Supermarket divider, is this a thing now?

[Whatshallidonowpeople]

I was in the supermarket yesterday, put my shopping on the belt, by the time I'd finished loading it the cashier had started scanning. Got to the end and there was a loaf of bread, he asked if it was mine, I said no. The woman behind me said "she didn't put the divider up so I left it" and then as I left, i heard her say "I refused to do it on principle as she (me) hadn't done it for her." Is that really a thing? She wasn't in the queue when I unloaded.

Oh yes, it’s DEFINITELY, a thing these days. Especially at Aldi.

I’ve noticed people get extremely passive aggressive about it. I feel it’s a bit rude to reach over the person in front of me and their shopping if there is no divider near me so I wait until the person in front’s shopping has passed down a bit and the divider is closer to reach so I can then place it behind my shopping.

The amount of times the person behind me has huffed and reached over both me and the person in front to snatch the divider and slam it down pointedly is ridiculous. I’ve experienced disgusted looks from them and even passive aggressive “You’re welcomes”. The divider thing is clearly a huge issue in some people’s lives. Have to say, in my experience it’s always been middle aged men.

IDGAF. I think it’s a very petty thing to get angry about and suspect the kind of people that get upset about it are always angry about something or other or looking for ways in which to judge and criticise other people. I just don’t have time for that. It kills my Zen.

WTH. Some people are just dicks aren't they?! I don't always put the divider up if there's nobody behind me.

Perfectlysymmetricakbuttocks I just smile sweetly and say “I think I’m going to need a little more room for my shopping, I’ve still got quite a bit left in my trolley.” They usually look a bit embarrassed and push their’s back and apologise. I always reassure them there is no harm done and say thanks and there we go - everyone is happy, no harm done.

I think they aren’t aware that they’re shoving their stuff on the belt before the person in front has finished. It’s an auto-pilot thing, caused by a culture in which we are no longer used to having to wait for anything anymore.

I think the speed of the checkouts at Aldi (IMO, a good thing) leads to all kinds of strange panicky reactions. A woman had a huff at me because I started to put some stuff on the conveyor belt, when she hadn't finished. I could see VERY clearly that she had only a small basket of stuff, and I left feet of room for it. She had bags of space left by the time she had finally got everything on there - like, well over a foot and a half spare. I guess some people just can't judge spatial stuff very well. They're probably shit at packing a suitcase too!

Divider politics are ridiculous. Honestly, we live in a world where so much bad shit happens, why do we need to manufacture more non-reasons for a huff?

I usually put the divider up, but sometimes don't. Usually the person in front of me does, but not always. I just add the appropriate divider if required with no fuss. Life is too short to worry about such minor things. She must be a very sad person.

I hardly ever put a divider at the end of my shopping. It just doesn't occur to me to do it & normally I'm too busy up the front packing shopping.

Also I like watching the people behind me squirm awkwardly and then I realise they won't put their shopping up as there is no divider after my shopping - gee the Brits are hilariously passive & helpless sometimes.

If I can see the person in front of me has finished putting their shopping up and they haven't put a divider up, I just leave a gap and start putting my shopping up. If I can reach a divider I'll put it up. Sometimes they will. Its no big deal.

@MargoLovebutter your shopping experience sounds far too stressful!

This is so British, I love it!

Divider politics

made my day!!

Shady I generally push them back and carry on unloading. 😂

pig people never leave enough space for me when I have an overflowing trolley, also, it's like it's passive aggressively saying, "hurry up!" I get nervous and shaky when people rush me, a woman behind me once accused me of dropping all my bank cards, loyalty cards etc on purpose. No, it was because she was making me nervous.

I still put the divider down the wrong way round on the vanishingly small off-chance that the person behind me is a MNer who remembers an ancient thread about it.

I always look out for people that do this but have never seen any and like Empress I would never have the guts to do it myself

It WAS aldi

I came here thinking it was going to be the old perpendicular divider thing again. Meh, it's a non-issue, I tend to put one after my shopping if they're all kept near the cashier as it's easier for me to reach, but some people are already waiting with one clutched to place down the second I've arranged my last item. Am off to T-rex and smash some lemon drizzle cakes in the bakery aisle instead now.

perfectly - that's different. If there isn't enough space, it's causing a problem for the person in front, which is inconsiderate. But nothing wrong with unloading simultaneously if there's plenty of room.

Hang on, it was Aldi? In that case all bets are off, everyone knows Aldi has special etiquette rules you must follow at all costs otherwise the system breaks down and anarchy reigns. Shame on you OP.

I leave a big gap then put mine on, then worry about the gap and try to shuffle everything along which is pointless. The belt is moving.

A couple of weeks ago someone had put the divider and their shopping on while I still had half a trolley left to put on!
I wasn't pushed for time so I just waited till the checkout woman though I had finished then I handed her my stuff one at a time while apologising for not being able to fit it on!
My DC said I should quit the passive aggressive stuff but sometimes it's amusing!

They also said I should stop putting divider on vertically but peoples reactions can be funny!

We will do anything to avoid talking to strangers in Britain won't we!?

No divider where there should be- I just say "can you pass the bar please?", or "OK if I start loading on?" leaving a meaningful gap. I'm not usually ignored.

I'm amazed at the amount of huffing and funny looks and inferred insults on supermarket threads.

ChestOfFields to you, I would hope that's exactly what I would've done in that situation. Brilliant.

OP That person was clearly quite bizarre with too much time on her hands to be bothered by that. But as some pp have said, you should always put up a divider after you if there's one there! It's just polite

In the supermarket i go to it is normal for you to put a divider down when you arrive with your trolley (Morrisons and in Scotland in case that makes any difference). I have never put a divider down while my stuff is being scanned and after unloading my goods. How weird that people get the hump about this!

I have to admit I don't put a divider when the supermarker is quiet, just for the fun of winding people up
I mean, when there are only one or two customers at each register you c just leave a gap before putting your shopping on the belt. Worse case scenario, the cashier might talk to you (shock horror!) to confirm if your items are yours...

that level of pettiness would have made my day.

The vertical divider! OMG that is brilliant Chest. I'm having that.

Last time I was at Lidl a man just had a pint of milk behind me so I asked if he wanted to go ahead of me and he ignored me then complained to the check out assistant that I hadn't let him in. Just imagine being him........

love we have four pages of this.exactly what I needed to giggle to today
aldi checkouts scare me.they are so quick. special rules indeed!
the people on the till at our don't hald get assy if you cant keep up either.