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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to get really irritated by Aldi opening and closing tills?

148 replies

flitwit99 · 10/03/2019 15:47

I was only in 15 minutes and they must have opened and closed till number 5 about 4 times. Then they opened till number 6. But then closed it again once it has served one person. Drives me insane.

OP posts:
ChelsHL · 10/03/2019 17:08

If you are slow, it means the person on till has to be on till longer, perhaps even open another till, which is then preventing two members of staff from being on the shop floor. Those members of staff can then not stock the store, which will mean others have more to do or it just won't get done. There will be offsales and generally the company will be losing out on money. Basically if you are slow it has knock on effects that entitled people do not realise. Use the packing bench or expect a mark up in prices to accomodate stubborn people.

Sparklingbrook · 10/03/2019 17:08

I don't much like the way they bark 'CASH OR CARD?' at you while you still have the last item they scanned in your hand.

Aldi used to sell the only decent cat litter so I would go for that but even that's not the same now.

rubyroot · 10/03/2019 17:10

I work for Aldi, so I shall explain. Aldi prices are so low as they employ minimal staff (but pay superbly for a supermarket), who then do ALL of the work in the store. We have to open a new till when queues get to a certain length, and close that till when the tills have died down a bit.

Disagree that this is how it HAS to be. Jacks has same/similar prices and do not have to queue or have my shopping thrown at me. Aldis and Lidl across the pond do not operate in this way. It can't be the wages either as I know loads of staff have moved from Aldis to Jacks- if the pay was worse I don't think this would have happened

Littlebelina · 10/03/2019 17:10

Soupdragon I took my basket to the end of the till once (so I could pack on the shelf)and got a "you know you are not allowed to take that out of the store!" from the member of staff serving me. But packing at the tills seems to be the norm at our lidl for some reason

Pinkbells · 10/03/2019 17:11

I went to Aldi for the first time recently as one opened nearby, and was surprised that you're meant to double handle everything by packing it in your trolley then packing it again elsewhere. Crazy, but I realise they are trying to be speedy so I just have my bags open in the basket and put each thing in the right bag as I go. Saves the extra time!

RussellSprout · 10/03/2019 17:13

@gamerwidow No need for me to desperately backtrack, I don't have to justify my packing speed to you or anyone else. I did use the word 'deliberately' in my first post, what I meant by this is that I won't be forced into packing at an abnormal speed so I deliberately take my time and don't rush.

If Aldi are not happy with this they are welcome to come up with some other initiatives such as scan and pay, or some way of enabling you to pack straight into the basket from the till (as the basket would be on floor level there's a bit of a drop!), or even prevent shoppers from packing in this way if they really don't like it but seeing as they haven't yet done this I can only surmise that it's not that much of a deal breaker for them.

SrSteveOskowski · 10/03/2019 17:13

I always go to till 6. That's where the hot staff member usually is ;)

rubyroot · 10/03/2019 17:14

The fruit and veg are fucking shit too. Potatoes always rotten. The only thing I go in there for that I can't get in Jacks are pork chops (the nice thick ones) and free range chicken. Also do cheap Hardy's wine

TheQueef · 10/03/2019 17:17

I like Jack's Ruby if you can be flexible it's a steal.

Jackshouse · 10/03/2019 17:21

I love the speedy tills. I always pick a till with a bit of a queue so I can put my 3 large shopping bags in the trolley before they start scanning my shopping and then I can chuck it in the bag as I scan.

I like to aim for a personal best for shopping time. From door to door I can do it in about 40 mins.

LateToTheParty · 10/03/2019 17:21

YANBU! We have a new Aldi with 6 tills. We've been in at all different days and times and only tills 1 and 6 are ever open, the furthest apart from each other. Staff seem determined to play tennis with customers - one occasion we approached till 1 with our shopping and were told it was closing and to go to till 6. Fair enough, went to till 6, put everything on the conveyor belt (about 3rd in line to be served) then told it was closing and to go to till 1. We stayed put and moments later it was announced that till 1 was closing. If we'd packed up to go to that till we wouldn't have even got there yet! At no point did either member of staff leave their till and both tills had queues! Can't see the logic in it at all. I tweeted them about it and got a generic apology and nothing has changed.

topcat2014 · 10/03/2019 17:22

@Latetotheparty - our aldi wouldn't close a till to the customer with goods on the belt - that sounds dim!

sueelleker · 10/03/2019 17:23

And Brighton.

ChelsHL · 10/03/2019 17:25

Hmm. Unusual. We close tills but don't expect people to pack their things back up, just whoever is the last person on the belt put the closed sign behind them and that will be the last customer we serve. Suspect it didn't happen the way you are describing.

Oysterbabe · 10/03/2019 17:27

And how am I supposed to NOT pack at the till if I do a basket shop?

I keep my basket with me, put it on the little ledge next to the till and hoof everything back in there then pack at the shelf.
Prices are low because they get the customers through fast. If everyone selfishly packed at the till then prices wouldn't be as low.

Butchyrestingface · 10/03/2019 17:27

I'm in central Scotland, the self-service tills have reached this far north of the wall. There are some at my local. Grin

As for packing for a basket shop, you take the basket to the end of the till with you, lob the scanned produce back in the basket, pay, and then move over to the side to pack at your leisure. Simples.

DeadCertain · 10/03/2019 17:28

It can't be the wages either as I know loads of staff have moved from Aldis to Jacks- if the pay was worse I don't think this would have happened Aldi have the highest basic supermarket pay if you take London stores into account; Sainsburys if you don't with Aldi second.

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 10/03/2019 17:30

Apparently the new one in Bromley has self check outs too .

I must pop in there on Tuesday . Not been in it yet but been to Lidl Sydenham and Lewisham

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 10/03/2019 17:30

But this is ALDI isn't it ? loll

Should rtft methinks.

JohnnyHatesJazz · 10/03/2019 17:30

Get a couple of the big blue Ikea bags to use. Saves packing twice.

Bartlebysleftshoe · 10/03/2019 17:32

Small world (waves to other local MNs) I was genuinely in the ST5 one also on Friday- and it was painful, but I think it was a customer rather than staff member slowing things.

It is very convenient for a double Aldi/Lidl visit & then pop along to Sainsbos!

SheWoreBlueVelvet · 10/03/2019 17:33

I only do basket shops but always pick one of the empty boxes up from the fruit section.
I go around picking up stuff into the box, unload the box at the till and get out my wallet. Then pack straight into the box. Always done faster than the cashier.

I carry the box hone and use it as a recycling bin in the kitchen until time to put it the bin outside,

CardsforKittens · 10/03/2019 17:41

I shopped at Aldi this week. I don’t usually shop there and frankly I’m not sure I’ll go back because the checkout was so stressful for my partner and my son, who both have disabilities. Some people simply can’t go that fast!

ccmrob12 · 10/03/2019 17:49

@cardsforkittens - Just do what I do and push it straight back into the trolley as they scan it. Unless it's breakable of course. Most of it you won't need to worry about.

Unfortunately its one of the reasons the prices are how they are.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 10/03/2019 17:49

I've only shopped in Aldi once and I packed at the till (well DH did). Nothing was said so I didn't realise we were doing anything wrong! I didn't like it there so never went back.

Latetotheparty that's ridiculous. If I was in a supermarket and they tried to make me move tills when I'd unpacked I'd walk out and leave the shopping on the conveyor belt. (Unless of course the till was broken)