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AIBU?

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Original poster

Made to pay for a bag in the supermarket

698 replies

christmasfoodshop · 07/12/2023 12:43

Just picked up a few bits for Xmas food shop.

Had baby with me and she was tired so getting a bit irritable.

Scanned all my shopping at self checkout, ended up with a quite a lot more than I needed (as you do).

Baby crying. Paid for my shopping.

Realised I needed a bag at this point so got one and put all my stuff in there.

Go to walk out.

The shop assistant said I needed to pay for a bag. Fair enough.

She said I had to rescan it.

Baby now screaming and wriggling out my arms. Heavy bag of shopping in the other hand.

She made me wait there until she'd scanned a bag, pressed 'check-out' , selected 'pay by card' and then I had to scan. All for bloody 30p.

In hindsight, I do understand I had to pay for the bag but I was so bloody frustrated and just wanted to get out of there that I paid 30p for the bag and stormed off. Left my giant trolley in the middle of self checkout. I was at my wits end. I felt like I was at school being held back by the teacher.

It's 30 bloody pence. Let me go!!

She acted like she was earning money out of making people pay for bags.

YABU - everyone ALWAYS must pay for bags no matter what

YANBU - in the circumstance, she should have just let me go all for the sake of 30p plastic bag.

OP posts:
Winterday1991 · 08/12/2023 22:14

yep she should have just let it go. pick your battles and all. sounds like a jobsworth

MouseMinge · 08/12/2023 22:38

She also tried to help you. She scanned the bag, clicked check out and pay by card and all you had to do was wave your card. She was doing what she had to do in making you pay for the bag and not shoplift it, but she tried to help you and you're mad at her. You're the one who fucked up and not her.

Worriedmother123 · 08/12/2023 22:41

Cattiwampus · 07/12/2023 12:46

You were being a prat, it’s been the law since before you had the baby.
My daughter works in retail, customers like you make her day that bit harder.

Edited

This 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Worriedmother123 · 08/12/2023 22:44

christmasfoodshop · 07/12/2023 12:43

Just picked up a few bits for Xmas food shop.

Had baby with me and she was tired so getting a bit irritable.

Scanned all my shopping at self checkout, ended up with a quite a lot more than I needed (as you do).

Baby crying. Paid for my shopping.

Realised I needed a bag at this point so got one and put all my stuff in there.

Go to walk out.

The shop assistant said I needed to pay for a bag. Fair enough.

She said I had to rescan it.

Baby now screaming and wriggling out my arms. Heavy bag of shopping in the other hand.

She made me wait there until she'd scanned a bag, pressed 'check-out' , selected 'pay by card' and then I had to scan. All for bloody 30p.

In hindsight, I do understand I had to pay for the bag but I was so bloody frustrated and just wanted to get out of there that I paid 30p for the bag and stormed off. Left my giant trolley in the middle of self checkout. I was at my wits end. I felt like I was at school being held back by the teacher.

It's 30 bloody pence. Let me go!!

She acted like she was earning money out of making people pay for bags.

YABU - everyone ALWAYS must pay for bags no matter what

YANBU - in the circumstance, she should have just let me go all for the sake of 30p plastic bag.

YABU - you’re overreacting to someone just doing their job. If you want a bag you pay for it, not get arsey with the staff member.

Livelifelaughter · 08/12/2023 22:45

What a vile thing to say.

Kisskiss · 08/12/2023 22:48

HeadNorth · 08/12/2023 19:23

Being rude to retail staff is the same as being rude to waiting staff. I judge anyone who behaves in that way. The way you treat service staff reveals your true character- OP you failed the character test. You are not more important than a shop assistant and you are not entitled to make her busy and stressful job that bit harder because you are having a bad day. You are the sort who kicks the cat when they get annoyed- pathetic.

1000000 pct

Cincinnatus · 08/12/2023 22:48

Having a baby is not an excuse. You can’t steal.

Idontcareboutthestateofmyhair · 09/12/2023 00:12

Nah! 'Excuse me I have a child! Therefore I shouldn't pay for a bag! can't you see me with my child? I deserve a free bag because I have a child, who...omg is crying! I need a free bag! I'm a mother, with a child!'
Wind it in FFS. You're not a hero, just an everyday woman/mum! Doesn't entitle you to steal a bag! We all hate paying for bags hon, but it's a must these days. Lose the drama is my advice.

twilightmoon3 · 09/12/2023 01:04

Great thread Bag Gate or Thread4Life could be its title.Civilisations are built on the collective myriad of moral decisions made on a daily basis. When the collective morality falters and fails then chaos reigns.Ive changed tack from revolutionary resistance and sticking it to the man to subordinated compliance ,prepare in advance or prepare to pay and come back to the thread to repent OP. Hopefully some will have it in their hearts to forgive.

Museum10662 · 09/12/2023 01:24

@christmasfoodshop i understand your points and views, but at the same time you would of been shoplifting, maybe better planning with the bag ?

