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AIBU?

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Original poster

Supermarket etiquette

63 replies

Picklesandpies · 27/09/2017 12:37

I've just been into Lidl to do my food shopping. Very quiet. Got to checkouts with my trolley full of food - joined queue with only one person in front so nearly done, the next checkout didn't have anyone queuing but a man with a big basket of shopping came behind me. I was only a third of the way through loading my shopping onto the conveyor belt when he started loading his own on! As you will know if you shop in Lidl, they aren't long conveyor belts, so I ended up with a tiny space to fit the rest of my shopping on - things were falling off because I was having to balance them on top of my other items! I apologised to the checkout assistant and he said 'I'm trying to make you some more space' - not that it was his fault of course. I put all my food into my trolley, without packing it in the bags so I was quick checking out. As I was stood at the side packing my food into bags the other man paid and when he was finished I said (politely and in a non aggressive manner) - 'excuse me, but would you mind not putting your things on the conveyor belt before I've finished unloading mine as it's makes it really difficult'. His answer was 'Well if you stacked it better then I wouldn't need to would I?' I replied that that was rude and rather arrogant, and he just said I was rude for telling him what to do. Surely by him loading his items on really close to mine that's being rather prescriptive over how I can load my own items on? The woman next to me said 'well said' and that she would have felt the same as me but AIBU in thinking that you just fucking wait for someone else to load their things on before you start with your own? Why cause unnecessary pressure?!

Disclaimer - I know this is a very first world problem, sorry!

OP posts:
Silverthorn · 27/09/2017 13:07

I think you need to start shopping in sainsbos. That would never happen there. Wink
He was an arse. I would have said something at the time and then deliberately slowed down and had a good long chat with the assistant.

Original poster
Picklesandpies · 27/09/2017 13:07

Barabraofseville - that would have been a perfect way to address it at the time! And no, I don't understand his logic at all - it wouldn't have been any quicker! Him putting his things on like that actually had the opposite effect to the one he was presumably hoping for!

OP posts:
ShatterResistantRuler · 27/09/2017 13:08

You're weird to have said it after the fact.

guilty100 · 27/09/2017 13:08

It depends how long the belt is. In this case, of course he was rude - he made a mistake on how much space you needed. However, at an Aldi or Lidl with long checkouts, it's fine for 2 people to unload at once.

WishfulThanking · 27/09/2017 13:09

Happens a lot in Aldi HmmI've not seen it anywhere else (but don't shop at Lidl).

I usually snap that I haven't finished loading , but it happens so often that I had started wondering if I was the one being unreasonable, so I'm glad you posted, Op!

Original poster
Picklesandpies · 27/09/2017 13:11

There's always one Smile If you'd have been there you might have understood why I said it afterwards (even if I'd been braver). Lidl isn't the place to start any sort of interactions in the queue. My shopping had already started to be scanned and was building up at the other end.

I love Sainsburys by the way but there isn't one near here sadly.

OP posts:
kittyhello · 27/09/2017 13:12

YANBU This is one of my pet hates. I had a woman in Aldi yesterday pushing my shopping further down the conveyor belt so she could squeeze hers on. I asked her politely not to touch my shopping and proceeded to pushed it back to create more space. I told her there was no hurry and I'm sure the shop assistant would wait a few moments before I loaded everything. She didn't but that's a different matter!

AuntLydia · 27/09/2017 13:15

It really isn't guilty, unless you know for sure the person doesn't need all the space. I do a big family shop and need all the conveyor belt in lidl/aldi - and that's with stacking stuff carefully on top of each other. Plus, as a previous poster pointed out you don't really gain anything by jumping the gun and sticking your stuff on simultaneously.

BarbaraofSevillle · 27/09/2017 13:16

Thinking about it, he might have expected you to let him go first if you had a lot and he only had a basket, as that seems to be the expectation in Aldi and Lidl.

If I have 1-3 items and there is someone with a big trolley in front, I might ask to go in front or hope they would offer anyway and I might offer if I'm the one with the big trolley and there is someone waiting with a couple of items. But you say he had a 'big basket' which means he should wait his turn really.

