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AIBU?

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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:
ittakes2 · 10/04/2018 21:33

I also like to pack my own bags as I don’t like cleaning products in with fruit and veggies.

kimanda · 10/04/2018 22:24

Oddly, although I am OK to pack my bags myself when I do my food shopping, I have noticed that I hardly EVER get asked if I need any help packing my shopping anywhere now. Up to about a year ago, I was always asked, but very rarely am I asked now...

Don't see why some people are saying they don't want to wait while 'lazy people' have their stuff packed.... I fail to see how it slows the queue down any more than the customer packing it really. Indeed in some cases, it speeds it up, as some customers are SO SLOW at packing.

Though I do like the superspeediness of Aldi and Lidl who make you whip it all in your trolley and then fuck off and pack it up the corner! Grin

AndhowcouldIeverrefuse · 10/04/2018 22:57

I am in the UK... not only till staff routinely ask if you want help with your packing - sometimes they offer elderly or fragile people to take their shopping to the car.

I thought it was just normal people showing normal politeness to other normal people. Judging from the general tone of this thread I must live in a parallel world.

OldHag1 · 10/04/2018 23:02

Before the bag charge they did ask if you wanted help packing now it’s a case of scanning everything and throwing it into the packing area as soon as they can. I hate it so I use the self scanners.

Lovesabadboy · 10/04/2018 23:22

Susan ...YANBU - I definitely understand what you are trying to explain!

Before the 5p charge, if you were in, say Superdrug, for example...the person at the till would automatically open a bag and place things in straight after scanning them.

Now, you are asked if you want a bag...handed the bag...they just scan (more rapidly because they are now not packing at the same time) and you are left with a pile of goods that you are frantically trying to pack, normally whilst they just stand and watch you do it!
Likewise, if you have your own bag...the goods get speedily scanned into a pile next to the till, whilst you try to chuck them all in to your bag to keep up with them.
Now I know that this happens, I do not hurry to keep up any more...if I have to pack my bag/pay for my bag or bring my own, it will get at my own pace!!

I noticed this straight away after the paying for /taking your own bag rule came in and was a little miffed about it and wonder how elderly people manage without a little bit of help.

This is not something that happens so much at supermarkets, but definitely in a lot of places where there is 'counter' service.

IMO you are not unreasonable or precious/Princessy!!

Onecutefox · 10/04/2018 23:26

I now use scan as you go and immediately pack my own stuff. Saves time.

JessieMcJessie · 10/04/2018 23:28

it’s not as though it adds any more to the task

Eh? Instead of just scanning they are scanning and packing, so it adds packing to the task!

What else do you have to do while the checkout operator is scanning?

Willowfrost · 10/04/2018 23:33

I worked on the tills at Sainsbury's 15 odd years ago when they first started offering to pack bags. People would expect me to put through the tills £150/£200 worth of shopping and stand and watch while I packed it too !

Onecutefox · 10/04/2018 23:43

People would expect me to put through the tills £150/£200 worth of shopping and stand and watch while I packed it too !

Probably those kind of people who would give tips to a takeaway delivery driver.

RedWineAllMine · 11/04/2018 00:11

You do just shove your items in the bag yourself to get out of the way, that's the norm. I wouldn't dream of thinking it should be packed for me. However sometimes I do get asked if I'm ok with my packing, that secretly means the cashier hopes that you say yes you're ok by the way! They are busy enough trying to get the que down without doing someone's packing aswell. If it's a small basket full you are more than capable of packing it yourself, unless disabled or something of course.
I dare you to ask Aldi/Lidl to pack your bags....😂

afishnotabird · 11/04/2018 00:36

I work on checkouts, but am 99% of the time a self serve wrangler. I'm rubbish on the real checkouts, and if I have to pack a bag as well, we're there for hours. I don't mind, and it's nice for a wee chat, but it's definitely not as quick as sliding the item down to the customer who's packing.

Lacucuracha · 11/04/2018 00:47

it’s not as though it adds any more to the task

Yeah, still not buying that you've worked in a supermarket, OP. You don't have a clue.

Smallhorse · 11/04/2018 00:59

Only if you are the queen

Kokeshi123 · 11/04/2018 01:11

It is common in the US. It is connected with the way labor markets work there. There is little in the way of employee protection legislation, minimum wages are low or non-existent and it is very easy and cheap to hire and fire. This means that the US economy tends to generate a lot of low-paid service jobs that don't really exist in other countries (bag packing, car valets, people who usher you about at the theater etc.). It's one of the reason why the US is better at integrating unskilled immigrants quickly (but also has more wage inequality).

