Supermarket Etiquette.

[Romig1]

I have had cause to call at Aldi a couple of times in the last week - both times for just a couple of items (that reminds me....I must reprimand the housekeeper for her laxness. ). On both occasions, I have been in the queue, with my lonesome two items, behind someone with a full trolley, and I naively assumed that I would be waved through in front of them; I would always do so if the situation was reversed. Unfortunately, both times, the person in front didn't offer for me to go first.

Is it me, that is out of step (I must admit that I don't visit supermarkets much these days), or was I simply unlucky....or does the supermarket in question attract those people whose time is far too important to think of other people?

BTW I don't of course, expect to have a right to go first.... but I wouldn't dream of making someone wait unecessarily.

[Andrea S]

I would feel very uncomfortable expecting someone with just a few items having to wait for me to go through the checkout.

[Andrea S]

I meant to add that with the speed of the till operators in Aldi those with trolley loads would hardly be kept waiting much longer .

I hope your bad experience won't put you off shopping there again as I am sure your housekeeper appreciated sitting with her feet up for 5 minutes.

[Boris+]

A long time ago (or so it seems now) whilst living abroad I used to go to the same supermarket as some other UK wives, and it was great we all understood each other, and anyone with a small number of items was always invited to go ahead. Fine.

A woman started turning up who wasn't British, and she thought that if she had a shed load of shopping but had the correct money to pay for her trolley load that she was entitled to go in front of anyone else.

We all got fed up with this woman, and her arrogance and just didn't know what to do about it - then one of us delivered a short but very polite one-liner to this woman .... and we never saw her again!

However, getting back on track, if anyone is behind me in a queue and has either substantially less items than me, or needs help I am more than happy to make their day easier - they can go in front of me, and if I can help I will.

Em

[towny44]

Don't Aldi have a self service section, or at least one till which is for 6 or less items, and if not why not???????

[Suekersh]

In our experience no one waits long at Aldi. As soon as there is a queue of more than 3 customers they open another till. The speed of these checkout operators has to be seen to be believed. If other major supermarket check out staff worked as fast as the Aldi ones do they would only need 1/2 the staff.

The other difference is that the managerial staff at Aldi get stuck in filling up shelves and working on the till.

We went in recently to buy a couple of items we had forgotten previously and the gentleman in front kindly let us go before him. We would also do the same, but have to say it is rare to see anyone in Aldi with less than a trolley load.

Sue

[oldbluefox]

I agree Sue. The checkout tills are so quick in scanning the goods that a trolley full is soon scanned so you never have to wait long. I think most people will let you through if you just have a couple of items. Sometimes it is quicker though, to stay in the queue rather than go to a checkout due to open as it can be some time before the operator turns up. I think the technical term is Checkout Roulette. Whichever queue you go to the others always seem to move faster.

We did let one old lady go in front of us once because she only had a few items. When she got to the checkout and the cashier started scanning she called her husband forward whom we had not seen and who had a big box full!! Cheeky moo!!!

[Dancing Queen]

I always let someone go before me if they only have a few items and others have done it for me.

Not really a problem these days with self checkouts, if I only want a couple of things I will whiz through one of these or one of the 10 items or less checkouts.

[Romig1]

No self-checkout in Aldi. I assume they aren't part of the business model, due to the fact that the checkout procedure is almost always quick in comparison to other stores, and that they usually require a member of staff to oversee them. A full trolley-load can still take a few minutes to process though.

As others have commented, the staff at Aldi are exceptionally quick, and are all expected to "muck-in". I like this in a company, and it keeps down the required number of staff for a store, which in turn keeps the costs down.

As an addition to my experience.... on the first occasion the young couple were obviously newbies - they thought they could pay be credit card, and had neither cash nor a debit card to pay the bill. The checkout girl simply deferred the transaction while the woman was directed to a cash-point across the road. I assume she had to draw cash against her credit card...that will have cost her! To my discredit, I did have a little inward chuckle at that.

[davecttr]

I have shopped in Sainsbury's and Tesco for ages and when I only have a few items no one has ever invited me to go first!

Aldi's checkouts are like lightening. I think because there is no where for you to f**t about packing your shopping. It all goes straight back in the trolley and then you take it over to the packing shelf.

[david63]

I think that I would take a slightly different view on this and I would not expect anyone to let me go before them just because I only had a few items - after all it is, literally, first come first served

[Romig1]

I think that I would take a slightly different view on this and I would not expect anyone to let me go before them just because I only had a few items - after all it is, literally, first come first served

Smurfie. I refer the Honourable Gentleman to my my last paragraph in the OP.

[Romig1]

Just got back from my THIRD visit in a week...and yes it was literally TWO items, once again.

I have uncovered the secret...go early morning, and there are no queues to get caught up in!

