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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think reduced supermarket goods are for customers not staff?

254 replies

catlovingdoctor · 09/10/2016 16:44

I was in an upmarket supermarket chain today and a member of staff, in full uniform, had a trolley load of reduced packs of avocados. They're normally relatively expensive but I thought I'd get some since they were reduced. So I went to take one out the trolley and she literally blocked my arm with her hand, saying it was her own shopping. Surely if she wants to do her own shopping she shouldn't be doing it in company uniform? The stock is there for customers not staff!

OP posts:
kali110 · 10/10/2016 15:35

MackerelOfFact don't think m&s have staff shops anymore, atleast not all of them do. My friend was very unimpressed at the demise Grin

heynanny there are now a lot of people on the bus staring at me because your comment made me laugh suddenly Grin

LittleMissUpset · 10/10/2016 16:02

No M&S don't have staff shops and haven't for quite a while now.

Tunafishandlions · 10/10/2016 16:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

imwithspud · 10/10/2016 16:17

I guess even 'upmarket' supermarkets don't attract the polite folk one would come to expect.

PortiaCastis · 10/10/2016 17:53

Oh ho hum the Dail Fail will have great fun with this thread.

Mindfields · 10/10/2016 18:18

It was only 20 avocados in the end? That's not going to fill a swimming pool.

I was expecting triple figures at least, or some great big muthafuckas as per attached picture.

I feel cheated by this thread Sad

To think reduced supermarket goods are for customers not staff?
Original poster
catlovingdoctor · 10/10/2016 21:27

I honestly did not mean to give the impression I was in anyway above anyone. I have worked in retail myself; I currently work in a job not paid particularly more than a retail worker. That was not my intention or sentiment at all.

But I really don't see how I was unreasonable to think someone in the uniform in the middle of a shop I am in is going to be doing something to do with their work?! I.E. replacing stock not shopping!! If I walk into any shop and see someone in uniform am I seriously meant to check if they're on duty before shopping?!

OP posts:
Manumission · 10/10/2016 21:34

Yeah, yeah. You refuse to be told that you're unreasonable. We know. You said that days ago 🙄

Sparklingbrook · 10/10/2016 21:39

If they have a cage from the warehouse you can assume they are replacing stock. If they have a normal trolley it's quite likely they are shopping so best to check before helping yourself. Easy.

imwithspud · 10/10/2016 21:52

But I really don't see how I was unreasonable to think someone in the uniform in the middle of a shop I am in is going to be doing something to do with their work?!

It's already been established many times that you are not unreasonable to think this. The problem began when you thought it okay to just reach into someone else's trolley and take something without having the common decency to ask first. It's bizarre that you can't see where you went wrong in this situation.

Clearly these 'upmarket' supermarkets don't attract the type of customers that have basic manners.

SoupDragon · 10/10/2016 21:56

I'm confused. Your AIBU was not about your mistake in asuming she was putting stock out, it was that you think staff shouldn't be allowed to shop there.

fc301 · 10/10/2016 22:03
  1. u r embarrassed u inadvertently helped yourself to her shopping
  2. she was unacceptably rude to you
  3. she had hogged the reduced avocados But to answer your original Q, yes she is entitled to buy them. If this is Waitrose they have recently changed policy to encourage staff to buy reduced goods (at the end of their shift) this is for reasons both of profitability and ethics i.e. Not wanting any to be thrown away. Sorry I didn't RTFT
Lovewineandchocs · 10/10/2016 22:03

OP what do you mean "in that sort of branch you expect a better customer experience"? What exactly was wrong with your experience, aside from your own mistake?

SecretNutellaFix · 10/10/2016 22:16

If I walk into any shop and see someone in uniform am I seriously meant to check if they're on duty before shopping?

It's usually polite to ask. Especially if someone has their hands full with their purse, a sandwich, a drink, crisps and a yoghurt on their way to eat as quickly as they can because they only get a 15 minute break. OR maybe doing their own shopping? Pushing a trolley whilst looking for other items?

PortiaCastis · 10/10/2016 22:18

FFS fill in a complaint form and you'll get a voucher, probably enough to buy all the avocado mountain in the store at full price.
Dear Sir, one of your partners was shopping while in her highly stylish uniform. I have protested to Mumsnet !

SeparatedByMotorways · 10/10/2016 22:20

It might be time to stop digging, OP...

kali110 · 10/10/2016 23:55

Yes op, if you reach into someone's trolley, ask.
What do you want from this thread?
You only want to hear yanbu, which isn't happening ( also your aibu has changed since you got a lot of answers)
Retail workers need to shop for food too.
Just like customers they may not want to bring a coat with them just incase they feel like going shopping before/after/during a break.
Sometimes before work i nip to the shops. I don't plan it.
I don't always wear a coat.
Retail staff Are normal people.

DameXanaduBramble · 11/10/2016 10:20

op is tiresome. The member of staff must have had a bag of some sort denoting 'own time' ~ You missed out, build yourself a bridge and get over it.

badtime · 11/10/2016 13:41

OP, you say ' I really don't see how I was unreasonable to think someone in the uniform in the middle of a shop I am in is going to be doing something to do with their work'.

Fair enough, but you might want to read your first post again. You asked if you were unreasonable 'To think reduced supermarket goods are for customers not staff', which didn't acknowledge that staff can be customers, and YWBU to think that.

You also said 'Surely if she wants to do her own shopping she shouldn't be doing it in company uniform?', which is also unreasonable for the reasons many people have explained.

You can't really complain that people have responded to the questions you asked and not one you didn't. If you wanted the answer to the one about you assuming someone in uniform was working, you should have asked that one.

passingthrough1 · 11/10/2016 13:43

Went and bought avocados today .. couldnt stop thinking about it!

RubbishMantra · 12/10/2016 01:54

Me too Passing. And marie rose sauce and prawns

faffingturtle · 12/10/2016 06:13

Wow!
I think you made an understandable mistake.
That was a large amount of avacado. I imagine you were rushing and didn't quite ' get ' what was going on.
I haven't noticed you being rude on this thread either.Confused
Oh, and l have seen staff putting bits out using regular trollies in the past.
I can't believe how rude some posters have been.
Smile

HardcoreLadyType · 12/10/2016 07:11

This is for a bet, isn't it, OP?

You have made bet with someone about how many posts you can get on a MN thread about this mundane incident.

Well, this is another one for you.

What do you win, by the way? A small tub of Waitrose essentials guacamole? Wink

JassyRadlett · 12/10/2016 08:41

If I walk into any shop and see someone in uniform am I seriously meant to check if they're on duty before shopping?!

Yes. It takes a couple of seconds and a bit of decent manners. 'Are you putting these out on the shelves? Do you mind if I take one?'

Interacting politely with other people: surprisingly effective.

badtime · 12/10/2016 10:17

But faffing, what has that got to do with catloving 's OP?

That's not what she asked and that is not what posters reacted to.