Somewhere like Sweden or France is the oppositevery good worker protections and it's expensive to hire and to fire, so these little jobs get automated and self-service-d or people just learn to do without them (go through an airport in Sweden and seriously, you do most of the work yourself, moving through one self-service scanner after another. The shift to electronic money and away from cash in Sweden is part of this trend). This results in much better wage equality across society-and also makes it very difficult for immigrants with hardly any skills to get their foot on the job ladder, resulting in ghettoization.

Different economies are good and bad at different things.

The UK is somewhere in the middle.

Kokeshi123 · 11/04/2018 01:12

Movie theater (cinema) I meant, not theater!

Lweji · 11/04/2018 02:20

"People would expect me to put through the tills £150/£200 worth of shopping and stand and watch while I packed it too !"

Probably those kind of people who would give tips to a takeaway delivery driver.

What?
Do you mean, wouldn't give tips?

0h · 11/04/2018 02:43

I used to work in Safeway (showing my age!) and we were told to always ask if the customer would like help in packing.

I actually still get asked most of the time but I have an obvious physical disability so only the very unobservant or very grumpy don't ask.

I'm surprised it's not still part of the cashiers training.

Ractify · 11/04/2018 03:53

I'm not in the UK, and am amazed reading this.....

The only shops that don't pack your shopping into bags for you here are Aldi and if you go through a self-checkout.

Every shop/supermarket I have ever been to (except Aldi) has a system where the customer unloads the trolley onto the conveyor belt, the (standing) cashier scans and packs into bags (either theirs or ours we bring along and give to them). They then place the packed bags onto the end section of the checkout. We lift the bags back into the trolley.

I have never, ever, seen anyone pack their own bags in my usual shops. You couldn't with the way it is set up. I didn't realise it was even a thing people did until Aldi opened here and there were stories about the "Aldi way" of shopping/packing and that their cashiers sat down!

😳

FASH84 · 11/04/2018 04:12

I shop in Waitrose, m and s and Aldi. None offer to pack for me. I have devised a system involving specific sturdy bags for categories of items, and careful pavement on the conveyor belt that means I can keep up with the Aldi check out. Just. Extra large items; toilet rolls or bunches of flowers do go at the end and just get thrown on top of the trolly to be fair. It's like a sport. DH came grocery shopping a few weeks ago when I hurt my back (I don't usually take him he distracts me and we spend more) and I left him to pack at Aldi. I've never seen someone look more terrified, there was stuff everywhere, we had to walk away and repack Grin

Bekabeech · 11/04/2018 07:36

Ractify - are you in the US?

Because in the UK - there are no free bags. They cost at least 5p per bag, and it has done a brilliant job of cutting down on plastic and plastic litter.
Supermarkets are very busy, but then the taxes are expensive so they need to be to make a profit. They also try to cut down on staff to the minimium - so staff try to get as many customers through as fast as possible. And most customers are fine with this.
The same is true of most European countries I know. Belgium and France for certain needed you to provide or buy your own bags before England did.

FrancisCrawford · 11/04/2018 07:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

youarenotkiddingme · 11/04/2018 07:50

My local co op staff pack the bag if they ask me and say I want one.

I remember the days check out staff packed bags. It's not like that now and I would t expect it. I was also drive me mad as they wouldn't pack it right Grin

I do t expect people in small shops to pack for me if I buy a bag but I've more often than not have them do it without thinking.

SargeantAngua · 11/04/2018 07:51

If you bring your own and passed it to them, that would be odd and rude.

Eek, I usually do that! I am ill and use a mobility scooter though - does that and politeness make it ok? I hope so! I often get a couple of things from the Tesco express e.g. yesterday it was 2L milk and a bunch of bananas. Shopping will be in my scooter basket, my bag will be underneath it. I lift shopping onto the side, person scans it, I hand up bag and say "please could you/would you mind..." then fiddle with card or cash while they pack for me. It's much easier for me that way. They don't seem to mind...

jellycat1 · 11/04/2018 07:56

Yanbu

Lacucuracha · 11/04/2018 09:55

Because in the UK - there are no free bags. They cost at least 5p per bag, and it has done a brilliant job of cutting down on plastic and plastic litter.

The 5p per bag rule only applies to business with more than 250 people I think (from memory).

So independents/small businesses still give free bags.

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