To think I should be able to spend as much or as little as I want at the supermarket?

[SumfingNew]

Location - Aisle 4, Sainsbury's, Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
Time - 1230 today.

I did the weekly shop this morning, as usual. As I was placing the food etc onto the conveyor belt, I could overhear the cashier and the customer ahead of me bitching about the latest M&S advert, saying how 'smug' it was and how it reminded people of how little money they had.

Fast forward to my turn in the spotlight...

The cashier struck up conversation with me and mentioned the conversation she'd been having, about "rampant consumerism" and how "disgusting it was".

Not entirely clear what exactly she meant and suspecting strongly that I disagreed with her if what she meant was what I thought she meant (i.e. "w*nkers" like me, with money, spending it), I just shrugged and said, "I wouldn't knock it too much...if people weren't buying stuff, you'd all be out of a job, surely?".

She gave me a cat's bum smile and said nothing after that, other than to announce the total cost of my purchases (£155.50) in a very disapproving tone .

We have friends for lunch tomorrow (2 adults, 2 children) and yes, I pull out all the stops when entertaining...but (annoyed at myself for feeling I have to chuffing justify my purchases!) I've also bought a week's worth of food for me, fiancee and our baby girl.

AIBU in thinking I should be able to buy any amount's worth of food without disapproval from the supermarket staff?

WastingAway - please define 'greedy'.

Are you saying that we should all spend the same, give or take a bit, in absolute terms, or relative ones?

Should we all spend "X" amount each per week, or "X" per cent of our income?

I see what you are saying Wastingaway - I think anyone being flash with their money is repulsive. And I also think that as a society we have become too hooked on consumerism, IMO. However, I would disagree and say that trickle down economic theory is VITAL. No spenders= fewer jobs. Why does one person being greedy mean others go without? Don't follow. Is there a finite amount of money in the economy? Not being argumentative, BTW - find this interesting!

Sumfing, I'm not saying 'should' about anything, but absolute of course, like during rationing.

So everyone gets what they need.

LRS, I think some moral judgements are made from a more 'primitive' part of the psyche, and as such yes, finite amount of resources, finite amount of food, a finite amount of peas mummy, he's got more than me!

Trowbridge is as rough as a badgers arse. Pop over to Waitrose in Bath instead.

or even better, marlborough

The Twatrose in Bath is awful. The best one in the world is near enough to do a fortnightly trip (well it's near enough to go weekly if you can be bothered) - Salisbury. It's also a mini John Lewis.

"Sumfing, I think it's about being part of society. To spend extravagantly when others are struggling is selfish. To spend excessively is immorally so."

Actually, from an economic standpoint this statement is completely incorrect. To rein in your spending for no good reason when the economy is doing badly is immoral, because it reduces economic activity for no good reason.

MrsFlittersnoop - but driving into/around Bath is a berrluddy nightmare!

Mufti - ooh, yes...we were in Marlborough last Sunday - divine place, if a little far for a weekly shop. Perhaps if we get our little one into the College there we'll have more reason for the journey

This is a wind up no?

I agree with Riven, I've worked on a till before and I couldn't give a tiny rats ass about what people were buying, I just wanted to do the job as quickly and painlessly as possible and get the hell out. I hardly ever made contact and chatted to customers as they were mostly complete twats.

it was 12.30 on a Saturday - probably hadn't had a break for ages and was pissed off generally. You were't making 'polite conversation' because if you were you would have just agreed smiled and gone on your way.

parking can be hard in marlborough too. and long term roadworks atm

shineoncrazydiamond - yes, I was hoping to impress you, that's right

needafootmassage - an intelligent and considered response, thank you! Yeah, we're all human and she and I were both 'human' in our responses to one another! I'm not fussed about it - just fancied a whinge, hence coming on here!

Phone the manager on monday. The cashier was rude.

Riven hit the nail on the head there.

"Fast forward to my turn in the spotlight" Glamourous stuff shopping, isn't it

in answer to the OP

yes of course you should

£155 is not a massive amount, thought you were going to say in excess of £250

you were earwigging and then took offence about something and then carried that over into your conversation

you then finished it off with a patronising comment

you sound a delight.

£150 is not rampant consumerism ,it's abotu averatge for a weeks food for 3 and a bit of a sunday blow out

Yup horrible job. I have just applied for Tesco whoop whoop to you Riven