Strange interaction

[Whatinthedoopla]

I went to Lidl and was going through a normal checkout (not self service).

I already had my bags ready for me to pack my groceries, so opened up, as you know you have to either be very quick packing, or essentially just throw everything on the trolley and pack after. I decided to have my bags ready.

When I got to the front, the checkout lady took the trolley and organized it how she wanted it, then proceeded to look really over at my bags to make sure there was nothing in them.

I don't mind workers doing that at the self checkout, if my bags have been placed on the weighing blocks, but at a normal check out?

If I was packing things in my own handbag, I wouldn't expect people to be looking inside them.

I felt really offended.

At the same I just think, is this what is just expected at a Lidl..

She’s just doing her job

YABU. It's probably store policy, not a personal vendetta against you.

Which is?

She's checking you didn't have items in the bags you hadn't put on the conveyor to go through the till. People do it in an attempt to steal and she's probably been told to check.

It's intrusive, if it wasn't done to ALL customers equally I'd complain.

She's checking to make sure you haven't snuck anything into your bags. In lidl in lots of European countries you have to hold up your bags to the checkout operator so they can see that they are empty.

But this is England Dammit!

Store policy. I would only feel affronted if I had something to hide!

I’ve not had this happen in Lidl but when I’m at the trolley self checkout in Tesco my bags are always too heavy and they check they’re empty when they scan their staff code in. It’s no different. As PP’s are saying they’re checking you haven’t forgotten to scan something or you’re not stealing. If you’ve not then why have an issue with it?

This is normal in my lidl,they have to check them.i show them as that's polite so they don't have to ask.

This @Whatinthedoopla some
branches they check your bags at the regular till

Why are you affronted she doesn't know you, you absolutely could be stealing anyone could be, iits not personal.

Come on OP it's pretty obvious 🙄

They had a thing in my Aldi briefly where you had to get put all your bags on the belt for them to look into.

They had signs on the till about it and evetrtibg then it abruptly got stopped.

Very weird as, often I had one bag with me with stuff from another shop in it, didn’t really want to put it on the belt for them to inspect,

Aldi used to check the empty shopping bags and underneath the trolley too. Didn't bother me

Obviously checking you’ve emptied your trolley onto the till belt and left nothing in your bags

You should shop at Waitrose, I bought a real Christmas tree in a pot that was at the front of the store, so I took the tag off it, paid then asked someone in customer services to help me take it to the car, offered to show my receipt to the woman on customer services and she laughed and said ‘no, I’m sure you wouldn’t steal it!’

Exactly this.

Is this just a Lidl thing?

You are treated as a thief

You are treated as a thief.

You are treated as if you might be a thief and unfortunately, some people are.

They can't tell by looking at your face if you are a thief or not, but they can tell by looking in your bag.

It doesn't bother me, because I'm not a thief, but I think I would find it annoying if I was a thief.

I’ve been asked to lift up bags in the trolley to show there’s nothing underneath. I assume it’s just policy and didn’t feel offended or like I was being accused of stealing.
I don’t feel under pressure to pack everything really quickly or just sling it in the trolley either.

My local aldi makes you lift up your bags. I usually do it before they ask which they are grateful for. Its obvious they feel awkward asking but it's store policy.

She's just doing her job. She doesn't know you, so it's not personal.

They didn't have you arrested, so they're not treating you as a thief. They're checking to see if you might be. Big difference. They're not treating you differently to anyone else.

ahh if only everyone was as honest as you it wouldn’t be a problem

you’ve taken it way too personal

Not just a Lidl thing. If you buy a handbag etc from Primark they generally open it at the check out to make sure you or someone else hasn't put smaller items inside to get away without paying for them.