to think supermarket shelf stackers shouldn't get annoyed because I want to get items that have a later best before date?

[supersup]

When I am food shopping, I always choose the items at the back with the later best before dates. The items at the front are sometimes out of date in the next day or two. When I am planning ahead, I want to get food with a later date as possible.

I know the dates don't have to be strictly followed but I prefer the later dates.

Shelf stackers are getting increasingly annoyed when I pull out items from the back and I was told I should just get one from the front. I put everything back properly so it is not as if I am messing up the shelf.

AIBU?

I always check dates. Unless you have the time to shop daily I think most people would.

Have been doing this for decades and never encountered any grumpiness from staff. Though I probably wouldn't do it directly in front of a member of staff when they were stacking the shelf or leave the shelf in a mess.

If a shop doesn't want me to take later dates they shouldn't put them on the shelves.

I know they want to shift stuff with a shorter life but there must be plenty people like my DH who will just take the first item and wouldn't notice the date (even if it was yesterday's 🙄)

I go to the back too.
Very occasionally the best dated food is at the front, so it's worth comparing.

Like some previous posters, I wait until no staff are nearby before looking, and always leave the shelf neat.

This. One of my kids had a part time job in a supermarket which involved stacking shelves, he really couldn’t give a toss that you do this. If things are on the shelf, you can choose and buy what you like.

OP you seem quite snappy with several posters on here, so I wonder if that’s your personality, and you’re maybe provoking shelf stackers by pushing past them when they’re trying to do their job. Unless you go to the supermarket in the middle of the night, there aren’t usually that many shelf stackers around, so it’s easy to avoid them, and wait till they’ve finished their shelf before taking what you want. I doubt they’re going to be observing you from the other end of the aisle, and monitoring how far back you’re reaching.

I've actually had someone ask me can I take the ones at the front please. Well, no, because that one expires tomorrow, and I want it for a meal in a few days time. Therefore I want one that'll still be in date at that point. And I always do it neatly. It's not our fault if the supermarkets buy too much stock and have to dispose of some.

Never ever come across a shelf stacker in my life who cared where on the shelf I took something from!

Hard to believe a) one would and b) that it matters enough in your life to warrant posting on here.

You must have a very easy life otherwise if this is what gets to you!

How am I snappy?

I don't push past any shelf stackers. I will say excuse me if the item they are stacking is the one I want or close by. I shop in the morning - there are usually a lot of shelf stackers then.

Absolutely! I do the same. Especially applies to things like eggs, mozzarella, salads and green veg. I've never had staff complain, or seen them interfering with customers like that, though. I blame Brexit! Seriously, I think it's a factor. Definitely seems to have got worse since then.

Unless you are my partner, in which case the dates are completely invisible to you, or are just there for decoration. Or perhaps supermarkets are using some special ink only visible to those with XX chromosomes

How a grown man can think grabbing any old thing off the shelf without even glancing at the Use By date I don’t know.

I can't really vote as I tend to do the same, unless I know it's something I am going to consume very soon, but it's also adding to the increasingly wasteful society we are in so they do have a point.

I also select the food with the best dates on them but I never leave the display in a mess.
However, if I were reprimanded by a shelf stacker for doing this I would simply leave the trolley full of groceries and walk out of the bloody store!

If supermarket staff feel this is a big problem, then they shouldn't have the later dates out in the first place.

If they are going to put it out, then it's available for customers.

It's not wasteful to not buy food that you aren't going to use because it goes off the next day. It's the opposite of wasteful!

@charmanderflame sorry, should have elaborated. If we're taking the stuff with longer dates the other stuff ends up unsellable due to expiry dates and would be chucked out. Most foodbanks cant' accept fresh produce so if it doesn't get sold, it's in landfill.

The new starters during my final 3 months of work weren’t told that they need to rotate. They shoved stuff at the front. It took code checkers ages to rotate stuff correctly. Also the store manager is a complete a*hole with not doing the overs before the delivery and found stuff on that days date, following days or even worse, out of date.

He’s an a*hole for other things too - hence why I left

I sometimes do that and staff have not complained. Is it just one person who is complaining, at one shop, or is it everywhere?
Frankly I think that if supermarkets don't want people to buy things they shouldn't put them on the shelves.

Yes I get that. But it's not wasteful to choose things with longer dates if you meal plan and are not going to use something that goes off tomorrow.

If you buy something that goes off tomorrow and don't use it, you are equally creating waste.

It is the supermarket's job to supply the right amount of stock according to how much they sell per day. If there is a lot of wastage it is on the supermarket, not the consumer.

I think what most PP’s have described is a reasonable and fair approach - if it’s fresh items you plan to use straight away then a sooner date is fine. If it’s fresh items you plan to use at a later date, trying to pick a later date makes sense.

Supermarkets factor in an element of ‘loss’ associated with selling items at less than full retail price due to them being short dated, but also a more significant element of loss due to items that are ‘wasted’ as they are out of date and have to be thrown away.

If we all always choose later dated products, costs would eventually go up in order for profit margins to be maintained, as supermarkets would have to factor in higher ‘loss’ through increased wastage and reduced items. Alternatively, we would regularly experience out of stocks as later dated products would only be put out once earlier date products had sold out.

I think YANBU as you're putting everything back properly. It's not like you're muddling up the shelf.

If a shelf stacker complains, ask them if the item you're taking is for sale or not. They'll have to admit it's for sale so you can just say "Thanks, I'll buy it then."

If they are rude to you then complain to the manager.

How am I snappy?

I do exactly the same unless I am going to cook something straight away. If I took everything from the front it would go off before I had chance to cook it!

To the people questioning the word "lifted" used by a PP, it's a very common phrase in Ireland.
It basically means picked up.
It is not really used to describe shoplifting.

I didn't say you were snappy - that was a different poster.