a seizure before, looked to the mum and said that's right isn't it? No history of epilepsy?
She replied oh yes he's had epilepsy since he was young. I said but you said he's never had a seizure before and she replied he hasn't he only has fits.
I also had a woman burst into very loud sobbing because I wouldn't let her go in front of me in the queue. She had a trolley full of stuff, I literally had 5 things on the belt.
She kept looking around her for attention. Everyone just ignored her

@MadisonAvenue

A couple of years ago in Asda I was walking towards the checkouts to pay and spotted an empty one so headed for that. There was a woman standing near it but not actually at it (if that makes sense) and she had no shopping with her.

I put my items on the belt, I only had four or five things, and she suddenly started shouting at me for jumping the queue. I said that I hadn’t realised there was a queue as no one else was waiting with any shopping. She continued to shout, really shout, and everyone was looking. Her husband then appeared with a full trolley so she’d obviously been standing near to save a place. He tried to calm her down, the checkout lady was just watching, security came (and did nothing) and still she continued to shout at me.

The checkout lady then decided to start serving me, it took a matter of a minute to get my shopping through and paid for and still I was being called a cheeky bitch for (allegedly) pushing into a non-existent queue.

I cried as soon as I’d left the store and it left me feeling really shaken up.

That's not nice for you. The woman showed herself up!

When DD2 was 17 she was shopping with me. We stopped to pick something up and a man came up to her and half whispered "I've been following you around just to look at your ass"
I don't think he was expecting world war 3 to erupt. He ended up running away from me.

I was shopping on my own (pre Covid) and found myself looking in the same area as a lady who was slightly older than me, very smartly dressed. She was experiencing a hot flush and was fanning herself with a packet of something. We made eye contact and I sympathised. Which was probably a mistake. She started chatting and within 5 minutes I heard much more than I needed to know about her intimate issues, what she had tried to combat vaginal dryness and the effect it had on her life! But she was lovely.

This is ridiculously minor compared to the awful stories on here but what is it with people who walk through the supermarket door and immediately stop dead as if they have stumbled through the back of the wardrobe into Narnia?

They generally harrumph and look terribly offended if you walk around them. Some people do it on the way out, as well.

Drives me round the bend.

Most May Bank Holiday weekends it's common to see knights, damesels and elfs in one nearby supermarket.
It makes a refreshing change from the usual clientelle.

Oh, has to be the shoplifters!

I used to in retail but Selfridges rather than a supermarket. People from all walks of life steal, it’s disgusting. There’s too many stories to even begin recalling.

However I left retail in 2017. Last year, I noticed a lot of customers stealing in shops whilst I was a customer! It’s always weird as dunno whether to alert staff or just leave it as retail staff are not paid enough to confront shoplifters as they risk abuse.

Oh ffs. I meant I used to WORK in retail. Teaches me for not proof reading!

@Streamingbannersofdawn

Grrr. I have that a lot at our local tube station, I live near a popular ‘market’ tourist attraction. People just go through the barrier and stop dead. Or stand in the entrance staring out. It drives me mad!

I don’t shop in large supermarkets any more as I suffer from trolley rage. So many rude entitled or just plain weird people.

I shop online and pick up bits and pieces in small supermarkets locally.

Years ago I was in Asda 2 maybe 8 year olds in the way, I was polite they refused to move, asked again and they back chatted... I told them it to be so rude to an adult as you never know where they worked and I was police officer In another aisle their mouthy mother came shouting at me that I was out of order demanding her well mannered children were rude and she didn’t give a fuck I was a pig! Nice

At work I chatting about our kids with a colleague another was listening and assumed I was talking about her friend, this friend cornered me in the kitchen and had a right go at me... it took me a little while to get over the shock and I explained what we were discussing, she never apologised, but the one that overheard was up my arse for weeks

A few weeks ago I was shopping with my son he just had his injections so was feeling a bit sorry for himself. He wasn’t crying or anything just holding my hand staying very close. I got him a magazine whilst getting lunch . A older lady turned round and said how some children just get everything and t spoilt. I didn’t respond I just kept going then I paid and was walking out and she pushed her trolley right into my son who was still right by me. There was plenty of room so not like she had no room to over take. I’m very conscious of leaving space as I’m on crutches so I’m slower. Luckily the people who worked in Tesco were amazing . It was horrible though my son who still very young was breaking his heart . Some people are just dicks🤷‍♀️

When I was about 20 I was in Sainsbury's and a woman behind me was shoving stuff on the conveyor belt whilst I was still placing my items. I said "Do you mind!" which in hindsight was a mistake since she looked like she was off the set of 'Shameless', and she shouted "Shut up you silly bitch, I bet your c**t is wider than the Mersey tunnel". I flushed crimson and had no handy retort. It seemed a bit err... disproportionate

Half a page and already the "maybe violent aggressive men just have SEN!!" brigade are out in full force.

@SmellyBottomHead

Some people are just wankers A man pushed all my shopping up the belt to get his few bits on. I asked him to leave it alone. He didn't. I pushed it all right back. He didn't like it. He was a wanker too I have no patience for people like him

I have also removed someone's items because I was not finished unloading my shopping- they could clearly see this. I dropped it all back in their shopping trolley and they didn't say a word!

@pumpkintree - gosh, you're brave 😄

Not quite the same as these but my not quite one year old at the time took serious offense to a poor woman once.

We passed her in nearly every aisle (going opposit directions but both going from entrace towards the far end just doing our own shopping) and every time my DS staired at her and then burst out crying and trying to climb out the seat to jump in my arms like he was terrified.

She hadnt done anything wrong (first time she just smiled while he was stairing and then was trying really hard to get passed quick and not even look at him after the first time) but my DS seemed to have convinced himself she was the scariest person on earth.

Hes never acted like that before or since and had no problems with any other shoppers (he isnt in childcare etc... hes with me constantly so no way he somehow knew her from elsewhere).

We got to the final aisle and the woman said in passing 'I dont think he like me' and all I could say is 'sorry' and that was that - it was so odd.

A ferret on a lead in my local Spar.

No shouting people or trollies pushed into my legs. I have had to use my Paddington Bear Stare a couple of times for people unpacking onto the belt when i haven't finished unpacking mine, but nothing punch-up worthy.

I work in a supermarket and recently overheard something that I keep thinking about. There was a couple in their late 20s or so with 2 boys who looked about 5 and 8. The guy was saying to the kids (talking about the woman), " she's my property, she has to do what I say, that ring means I own her". The woman looked so uncomfortable, maybe he thought he was being funny, but I was actually horrified. I keep thinking about this and wondering if she's safe..
Mabe I'm being dramatic and he was just an idiot but what are those boys learning about how you treat women?