The checkout person once asked me if I would let their mate (they were chatting while I was loading up so I assume they knew each other) go in front of me because they only had 3 things and I said no because I only had about 10 things myself and I had already waited behind a couple of faffers with big trolleys who packed their bags at the till and not particularly quickly so I said 'sorry, no I've already been waiting ages'.

Original poster
Picklesandpies · 27/09/2017 13:17

I wouldn't want someone touching my shopping either! Can imagine bread being squashed up against tins of beans ConfusedHonestly, why can't people just be polite and wait their turn? I wish I could be as confident as some of you. I was hard to pluck up the courage to say what I did!

OP posts:
guilty100 · 27/09/2017 13:18

AuntLydia - I'm not a raving idiot. I'm talking about situations where it's obvious the person doesn't need all the space. It's not fucking rocket science to estimate it!

AddictedtoSnickers · 27/09/2017 13:21

Never stand behind your trolley to unload in Aldi....always infront of it so the trolley blocks off a big chunk of the belt!

AuntLydia · 27/09/2017 13:21

Erm OK. Not sure it's really worth getting quite that angry about is it?!

Ropsleybunny · 27/09/2017 13:24

What really annoyed me in Lidl, was when someone with two items pushed past everyone else in the queue. Why do these people think it's ok to queue jump? A couple of us in the queue also had only two items. Unfortunately this was in Spain and the queue jumpers were German, so arguing the toss wasn't happening.

ShatterResistantRuler · 27/09/2017 13:29

how do you think your items get onto the shelves...spoiler...someone touches them! Stop being so delicate and get on with life? Grin

HippadoppaloppaGammeldag · 27/09/2017 13:30

A lady did the exact same to me in LIDL once. I told her I hadn't finished and she got snippy with me! Said "you won't need that space." I asked her how she knew that and she snapped "oh ok, I'll wait then." I don't get why people do it either. Just wait, like a normal person.

Original poster
Picklesandpies · 27/09/2017 13:30

He had a basket overflowing with items (probably have been better with a small trolley.) I always offer to let people go in front if they really do only have a couple of things and have loads. As I was busy unloading onto the conveyor belt I didn't really clock what he was doing until he'd already dumped quite a few things on there. And the fact I had a trolley full of items would have left him in no doubt as to the space I needed.

OP posts:
Medeci · 27/09/2017 13:30

Really pointless to say something afterwards, it looks like you just want to start a row. You're very unlikely to be in front of him at the checkout again.

Topseyt · 27/09/2017 13:32

Of course he was rude and presumptuous.

If it ever happens again though, remember that the time to speak up is at the time of the event, not afterwards.

Just say something like "Wait please, I'll let you know when I have finished as there isn't room for both sets of shopping". Then don't engage further. If they try to argue then ask the cashier to tell them to wait their turn properly.

Original poster
Picklesandpies · 27/09/2017 13:36

I think, Shatter, that it's more a case of having carefully loaded your things on in some order (frozen, cold, heavy, light) so things don't get squashed and then having someone shove it all up that would be annoying. It would for me anyway. And it's the principle of - that food is about to be paid for by me, please don't touch it and I won't touch yours!

OP posts:
Original poster
Picklesandpies · 27/09/2017 13:36

Good advice Topsey

OP posts:
Saracen · 27/09/2017 13:39

YABU for saying anything after the fact. The moment had been lost. If you don't have the nerve to correct him as he's starting to cause a problem, it's too late to chastise him afterward. That transforms his annoying gaffe into a Serious Issue, which in turn makes you look a little unhinged.

cantfindname · 27/09/2017 13:40

This is one of my pet hates. It's happened twice in our local Tesco in the last few months. Yes, I most definitely say something at the time, usually politely and then get a mouthful of abuse from the offender.

Even the checkout lady asked one to stop and he mouthed off at her as well!

I am going to position OH at the front of the conveyor so no one can get past him, excellent idea, thank you.

Original poster
Picklesandpies · 27/09/2017 13:43

I will definitely say something at the time if it happens again. Point taken Smile

OP posts:
Yerkgurl · 27/09/2017 13:53

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