To not go in this supermarket again after this?

[Lucylove9]

I know it won’t be a loss to them..

I went to my local by myself Morrisons and picked up some bits for me and my little one. I didn’t get too much, just a basket full. There was only one check out open and it was quite busy so went for the self check out.

As soon as I got there, the shop assistant I felt was like hovering over me. Then the unexpected item thing went off. I know this occasionally happens for no reason, but he came over to help and then checking through my bag. It then went off again. I think possibly as I’d moved the bag slightly. He starts checking through my bag again. He pointed to some smoothies and asked ‘’have you scanned these?’’ When I clearly had as it said kids smoothies on my scanned list. I’d scanned everything.

I know some might think he was doing his job but he wasn’t hovering near anyone else. I’d done nothing to seem suspicious. Just made me feel like he thought I was a criminal

Morrisons is a bit crap anyway, my local one there's one poor sod manning about 17000 self service tills

I guarantee he will have forgotten about this within 30 seconds.

You’re massively overreacting to someone just doing their job.

It's your choice where you shop. I do think you're overreacting, though. I'm sure everyone at self-scan felt like he was hovering near them, as that's part of the job. I nearly always trigger the bag search at Sainsbury's self-scan.

Overreaction. They do it to everyone. I always put my food directly onto the counter and pack once paid as packing in to bags sets the system off too much.

I’m just trying to understand this one… so the bag that you put in the bagging area… was it an empty bag to start with, or was it your handbag or something? Because I could see why they would need to do this if you put your handbag full of stuff on there. But YANBU if was an empty shopping bag. I always bag up after a self checkout to avoid any frustrations with the bagging area (even a full trolley).

Bagging alerts get triggered for various reasons . In my local Morrisons if you shift the bag at all when you are trying to put an item in then it goes off.
The scale on the self scan machine not being set right and needing adjustment also causes real problems and ime a lot of the assistants in the self scan area aren't adequately trained to deal with this.

The assistant was doing his job OP but he could have done it in a much more customer friendly way that didn't result in you feeling under suspicion.
But ultimately he just wanted to get your items successfully scanned so you could pay and be on your way to get on with whatever else you needed to do.

I've lost count of the number of self scan assistants who have upset or annoyed me. Mainly because a lot of them treat the customers as machines too and don't think they deserve any normal human interaction or politeness or ny level of customer service.

Having seen the measures supermarkets are having to take to try to reduce shoplifting (locked cabinets and much more security on individual items) I think we all need to get a bit thicker skinned about being checked by staff. It might feel like we’re the only person being checked but as soon as we leave the shop someone else will be treated the same way.

Its for our benefit in the long run because the cost of shoplifting is passed on to paying customers in price increases.

It would probably be better for you to keep going to the same store as once you’ve been checked a couple of times staff might recognise you as someone who is unlikely to be a thief, whereas you would probably be checked by staff in any other store

If you have a habit of being this dramatic over a normal thing it would be more useful to get help with that

Everyone triggers the 'unexpected item in bagging area'. I do it several times each shop.

Sometimes they look in your bag and sometimes they just authorise it.

Why have you taken it so personally? What else is going on for you because, honestly, this is completely inconsequential in every scheme of things.

I do scan and shop in Waitrose. Three times the self checkout has flagged me for a spot check. Do I get stressed and upset? No. I simply call for an assistant, wait one or two minutes as they do the spot check and then they confirm all is fine and thank me for my patience. I reply "no problem at all". I then pay for my shopping and head home. No dramatics.

There's never enough "hoverers" in Tesco so when the till beeps you have to wait ages for someone to sort it. I hate self service tills.

It's not a big deal. It's very common. It sounds like the guy was just trying to work out what it was that was upsetting the scales. I wouldn't take it personally.

Not to go to your most convenient supermarket, just because of a one-off, slightly irritating interaction with a shop worker, is a silly over-reaction. Presumably you've shopped there countless times previously without issue?

I often think that we (I) interpret neutral acts by sandwiching them in our own thoughts.

So asking, “have you scanned these?” is just a neutral question. But you have interpreted it as being accused of stealing.

Definitely don’t go back if it’s made you feel that uncomfortable though. This isn’t a criticism by the way! Just something I have been pondering about my own life and reactions.

Is this really the biggest thing you have going on in your life @Lucylove9, if it is, I suggest you get off mumsnet and go and enjoy your life. That employee and Morrisons don't give a flying fig, if you do or don't go back again.

I try not to go to our local Morrisons due to issues with out of date food, and short dates, and empty shelves. Yes, I have taken it up with them. Don't care much about getting my bag checked.

Those self scanning machines are shite! Greeting cards are too light to trigger it, other things don't match the weight on their system.

It far more likely OP that the machine you were using had been playing up more than usual hence he was standing nearby, or he was in fact looking around at others and just happened to be near you.

I go into my local Aldi and the security woman watches me like a hawk every week, so much so my dh jokes about it as we walk through the door and sure enough she clocks me and then she’s at the end of every aisle we are at. I should add I’m 54, wear smart/casual clothes and I’m always pretty well groomed. Oh, and we always pay for our shopping at the end of our visit. It’s baffling but now we find it amusing.

YAMO

you are massively overreacting

Nothing happened...but it's up to you.

I'd try not to let it spoil your day. He was just doing his job so it wasn't personal.

Same in sainsburys. One poor sod doing the job of four. Used to be a great place to work.
Its awful now, long term loyal staff are treated like shit

I think you are overreacting.
These things happen all the time.
I expect the sales assistant was hovering around you in case it happened again to save time in them going off and you having to wait and beckon them over again.

This.👍

I used to have trouble when loading directly into bags as movement of the bags often caused issues, stopped doing it and now bag after paying.
No problems since.

My local Morrisons the security guard follows me around the entire shop like we're in a sitcom, I turn around and he pretends to be stacking the shelfs whilst wearing high vis.

He hovers by the checkouts even if I'm using a staffed one, he then follows me to the exit of the store and takes back up at his desk when I'm safely out the shop!

Every. Fucking. Time.

Family & friends have grown to think it's hilarious just how brazen it is, I find it really embarrassing so very rarely go there 😂

I must look like a criminal, or maybe someone else who frequents the store to steal, i dunno. I've never so much as not paid for a carrier bag. 😆