To think reduced supermarket goods are for customers not staff?

[catlovingdoctor]

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!

But then again, she was in uniform and it looked like she was moving stock around. I don't see how it was unreasonable to assume she was engaged in some aspect of her job.

No it's not unreasonable at all however it is unreasonable and rude to help yourself to someone's trolley without asking.

I don't think I'm "above" shop workers at all?? That's a really horrible thing to say.

I got that impression from the thread title, as well as your first post. The stock is there for customers not staff rather makes it sound like you believe she isn't entitled to shop there like you are.

Easy to make that mistake if she was in uniform OP. But I can't see why she shouldn't be allowed to have them tbh.

Maybe it wasn't actually her shopping, but she was just sick to the back teeth of vultures taking things before she's even had a chance to put them on a shelf?

So if she was in uniform she should have deferred to your superior status as the customer?

There has to be some perks to a min wage job especially when they have to deal with the ridiculous entitled customers all the live long day.

Call 101

20 avocados is hardly a trolley full, slight exaggeration much? Either way you must know you're being ridiculous OP.

I often watch people's shopping on the belt and am amazed by what they buy. Fifteen cans of beans and a pack of pitta bread. I just think, WTF??

instantly I dread people like you on the days I have a box of cat food and two bottles of prosecco . It's not bad - I observe people's shopping too. What else is there to do at the checkout?

I see supermarket employees doing their shopping in their uniform all the time. Their shift is over. They can buy whatever the fuck they want, in whatever quantity they want.

Also, supermarket employees are customers too. They need to eat just like the rest of us.

Aww op is getting a hard time I don't think she meant offence . Supermarket near me has some crazy reductions before it closes with food that is on the date . I often see the staff grabbing a few bargains ( while still on shift) Don't blame them one bit ! Even though secretly I'm jealous they manage first dibs

You say not wearing uniform might have helped this, but not always. I was out for dinner in my workplace wearing a white top and black skirt. This happened to be the same colours as the work uniform but I can assure you my boss would have sent me straight home had I come to work wearing a skirt that short or a top that tight, it was nothing like the actual uniform. Anyway, a guy stopped me and asked me to replace his meal for him, I said politely, "oh I'm not working" and he said very rudely "well you look like you are!".

16-20 avocados is not "literally a trolley full". That's not even a basket.

I had a mental image of a woman pushing a giant trolley of avocados round the supermarket, like one of those crazy people in maths problems.

Stacy is buying 1000 avocados. One avocado is normally £0.75 but today there is a 80% reduction. Stacy has £100. After buying the avocados, what does Stacy have?

A problem. Stacy has an avocado problem.

Why is it odd to have a large quantity of avocados or other food stuff in your shopping trolley. Don't people give dinner parties any more? Cater for societies? Organise church events?

When I was an undergraduate, we ran a regular event which involved my and my friends cooking for 40+ people. Not sure we ran to avocados, but I can assure you we filled more than one trolley.

I still can't get over the title of your OP. Reminds of that scene in Downton when the footmen sit down in the armchairs. The horror!

OP, fyi:

a servant is always a servant

a shopworker becomes a customer at the end of her shift

Obviously the supermarket worker would have no friends or family that might appreciate a reduced avocado being given to them.

OP, you say you don't think you are above shop workers, yet at no point have you acknowledged that a shop worker shopping in a shop is as much a customer as anyone else.

The uniform is a green and grey and white red herring.

And you shouldn't post on AIBU and then say 'I refuse to be told I am being unreasonable!' and then wonder why people think you're being an arse.

Supermarket employees aren't necessarily going to be on a massive wage, so as are entitled to ship for bargains as anyone. YABU

When my XP worked at Waitrose and M&S, there were actually special reductions in the staff room especially for staff, and they usually much better and cheaper than the 'customer' reductions!

Of course staff are entitled to purchase reduced goods, just as they are entitled to purchase anything else. I think the weird attitude of reduced products as being some kind of coveted prize is what drives people to absolute insanity in the pursuit of such items!

I'd say she had at least 8-10 packs of avocados, each with 2 in them. So 20 avocados...lord knows what she was going to do with them. So it's no longer a "trolley full" then, op?

Perhaps she was having a Mexican night, or making face masks...doesn't actually matter, she has a right to buy food!

Other than that, UABU and petty. They are avocados!! Hardly rare items.

When my XP worked at Waitrose and M&S, there were actually special reductions in the staff room especially for staff, and they usually much better and cheaper than the 'customer' reductions!

I think this is right. A Waitrose staff member told me they get some good bargains on reduced food. And they should.

If a member of staff in full uniform is in the veg section with a "trolley load" of one item, then I think it's reasonable to assume that she/he is restocking that item.

What's unreasonable is your reaction when you found out she was shopping, which should have been:

"oops, terribly sorry!"

rather than

"omg how DARE you shop in your uniform I am going straight to mumsnet with this!!"

some hi viz jackets with 'Shopping not Working' on them. grin

That sounds like an anti-capitalist protest of some sort sparkling 🙂

I used to work in a high end department store, of course the staff get first pick of the sale!! That's one of the only perks of working in retail for minimum wage!!

In that case I apologise for jumping to conclusions OP but I'm afraid, as Steff said, that is very much how your first post came across, and is an attitude seen regularly.

Personally, had I been in your situation, I would have been mortified that I'd reached into get someone's shopping, even though it was an honest mistake. I wouldn't have looked for reasons as to why that shopper was at fault, I'd have just been embarrassed. But maybe that's because I work in retail and I know exactly the sort of behaviour retail workers have to endure every single day.

Reasonable, polite people would be horrified at the stories every retail worker would be able to share, I assure you, so maybe cut her some slack for shopping in her uniform. At the end of a shift we're normally tired and fed up and I am normally in a huge rush. I wouldn't have time to get changed. And my uniform includes a fleece jacket - to put a coat on top would be far too warm and I have tried using a cardigan or jumper as others have suggested and I can assure you it doesn't work. People still assume you're on shift.