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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my bag to be packed for me?

267 replies

Susanjeffery1984 · 10/04/2018 16:15

Not after a big shop but if you go to a stand up till with a few items and ask for a bag, would you expect your bag to be packed for you or at least asked if you would like to have it packed?
Before paying for bags came in I’m sure my bag was always packed for me.
A few times I’ve asked for a bag and one is been added to the pile of shopping without me even noticing, which leads to me shoving the items in so as not to hold up the queue.
Having worked in supermarkets, I would never have dreamed of just adding the bag to the shopping without packing the items. It’s not as though it adds anymore to the task.
Maybe etiquette has changed though.

OP posts:
Jaxhog · 10/04/2018 16:31

I've never had this offer. But my husband does.

In the US and Canada, it's automatic for the till assistant to pack for you.

Jaxhog · 10/04/2018 16:32

I should say, I'm in the UK.

timeisnotaline · 10/04/2018 16:33

Our Waitrose does it and I love it. When the sainsburies staff are pointedly sitting and waiting until I finish packing my bag while juggling children I definitely don’t hurry for them. They’d get to their next customer faster for offering a hand. (Some of them are lovely of course, bag packing is clearly not in their brief either)

OrangesAreLikeLemons · 10/04/2018 16:33

A basket full? I'm shocked you wouldn't expect to pack it yourself!
Is this a pisstake/joke thread?

Myl0w · 10/04/2018 16:35

Of course it adds more to the task! And it slows the cashier down so you’re still holding up shoppers. Either organise your shopping on the conveyor belt so it’s easy to put straight in or do the ones where you scan it yourself so you can pack it as you walk round the shop. I even do it for a few items but I’m an antisocial cow who would rather avoid the chitchat at the end of the till 😏.

It’s also possible to pack into bags at Aldi if you’re very organised and have the bags open ready in the trolley.

Idontbelieveinthemoon · 10/04/2018 16:35

I can't believe anyone would be so precious as to expect shopping packed for them unless they were unwell or the Queen.

If you're unable to use the hand basket tills without getting yourself in a state you should just shop online for everyone's sakes. Also, if you take your own reusable bag you wouldn't get yourself in a tizz.

Chrys2017 · 10/04/2018 16:36

Sainsbury's no longer offers to pack for you. I always declined anyway. I'd rather do it myself. If you do this in North America, they almost look offended!

Kissthealderman · 10/04/2018 16:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Susanjeffery1984 · 10/04/2018 16:38

I don’t think it makes their job any slower or harder.
They open a bag and put the items in as they ring it through. It is no different from placing it on the side.
I always did this for customers, regardless of how able they were.

I am genuinely surprised that so few of you have had his done for you. I still get it done quite a lot, hence noticing the change when it isn’t.

OP posts:
Catspaws · 10/04/2018 16:39

I wouldn't expect this at all. I've sometimes been asked if I want help to pack. I do think that's becoming less common but I think it is because it's more of a health and safety issue when people bring their own bags - I use a massive blue Ikea shopper because I like to beast all my groceries inside at once but I wouldn't ask anyone else to try and wrangle or lift it!

PattiStanger · 10/04/2018 16:39

I haven't heard of anyone expecting their bag to be packed but it is an automatic offer in the supermarkets I use. I've never heard a customer accept the offer.

Are you talking about UK supermarkets?

halfwitpicker · 10/04/2018 16:39

Yet another perk of living across the pond.

BringMeCoffeePlease · 10/04/2018 16:39

Contrary to what other posters believe, YANBU. It is basic customer service. Before the 5p bag charge, bags were packed automatically by the person serving and now they’re always just added to the shopping. A staff member working at a supermarket, big or small, isn’t just employed to scan items on a till, they’re being paid to provide customer service...i.e. helping the customer.

CastielIsMyAngel · 10/04/2018 16:39

Our local Asda almost always asks if you want a hand packing. I always refuse as I have my own system but I’ve seen them pack bags for (usually older) people that take up the offer

Graphista · 10/04/2018 16:41

Almostajill

That's partly to do with them being a German chain. That's the norm there, not just cultural but because most people there don't even use bags. They use crates (the kind that fold down) which they keep in the car for just such shopping so it's

Trolley-till-trolley-wheeled out-packed into crates in car.

Even people that don't have cars use the crates you can get little trolley frames they stack onto. A bit like the pic attached

To expect my bag to be packed for me?
Pinkvoid · 10/04/2018 16:41

My local Morrisons ask too but I decline because I am young and able bodied so perfectly capable of doing it myself!

I worked in Greggs as a student and honestly, when there was a queue to the door and I was working through it myself I did used to just hand people the bags so I could serve the next customer sometimes.

Noboozeforme · 10/04/2018 16:41

I think the OP is talking about the type of tills you would get in a express type supermarket and not in a large supermarket.

I wouldn't expect it, no but 99% of the time the cashier will pack the bag for me. There is little room on the till tops so in fairness it's just as easy to put the shopping straight into the bag. If I have 2 bags of shopping I do one while the cashier does the other.

I'm in London.

cjferg · 10/04/2018 16:42

I always bring my own bag.

But when someone else does pack mine they always seem to put the bread at the bottom with heavy tins and stuff on top so I refuse when offered.

HibbityBlibbity · 10/04/2018 16:43

In the supermarket it’s expected that you pack your own bag. But in a clothes shop for example I would expect them to put the items in a bag as they scan them. Providing you want a bag that is, obviously

flowerslemonade · 10/04/2018 16:44

they always pack mine without asking
in tesco
i never really thought anything of it
feel weird now!

Trinity66 · 10/04/2018 16:44

Contrary to what other posters believe, YANBU

Oh sorry about that

Blahdyblaah · 10/04/2018 16:45

I've worked in a supermarket and always asked the customers of they wanted help with packing. I'm actually enjoy packing and it adds a bit of variety to the beep beep of scanning. Most people just pack their own if they are able

Chickychoccyegg · 10/04/2018 16:45

Asda usually offer to help pack bags, as do co op, cant remember if tesco used to, they dont at the branch i shop in now - pretty sure if all shops used to offer help (u.k)

DeputyBrennan · 10/04/2018 16:45

I don’t know where you all live, but in the smaller supermarkets (Waitrose, Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express) I visit they ALWAYS pack for me and every other customer, unless they’re expressly asked not to. I’ve always assumed it’s because they’re busy stores, and it’s quicker for them to dump items in a bag as they scan rather than scan an item then hand it to the customer to pack at their own (probably more leisurely) pace.

mygrandchildrenrock · 10/04/2018 16:46

I always had my bags packed, at Tesco or Sainsburys until about 6 years ago, and then they stopped doing it automatically and started asking 'do you need help?' Almost implying something had to be wrong with you to get your bags packed.
I miss my bags being packed!