[Boris+]

I'm just wondering, having recently done a safari trek around Tesco (who have gaily created a seasonal maize by reorganising all the aisles and shelves) if all these 'coupons and vouchers' are causing delays and queues at the checkout?

Maybe if this is the case then they could equally merrily organise a separate checkout for people with multitudinous coupons and vouchers (who always seem either not to have these items readily to hand or insist of having an in deptch conversation about them, delaying the payment moment, and causing a further delay).

Just a daft thought.

Em

[towny44]

No self-checkout in Aldi. I assume they aren't part of the business model, due to the fact that the checkout procedure is almost always quick in comparison to other stores, and that they usually require a member of staff to oversee them. A full trolley-load can still take a few minutes to process though.

As others have commented, the staff at Aldi are exceptionally quick, and are all expected to "muck-in". I like this in a company, and it keeps down the required number of staff for a store, which in turn keeps the costs down.

As an addition to my experience.... on the first occasion the young couple were obviously newbies - they thought they could pay be credit card, and had neither cash nor a debit card to pay the bill. The checkout girl simply deferred the transaction while the woman was directed to a cash-point across the road. I assume she had to draw cash against her credit card...that will have cost her! To my discredit, I did have a little inward chuckle at that.

I wonder how she managed to obtain cash from an ATM then?

[Quizzical Bob]

No self-checkout in Aldi. I assume they aren't part of the business model, due to the fact that the checkout procedure is almost always quick in comparison to other stores, and that they usually require a member of staff to oversee them. A full trolley-load can still take a few minutes to process though.

As others have commented, the staff at Aldi are exceptionally quick, and are all expected to "muck-in". I like this in a company, and it keeps down the required number of staff for a store, which in turn keeps the costs down.

As an addition to my experience.... on the first occasion the young couple were obviously newbies - they thought they could pay be credit card, and had neither cash nor a debit card to pay the bill. The checkout girl simply deferred the transaction while the woman was directed to a cash-point across the road. I assume she had to draw cash against her credit card...that will have cost her! To my discredit, I did have a little inward chuckle at that.

I wonder how she managed to obtain cash from an ATM then?

Cash from her credit card? (As surmised two lines below)

[Kendhni]

In the olden days I would always have let someone go ahead of me if they only had a couple of items but not you have to put them on a belt so generally, for some reason, I rarely notice what other people have.

[davecttr]

I'm just wondering, having recently done a safari trek around Tesco (who have gaily created a seasonal maize by reorganising all the aisles and shelves) if all these 'coupons and vouchers' are causing delays and queues at the checkout?

Maybe if this is the case then they could equally merrily organise a separate checkout for people with multitudinous coupons and vouchers (who always seem either not to have these items readily to hand or insist of having an in deptch conversation about them, delaying the payment moment, and causing a further delay).

Just a daft thought.

Em

Agree, it is sometimes painful to see them sorting through dozens of vouchers to find the ones that are valid. Then they have the cost of administering the whole nonsense. At least Sainsbury's have nectar points, hand your card over and occasionally ask if there is any credit on it. 'Yes, £2.50', 'take it off the bill then'.

[kaymar]

I have never had any of these problems at Harrods.

[Boris+]

Good grief that's a blast from the past - Harry who? Oh Harrods - I haven't been there since before my daughter's wedding! I was thinking of paying a visit if we go to the Cruise Show in 2014; but now it seems doubtful. I recall it had gone downhill badly.

Em

[GillD46]

But Harrods still sell the best truckle of stilton I have ever tasted.

[Romig1]

I have never had any of these problems at Harrods.

As a bone-fide northerner, I only go into Harrods to sightsee. The food hall is particularly worthy.

[Holiday Planner]

Kaymar, I hope you were never served in the late 70s by my college housemate. She used to tell a story of when she worked on the Harrods deli counter. Finest caviar was then sold in small ceramic jars for several hundred pounds. She had been working there for a while before she realised that she was supposed to actually put the caviar into the jars! She's not sure how many empty ones she sold

[Meg 50]

we only do a supermarket big shop once a month - a 2 trolley job.

If there's someone immediately behind us with only a little, we let them go first, but if they arrive when we're well into loading the belt, too bad.

some try to nip in between us if one's stopped to check something and get sniffy when t'other appears to jump the queue!

Last time the someone suggested to the person behind that she go to another checkout or the auto checkout and they refused," I want to go through this one"

We do, however, have everything - cards, vouchers and stuff and the payer stops loading in order to pay while non payer finishes off packing - so we move away pretty promptly

[gfwgfw]

I just love the shoppers with a fist full of penny off coupons, and the heated arguments that . . . sorry code is out of date perpetuates

I now really enjoy shopping . . .

On the 'ternet

I can now get my necessary medication via the 'ternet and delivered

Life is great down yer in rural Darzet

Luboo all and be happy

Graham