AIBU - Lidl etiquette

[keepondreaming]

I did my shopping in Lidl this afternoon. I loaded my goods on the belt, the assistant checked them through and I then loaded them straight back in my trolley. I paid then went to the ledge at the side and packed my shopping into bags.

I always thought the etiquette was that in the cheaper supermarkets, you got through the checkout as quick as possible. Quicker checkout = more people = lower prices.

Was IBU to get cheesed off at the people in front of me who carefully packed each and every item into their bags as they went through and then spent ages sorting their stuff before finding their purse to pay?

What do other people do?

Why does everything have to be such a frantic rush though? We talk about how stressed and anxious everybody is.. This is a symptom of that.. Really wtf does it matter if you wait another 90 seconds to be served? I work full time, single parent to two kids, life is pretty full on and tightly scheduled.. I don't amble around or hold people up but little things like this I feel add to the pressure we are constantly under to do everything faster, get out the way, move onto the next thing. It doesn't have to be this way.. Sorry, rant over. As you were 😉

Why does everything have to be such a frantic rush though?

Because in Aldi that is what keeps the prices low.

I shop in Aldi and Waitrose. They are two very different experiences. You pay more in Waitrose but part of that deal is that it is quieter and slower.

My Lidl does have a packing shelf - and has only recently be re-built and doubled in size

Oh dear, it all sounds very hectic to me, all this stress and hurry at Aldi and Lidl. no wonder people are stressed these days,and judging a slower type of customer. I use my local Co-op,where I know all the staff,and its a proper and nicer shopping experience.

We have a new Lidl and it has a shelf but it also doesn't seem to have indoctrinated its staff to go as fast as they can- they don't mess about but bags ready and a well-loaded conveyor means I can pack at the till, they don't seem to care as long as you're getting out of the way by the time the receipt is printed. Aldi is only ever a basket shop so I pack straight into a bag there too, it's no different to packing it back into the basket!

I don't use the packing bench as people are always their kids climb all over it and walk along it. You might as well put your shopping on the floor and pack it from there.

@1forall74 - I agree - I don't really care if Aldi and Lidl are cheaper (for not such good produce anyway - in my opinion). I want a calm shopping experience and no hassle.

*letting their kids

I am glad I don't have an Aldi like some of you lot!!

Mine is very very cheap but there's no bench or packing area. Nobody acts any different to Morrisons, Co-Op, Tesco etc. I was there today and had a lovely chat with the cashier (initiated by him) about how much he enjoys gardening when he saw I had bought a garden ornament thingy.

I wouldn't go if it was all rushed and stressful like yours OP. Are old/disabled people banned?

I have a system for Aldi and I am as fast as the cashier. I sort out shopping as I offload the trolley, I then only have to pack it all in the bags which stand upright in the trolley (cold/ dry/ fresh) as quick as I can.
So nothing wrong with packing straight into bags if you can do it quickly.

I rarely see anyone packing at the shelf.

I pack at the till, but like others I am super quick and can keep up with the cashier.
If you load the conveyer in he right order , cans bottles and heavy veg first , soft fruit, bread and eggs last then they come out in the right order to be scanned. Several bags open then just throw them in.

Lidl used to be quite strong on the back-in-the-trolley thing, but not so much any more. Like some others, I normally just open a few bags in the trolley so the packing is fairly quick.

Yes, it drives me mad! Not because I mind waiting as such but because it breaks the system there which keeps prices low.

Someone actually went back to get something the other day. Don't they know how it works?!

@lotusbell
Agreed!! These people need throat punched.

Aldi and camping aren't down market.

Meh, people need to calm down. They won't charge you more because the person in front took longer to pack.

One thing I do in Lidl is chuck a few things in the shopping like veg that needs to be weighed or bread from the fresh bit....place strategically among the shopping so the cashier has to pause to type/weigh and I get a moment to catch up the packing if I need it.

Wow - never knew there were rules like that in Aldi/Lidl - trying to get my head round why they would be quicker at scanning things than another supermarket.

It's because the staff are all rounders. When they're not on the till, they're stocking shelves, etc. When the shop is quiet, you may have to wait for a staff member to come to a till. They don't have staff sitting at tills unless there is a need. They keep the staff numbers down so they can keep the prices down. However, they apparently pay well.

I shop mostly in Aldi but occasionally in Waitrose for the free paper and coffee and when in there have to stop myself looking with slack jawed incredulity at a till operator who wants an actual conversation and checks if I'm good to do my own packing

Our Lidl packing shelf us always full of kids sitting on it. Pisses me off

@frugalkitty I like your strategy

we put very large wide shoppers in the trolley then of course it is the same as taking stuff of the belt and putting in trolley. Just 3 big wide bags which fill the trolley. No one is held up and no need to do it all over again in the packing area.

need throat punched

Charming

I know that LIDL and ALDI pay their staff more money. than thier competitors. I know that the food I buy from ALDI and LIDL is compariable to other popular supermarkets and tastes just as good. I feel that I have to be quick at the checkouts....but it is absolutely worth it in my oppinion..because I can feed my family without worrying about the price of a trolley of shopping. There is a reaosn that a trolley full of shopping costs approx £65 from LIDL...and the same trolley would cost approx £95 form Morrisons.