Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

To dislike the “top thing” of anything?

78 replies

PrettyShiningPeople · 04/10/2019 07:46

I can’t take the newspaper on top, that might be a bit dog eared or damp, always have the take one from underneath.

I don’t like the top book from a display, I like to get one that hasn’t been flicked through or handled by a hundred greasy fingers.

I leave the top slice of bread on a loaf, which becomes the ‘bread lid’ to absorb moisture & protect the rest of the loaf. Same with biscuits.

The first squirt from a sauce bottle goes in the bin, as it might have flushed through any plastic lid debris.

Can’t take the front sandwich from the shelf.

Can’t use the top one of a pile of napkins in a cafe.

Sure there are many others

AIBU or just a bit weird?

OP posts:

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 04/10/2019 10:33

But of course, why would anyone want the dog-eared, be-fingered or 'tested' one?

Maybe supermarkets should take a leaf out of the perfume counters' books by sacrificing one from each batch and labelling it as a 'tester'. The problem with that, though, would be the 'tester snobs' not wanting to deign to sniff/snort or dip their fingers/tongue into the same old bottle that everybody else already has and thus nominating their very own unlabelled secondary tester. Hmmm, better not take the second one in the row either....

You'd also get the people who stand reading the papers instead of buying them (and block actual buyers from reaching for one) going around the shop with the family, urging them to tuck in so as to avoid ever having to buy any food.

"What's for tea tonight, Mum?"
"Whatever you want, sweetheart - we're all going to Asda for a fantastic TESTER TEA!!!!!"
"Boak!"

LookingGlassMilk · 04/10/2019 10:36

I do this all the time, but dh says I'm being silly. He thinks it makes sense with perishable items because the items with the longer use by date tend to be in the back, but with non perishable items retail staff usually move the newest and best to the front to make the display look better. So an item with a bashed box will be moved further to the back.

I know he's right, because I do often see more damaged items that have been moved to the back, but I still can't take the top item.

Stabbitha · 04/10/2019 10:37

I work in a shop and people do this. It amuses me.

You know the paper on the top of the pile was the second from top 3 minutes ago.

And that bread at the front is the freshest one because the bread has only just been put out from the back and my colleague is a lazy fuckwit who doesn't rotate the stock.

You think your winning.

You're not.

Triskaidekaphilia · 04/10/2019 10:38

With me it depends, if I'm getting a sandwich for lunch then I grab it from the front as long as it looks nice- I've seen a lot of sandwiches go to waste in my workplace. If I'm getting some veg that needs to last a while I might search for a longer date because there's no point avoiding waste in the supermarket if it goes to waste when I get home. If something looks bashed about or tampered with I'd go for the next one though, like in your newspaper example- I think everyone likes to buy things that look nice.

WaterOffaDucksCrack · 04/10/2019 10:39

I do the same! The sauce bottle thing I do with squirty cream as well!!

When shopping I get item which is one from the back. Always done it since aged 16 when I worked in a supermarket.

usernotfound0000 · 04/10/2019 10:40

I do this to a certain extent, certainly when shopping. I always go to the back for clothes so they haven't been fingered by everyone else, would generally go to the bottom or back of the shelf. I don't eat the top slice of bread unless it's going to be toasted.

ravenmum · 04/10/2019 10:47

That's OK, as I will deliberately take the dented tin or slightly scruffy magazine, as I feel a bit sorry for the shop owners who might find it hard to get rid of otherwise, and I want to help reduce waste. Gives me a nice feeling of superiority every time

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 04/10/2019 10:49

I am the same, I don't buy magazines or newspaper anymore but I used to hate it if the cashier flicked through to have a quick look after scanning!

Ugh, yes! It's irritating enough when you're buying a mainstream publication and the cashier feels the need to comment on the front page headline, much more so when they have a casual flick through; but I can imagine this kind of behaviour probably helped in driving consumers of 'top-shelf' materials to the anonymity of online.

