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?

When I go to Aldi, I place things in my trolley according to which bag I would pack them into, then unload onto the belt using the same system. It’s then really easy to open four or five bags in the trolley and scoot things straight in. Cleaning stuff and tins / meat / frozen / fruit and veg / bread & eggs etc. Am I the only person who does this?

Our Lidl I rarely visit but does seem to be a slower pace.

Aldi gets me all freaked out, the speed is too much. Recently I was in there and mentioned to a friend I was dreading the checkout and a member of staff nearby asked why. I explained it’s too fast for me, and packing at the end isn’t really an option when I’m wiped out with the actual shop itself due to my spinal ‘issues’. Staff member introduced himself as store manager and asked me to please let the person on checkout know I would struggle so they could help/ go slower. A comment about being helpful to disabled customers as much as they could and he was off.

Found me when I was in line and packed my bags for me lovely man, will definitely be going back with that service.

So just bear in mind- we don’t all go slow because we don’t like or know the system, some of us can’t help it. Not saying all are the same obviously

ha ha ha - the shelf of shame! I went to Lidl today and I always use the shelf (of shame) along the window to pack into my bags - but I am often the only one so how does everyone else do it?
Lovely cashier today went to get me another red pepper because the one i had picked up had a hole in it - she noticed not me - Lidl is def more relaxed (less rude posh/tight people IMO!) Nice bakery smell when you walk in

My personal Lidl policy is that if I have a basket (we have those pull along ones in our Lidl) I have to pack it as they scan it. Because otherwise where am I going to put it?

If I have a trolley I have two bags open for loose bits that get thrown straight in and I put heavy stuff on the floor or to the side and move over to the packing shelf

I pack as I go in both shops, but always try to load the conveyor in the order I want to pack to save time and have boxes ready in my trolley to pile them into. I am pretty quick at packing usually and try not to shop when it's busy. The assistants don't seem to pack, they let it pile up on the end of the till counter until people move it themselves. I don't see anyone much use the packing shelf.

It’s Lidl’s, pretty sure they don’t have any etiquette 😂😂

Its not just the scrabbling for the purse thats annoying, its the people who must pack every last item before they go on the purse/wallet hunt.
Also, if you have a conveyor belt full of stuff and the person behind you just one item would it really hurt to let that person go in front of you?

But if you use trolley bags you're just putting your stuff in the trolley anyway! Love trolley bags.

I never want trolley bags - sounds a bit OCD to me - where do you keep the trolley bags when they are not in the trolley?

@thistimeofyear Under the stairs. That's where mine are going to go (once amazon delivers)

I keep my trolly bags in the boot of the car.

My friend shoves everything back in the trolley and then packs it into the bags in the boot of the car!

they look too good to be true - where does the large loo roll go and the massive cereal packet and kitchen towels - also I would forget to get them out from under the stairs... I'd have to keep them in the car I think

We shove all the shopping back into the trolley and pack at the car.

I pack into bags. I’m disabled and it’s enough of a struggle getting everything out the bottom of the trolley once, let alone twice, so I refuse to do it. However, I do have 3 large bags ready opened in my trolley and I load on the conveyor belt in the order I want to pack, do it’s not really any slower than going straight to trolley. If I’m slow, it’s because my hands don’t have great grip, not because there’s a few bags in my trolley.

There are signs in our ALDI asking to put your things in your trolley and the pack at the shelf by the window

Oh and I'm disabled and 99% of the time the cashier will pack for me.

I have never heard of the packing shelf and had no idea that you were meant to be quicker in a cheaper supermarket. Also not sure exactly how that contributes to lower prices. I only have Lidl and not Aldi where I live though.

I kind of agree with the point of the previous poster, who honestly gives a fuck if the person in front isn’t packing at warp speed. Why are you in such a hurry?

Why are you in such a hurry?

Lots of perfectly good reasons. Mine is that at my age I resent spending my precious time standing needlessly in queues while someone pisses around performance parenting their DC, or insists on packing to their personal system. It's just rude.

Supermarkets are designed for quick through put. If you want to take your time shopping, do it in the many independent retailers who are only too happy to let you linger.

@maidenover I assume it's because they have less staff on checkouts etc because it runs faster. So if people don't follow the system, at peak times it doesn't really work because it would get congested and it's not fair on the check out staff.

Really wtf does it matter if you wait another 90 seconds to be served?

Because I have other things I want to do with that time! Stood in a queue at Savers where there were two tills open, busy Saturday morning. One woman had two baskets to ring up and then when it came to her paying, she faffed about but it became clear she didn't have means to pay. So she called what I assume was her husband who nonchalantly sauntered in a minute or two later, they faffed for a bit, then paid. They couldn't give a shit about the 15 people waiting far longer than normal as they had blocked out one till. It was hardly a shock she'd need to pay but there was no sense of urgency, didn't give a shit about inconveniencing anyone else.

I never want trolley bags - sounds a bit OCD to me - where do you keep the trolley bags when they are not in the trolley?

In the boot of my car with other bags for life etc. They're just bags really, nothing fancy about them!

Our lidl has those paddles to separate the next customer from the last but hardly any of the staff seem to know how to use them.

So if you have a couple of trickier to pack items they end up shoving the next person's stuff into your section instead! Much prefer Aldi, where I normally outperform the cashier in speed :)

I'm an Aldi woman .. it's a matter of pride to Chuck the shopping in the trolley as quick as they scan it !!

This is the least of our worries ... the very worst thing is the CF who start putting their stuff on the conveyor before you are done !!!! ....

I agree Alicatz! I blooming hate that - I have been known to just keep putting my stuff on with more spaces in between and they have been known to have to move the thing off again and move their stuff up a bit! I mean what is their problem? some people are just so impatient and I am not slow by any means. I don't get it - what is so important in your life that you have to go around stressing yourself and others out like that.