Bag Packers!

[Christinedunne]

I don't know about you but when I go shopping I'm really super particular about how I pack my trolley and my bags, like proper OCD about it! I let a charity backpacker pack my bags during my last shop and I had 2 broken eggs, a squashed crisp multipack an bread loaf that had literally been flattened! I didn't say anything but WIBU to insist on packing my own bags? Making sure breakables and squashables stay on top?

I always say no thanks to bag packers.

I prefer to pack my own bags too.

However, it's hardly difficult. Just say "Thanks, but I'm fussy and like to pack my own bags, but I'll put some money in your pot." And then pop in 20p or whatever. Job done.

I prefer to pack mine to but I give them money. Im doing a bag pack with my DH nad a DS and a few friends soon to raise money for asthma research so I suspect we ill get this a lot, however my DS is 15 and even he knew at the last one not to pack tins etc on top of bread.

I always say no thank you.

YWNBU, too many squished mozzarella balls and Tayto packs in the past

I just say no thanks then chuck some coins in the bucket, anyhow.

I don't like to pack my own bags but unfortunately staff in Britain are rubbish at packing bags so I always end up doing it myself. It's very annoying, it's not that hard to get right.

I am an excellent bag packer. No squashed items and bags get packed into bathroom/chemical type stuff and not with food.

However this is not the way everyone wants to have theirs done.

We bag pack with the cubs and it is thankless. Not worth the effort sometimes. I have taught many a cub the 'correct' way to pack.

I pay them not to pack.

Bag packing is usually an excellent fundraiser for our Guides and Rangers- it normally brings in a fair amount, it is a way of raising money that isn't just the parents sponsoring their own children, the children have to put in the effort not just have things handed to them on a plate and it is a way of publicising what we do (we have a display board up).
we do go through "how to pack a bag " first, and make sure they ask politely and keep out of the way if the answer is "no".

So, thank you for the donations, even if you don't need any help. It will help us ensure all our girls will be able to attend a large international camp this summer, whatever their parents financial situation.

I also say “no thanks” and if it’s a charity I’d like to support (it usually is) then I put some small change in their collection.

I hate supermarket bag packers. I will donate to the charity if I support it but find some of the children and adults very persistent if I don’t and it’s really irritating.

How about asking the bag packers to collect up all of one particular thing such as the veg, or the fridge stuff, or the frozen food if you are doing a biggish shop? Then just give them a small donation. At least then you can deal with the more fragile groceries yourself. They are only trying to fundraise, many of these groups are run by volunteers or the group contributes to the the community in some way (even if it doesn't directly benefit yourself, the good they do often benefits others).

I don't understand why people would be made angry by bag packers, unless they were messing around and not packing properly or being really persistent.

I give money, but say no thanks, to the packing.

". I will donate to the charity if I support it"

They are very often local clubs, trying to ease money for uniforms etc, so often aren't known about except by the family of the members. In disadvantaged areas that makes it difficult to get enough funds.

My DDs SEN school raised enough to create a garden they could plant in etc.

The Supermarkets have at least a year waiting list.

I do a lot of bag packs with different groups. Many people say no thanks but give us something, many don’t give at all. Plus supermarkets always make sure there is at least one packer free checkout to save any embarrassment, all of which is fine . I’ve always found most people are really nice and often chat to the young people concerned. If you don’t want them to help it’s really not a problem to say so .

I understand the need to fundraise, and that shaking buckets in a supermarket is probably a good way to do it, but what's with the bag packing? Who thought that was a good idea?

Almost no-one likes it, mostly because they often make such a hash of it and most people want to pack their bags in a certain way so there's no attraction in someone else doing it for them.

It is a way to raise money, but you don't have to accept it if you don't want to.

I organised a bag pack at Tesco for my DD and her friends who needed to raise some money for their school. Some people took the help, others didn't. There was no pressure. Some who didn't want their bags packed still have a donation anyway. All as you like it. No pressure.

I actually doubt that bag packs are actually the money raiser they once might have been due to the rise of self scan and self service tills, as people will have packed their own bags as they have gone along.

I understand people being fussy about how their bags are packed. I am too.

One of my favourite things about living in the USA is that most of the supermarkets pack your bags for you.

And these are professional Bag packers, so they pack really well and extremely quickly.

Last time I was visiting Home I stood there in the supermarket feeling very sad that I had to pack for myself. I’d have loved a guide or a little footballer to pack for me!

I usually donate but explain I'm a fussy bugger and pack myself. I've talked to some lovely kids and young adults and think it's a great thing for them to do

I don't like having my bags packed but, if I had a laden trolley and I am by myself, I have sometimes found it useful to ask the would-be bag packer if they will unload my trolley on to the conveyor belt and then I can concentrate on the packing myself.

averylongtimeago Your Guides sound very well organized but not all groups are like that. Sometimes when I have politely declined the offer I find the packers still hang around at the end of the till getting in the way and the collecting bucket itself takes up space that my bags could be using.

They have charity bag packers in our local Sainsbury’s quite a lot.
They really annoy me.i heardly ever have any cash on me anyway (not that I would like them squishing my shopping if I did)
So I always say “no thank you” , but they just stay there taking up the valuable space where I normally put my trolley,so my trolly either ends up a couple foot away from the end of the conveyor which is bloody annoying and takes longer to pack the bags into,or I have to keep the trolley at the side and try to pack with so little room and get in the way of others on the next till.
I wish they would just stand out of the way if you say no!