ClairDeLaLune · 09/12/2023 01:36

Winterday1991 · 08/12/2023 22:14

yep she should have just let it go. pick your battles and all. sounds like a jobsworth

It’s the law that the store has to charge for bags. In making the store break the law the assistant could have lost her job. That would have been nice for her just before Christmas. FFS.

Pink39tree · 09/12/2023 02:20

I used to work for a large food retailer. I was responsible for theft of stock within the store and your attitude drives me mad. Yes it’s 30p for you, but theft of plastic bags would be the highest cost of stock loss around £8 million a year I believe the figure was, closely followed by redbull cans at £7.5 million. I’m sure people would be disapproving if you came on here and said “my baby was crying I desperately needed some energy so I took the red bull how dare she make me pay for it” so what’s the difference?

the saddest part, is seeing how the company would try and regain the profit from the loss of the theft by hiking prices. So you might get away with paying for your 30p bag because of your attitude but it will always come back on the consumer.

rowanoak · 09/12/2023 03:10

I think it’s crazy that Brits accept paying for BAGS at a grocery store. I wish more people would advocate for consumer rights rather than judging others.

twilightmoon3 · 09/12/2023 03:18

Plus saving the planet my arse with all the bag virtue signalling having 50 different varieties of coffee isn't comsumer choice but the result of unfettered consumerist capitalism which looks good on the surface but which is destroying the planet.

YireosDodeAver · 09/12/2023 07:03

I think the carrier bag tax is a good thing and it forces people to reduce their single-use plastic detritus. There should be a similar tax for disposable tea and coffee cups.

The thing that angers me is that so many supermarketss have stopped making any efforts to make the plastic bags they do supply and sell be as low-plasric as possible. Co-op have good bags which are a thin and biodegradable plastic. All the others seem to now only do massive thick bag-for-life bags which use an enormous amount of nonbiodegradable plastic.

Trying to avoid the carrier bag charge is in a different category from other kinds of accidental or deliberate shoplifting - it's something shops used to give away for free and are now legally required to charge for. When it was introduced there was heavy use of "secret shopper" tests to ensure shops were obeying the law and fining those that weren't. Those tests can still happen at random. For all the shop knew, op might have been being paid to try to wangle a free bag and trigger a fine for breaking the law if she was successful, like the people who try to buy alcohol or cigarettes without ID as part of a sting.

Justfinking · 09/12/2023 07:15

rowanoak · 09/12/2023 03:10

I think it’s crazy that Brits accept paying for BAGS at a grocery store. I wish more people would advocate for consumer rights rather than judging others.

I think it's a good idea, it's a deterrent and it works

heartsinvisiblefury · 09/12/2023 07:17

I' m just popping out to commit a few crimes because I've got a screaming baby and apparently that makes it ok.

Pay for the bag OP and stop being so entitled.

heartsinvisiblefury · 09/12/2023 07:19

HeadNorth · 08/12/2023 19:23

Being rude to retail staff is the same as being rude to waiting staff. I judge anyone who behaves in that way. The way you treat service staff reveals your true character- OP you failed the character test. You are not more important than a shop assistant and you are not entitled to make her busy and stressful job that bit harder because you are having a bad day. You are the sort who kicks the cat when they get annoyed- pathetic.

This!!!!

Kgiggl3s · 09/12/2023 08:20

I have a 7 month old. I bought a packet of chewits for 30p. My baby was crying. Should I have got them for free? Didn't think so. Absolutely bonkers post...

Peablockfeathers · 09/12/2023 08:29

rowanoak · 09/12/2023 03:10

I think it’s crazy that Brits accept paying for BAGS at a grocery store. I wish more people would advocate for consumer rights rather than judging others.

I think 10p is fine, but most shops charge more than this and although it's recommended the profits from it go to good causes there's no mandate for this to happen and invariably it doesn't. Under the guise of saving the planet its just another way for supermarkets to rinse even more money out of people. Sure you can take your own bag and I'd bet the law does encourage more too; but it's still ridiculous. Plenty more greenwashing to come to extort us all out of more money for no actual environmental gain I expect.

NoDought · 09/12/2023 08:38

She likely would be disciplined or risk her job if she let you leave without paying for what you took. You sound very entitled and a bit spoilt leaving your trolley there.

caringcarer · 09/12/2023 08:38

I don't see why you were annoyed you had to pay for an item, the bag, that you had.

Groovee · 09/12/2023 08:40

You had a giant trolley yet didn't put the items in it to take back. Instead you left it's there to get back at the girl for doing her job.

Peablockfeathers · 09/12/2023 08:41

NoDought · 09/12/2023 08:38

She likely would be disciplined or risk her job if she let you leave without paying for what you took. You sound very entitled and a bit spoilt leaving your trolley there.

For a bag when retail workers are actively encouraged to let shoplifters go as its not worth the risk?

Aussiemade · 09/12/2023 08:44

Under customer care she should be able to say. Have a nice day and let you go. She may not be allowed too so this goes back to management. Were I shop they help you out to the car if you can’t manage an yes have given the bag for free. After all you are a return customer