AIBU to wonder about the contents of other people's shopping trolleys?

[BruceAndNosh]

Yesterday bloke in checkout queue behind me had 8 sliced loaves and a tray of dog food tins.
And 3 bottles of orange squash

The sandwiches at his kid's party are going to be dreadful

@VerveClique

When I worked on the checkouts as a teen the best one I had was a bottle of peach Concorde, large box of maltesers and a 12-pack of condoms

Ha when I was on checkouts for my Saturday job we’d always get these sad blokes buying combos like shit carnations, milk tray and a packet of condoms. Or a bottle of blue nun and a houseplant plus 12 Durex. Good luck mate.

Although the weirdest one was three bottles of hair conditioner, tin foil, and a pack of 12 condoms. I kinda don’t even want to know.

Oh and another time we had this flustered looking guy come in about 9.50, so ten minutes before closing. He bought squashed marked down roses, a birthday card and a marked down cake. He was on the phone to his friend and from the snippets of conversation I worked out he was late home from work and had just remembered it was his wife’s birthday.

If this was your DH, I hope you made him sleep on the sofa.

My job sometimes involves me having to purchase huge volumes of one type of product from supermarkets. Often it has to be done in person so I can visually check the best before dates on it, even if it's a long shelf life product.

It's not for me to consume, but I certainly get some odd looks! Last time I had two trolleys full of fruit juice and the people behind me at the checkout queue kept commenting. In the end I smiled and said, "I'm feeling a little low on Vitamin C!".

I bought 30 bottles of maple syrup in Aldi - it’s half the price of Waitrose and the kids loved it on their porridge - the checkout woman was horrified - I said it would last a year or two - didn’t believe me - but said I wasn’t unusual in my purchase. 🤣

When I worked on the checkouts during sixth form, one evening a guy came in and just bought KY Jelly and an oddly elongated butternut squash. I could barely keep a straight face

I literally bought the same thing last week and I have a coffee shop (that serves Prosecco) and no time for the cash and carry due to opening times so I got from Aldi. Also my crisps had ran out. I also got bags of rocket so probably wasn't me but these people probably own a shop of some kind. You're welcome 😂

I worked in a sandwich shop as a teenager and was sent to the Morrisons round the corner more than once for a dozen iceberg lettuces or whatever if we'd run out or they'd been missed off a delivery from our normal supplier.

But any of these observations are just a snapshot. You don't know what else they buy from where and when or who they're buying for.

There's also nothing to say that you have to use what you're buying that day or that week. Apart from some fruit and veg, a lot of things can last months/years if non perishable or suitable for freezing.

I used to hate having to go into Boots and buy moist loo paper and tampons. I mean it’s obviously ‘unexpected period while out’ isn’t it?

@FangsForTheMemory

I used to hate having to go into Boots and buy moist loo paper and tampons. I mean it’s obviously ‘unexpected period while out’ isn’t it?

Could be worse. I had to quickly buy a small pack of pull ups and baby wipes after ds had a big stinky poo and I didn’t have anything on me.

You could literally smell it wafting everytime he walked.

London, but this was probably the late 90s all I have is a hazy memory!

Sorry that was for @TheonlyMrsM not sure why quoting didn't work!

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

I've organised youth trips for 30+ the contents of our trolleys (took 3) raised eyebrows because 2 trolleys were sensible food, first aid items etc and the third was the booze!

Thanks for replying, @NotMyDayJob - it might not be him then but who knows, these nefarious types get about and usually in other peoples cars

@lifehappened

I literally bought the same thing last week and I have a coffee shop (that serves Prosecco) and no time for the cash and carry due to opening times so I got from Aldi. Also my crisps had ran out. I also got bags of rocket so probably wasn't me but these people probably own a shop of some kind. You're welcome 😂

Aaaaah was this to me?? Thanks! Maybe that was it!

My Phoebe from Friends theory sounds less likely.

Oh and having to buy a pregnancy test too... you can see the sales assistant is having an internal battle to keep a straight face and not raise eyebrows.

I used to work on a supermarket checkout when I was much younger and it's so hard to not react!

Once when buying a pregnancy test (new relationship and in a bit of a panic) the checkout lady actually said to me "ooh exciting! I hope you get the result you want!!"

I mean why? Why would anyone say that to someone they don't know??

I had pregnancy tests in an online delivery once. The guy delivering them spotted them, looked at DD, said "how old is she" (13 months) and laughed when I told him . Cheers for that chuckles! It was negative, so I forgave him.

I used to work in Boots and an attractive woman came to the till with a tonne of condoms and lube. I didn't really react as you see everything in Boots (a lot more people than I thought use Femfresh btw). But she immediately started explaining that her husband had cheated on her and they'd just split, so she was taking herself on holiday. I smiled and said "absolutely - good for you"! Hope she had a great time

I don't generally take any notice but I'm always intrigued if someone has loads (like 10+) of only 2 or 3 items.

I couldn't help but notice the supermarket delivery driver looking at me very differently when once we had added copious condoms to our order, when usually it is all naice quiche, naice ham, naice organic avocado and whatnot. I walked back down our path with our bags and a new spring in my comfortable sandals and swing in my ageing hips. He wasn't to know I was just being a boringly sensible parent and preparing my teen DC for life!

The checkout lady did raise an eyebrow the other week at me when I came through with 5 bags of play sand, 10 lots of bubbles, 30 bags of sweets, a bottle of pimms and 2 bottles of expensive gin. I'm also 8 months pregnant.

I shop for an elderly neighbour. He lives on tins, cup a soups, crisps and sweets. I always feel the urge to explain it's not for me when the checkout person raises an eyebrow at all the tins!

@tomorrowalready you can make alcohol with sugar and yeast and nutrients for the yeast to eat. That's the tomato purée!

I volunteer for a food bank and sometimes if we're particularly short on something specific I'll go and buy a load from Morrisons out of my own money - sometimes I just go and buy things like several whole chickens because I think how thrilled the recipients would be to get those as well as just tinned stuff. So maybe lots of people do that.

@OldTinHat
I had my shopping delivered a couple of days ago and, as you know, they're not in bags anymore, just in crates and you have to 'decant' them into bags in the doorstep

Carry the crate in and unpack it in the kitchen like most people do!

@Bullsh see my reply up thread to someone else who suggested that - I can't carry the crates as I'm waiting for back surgery. I can only carry very light things.

A few years ago my mum told me about two very polite, lovely looking young boys who were in front of her buying several litre bottles of cheap pop.
So polite they were.
Anyway on returning to her car there they were frantically shaking the bottles of pop and throwing them hard onto the car park whereby the bottles exploded covering nearby cars in sticky fizz.
Luckily she said it wasn't near her car so she got in and drove off speechless.