"Ooh, yes, Sir - Louise from Basingstoke certainly does look a healthy girl, doesn't she? I'm sure you'll enjoy 'reading' the 'article' about her, won't you? Oh, look, on page 14, it says that she fully supports Corbyn's socially-driven spending priorities as she's personally been badly affected by the Tories' cruel austerity policies; she's clearly had to cut right back on her clothes purchases for a start ...."

minipie · 04/10/2019 10:51

I’m like you ravenmum 😇 I do look for the longest date veg but if it’s just cosmetic (eg slightly bashed box) I don’t mind having it.

Don’t really care if something’s been merely touched by other people. Yes the tasting thing is grim, but bottles usually have a seal so you can tell if they’ve been opened.

shearwater · 04/10/2019 10:52

In supermarkets it is sensible because the fresher food is often at the back if you look at the dates.

It's not "winning" or "losing", it's called "using your common sense".

honeylulu · 04/10/2019 11:32

I think it's quite funny to see people going into the tube station, taking a copy of Metro from the middle of the stack to try and ensure it hasn't yet been touched, but then holding the handrail in the escalator and train, pressing the button to cross the road and/ or in their office lift, which a multiplicity of germy, grubby fingers have already touched!

Ginkypig · 04/10/2019 11:42

You have just ruined the best bit of supermarket shopping for the secret few of us!

Now everyone will be doing it and our fresh clean back of the row items will have been fingered and sniffed

My friend has recently introduced a new "issue" for me. She made the very in my head valid point that don't buy it if there is only one on the shelf because it's likely it's the thing that got put back after finding it dumped somewhere else in the shop.

Dljlr · 04/10/2019 11:46

I totally do that with bread and have been known to remake a sandwich made for me by a frustrated DP because he used the top slice

amicissimma · 04/10/2019 12:06

I'm sorry, but you're all wasting your time.

I sometimes have a look at stuff before I decide whether or not to buy and if I decide not to, I don't put it back on top, I put it back in a random position within the stock. So if someone just took the previous top one, you may be eschewing the pristine item (now on top) and picking out the one I've had my wicked way with.

goldpendant · 04/10/2019 12:07

Not just me then!

Loopydizzylove · 04/10/2019 12:12

I do this with toilet roll at home I think with having 3 young dc using the toilet, I've seen what ends up on it... I have to remove 3 sheets before I get to a piece that is worthy of my nether regions

Mumof2bears · 04/10/2019 12:35

Hooray, I'm not the only one who does this! With the exception of shop bakeries where the fresh bread tends to be at the front as the previous batch are behind them (as @Stabbitha says).

Cinammoncake · 04/10/2019 12:36

YANBU (except the ketchup) Can I add in, books from the bookshop. Who would buy the top one

Coffeeandchocolate9 · 04/10/2019 12:46

Well this thread has added a whole load of new neuroses I didn't know I had..

I'd like to apologise@AmIThoughbut because everyone always sniffs the front one I have to sniff the second one so if you're following me around the shops you're buying my sniffed shampoo....

I'm not even sorry, but I sniff a random bottle from behind, you take your Russian roulette chances with me

Aprillygirl · 04/10/2019 12:55

Apart from the binning of the first part of ketchup (wtf?) and not taking the top biscuit out of the packet,I'm the same, but I fully acknowledge that I'm weird just not as weird as you

IncrediblySadToo · 04/10/2019 12:55

Yep to most of this...except I loved the crust when I ate bread.

Original poster

PrettyShiningPeople · 04/10/2019 16:49

You have just ruined the best bit of supermarket shopping for the secret few of us!

Well as this thread suggests we’re not as secret as we thought we were

OP posts:

BetsyBigNose · 04/10/2019 19:46

YANBU - or if you are, so am I!

slashlover · 04/10/2019 19:59

I work in a shop and people do this. It amuses me.

You know the paper on the top of the pile was the second from top 3 minutes ago.

This. It annoys me so much, especially when people do it with the Sunday newspapers and mess up the one on top. Or then complain that they don't have all the supplements, they were in there until they all fell out because you slid your newspaper out from underneath.

Also, when I'm facing up the non food at the end of the night, instead of pulling them all forward, I move one from the back to the front as it's easier. Your second back shampoo could have been the front one earlier.

fourquenelles · 04/10/2019 20:18

When using a public loo I always tear off and discard (into the toilet) the first 3 sheets of loo roll so I get to the unmanky, uncontaminated bit.

Flip

1 2 3 4