Our weekly grocery shop, yesterday. We went far and wide as we were looking for some really small, glass, food containers for the fridge for those little bits of leftovers that don't need to be taking up room in larger ones. The smallest 'Glasslocks' we have don't seem to be stocked any more. Found what we needed in Pepco and also spent a whole euro on a cat toy - an octopus with bells on - which Saffy and Stitch assured us was the best toy ever.
It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
Talking of grocery shopping, there's an article today in the DM about Asda coming to the conclusion that they should reinstall more manned checkouts. I hope other supermarkets follow suit. We were in Tesco (our nearest big supermarket) and only three of the manned tills were open so we waited. There is no way on God's earth that I am going to self scan a week's groceries. I can understand they have a place if you have a few items, but I feel it's tipped the wrong way now with more self scanners than manned tills. I don't bother much with our nearest branch of Boots anymore either. There are no manned checkouts whatsoever. When I am forced to go to Boots I find myself talking back to the machines and it's not complimentary
I did my shop at Aldi this week, they've removed two of their checkouts and installed six self service tills, those things hate me so needless to say I won't be using them! There was only one assisted checkout open and as I was loading my shopping onto the converyor belt the cashier gave me the 'till closed' sign and asked me to put it behind my shopping as she was closing up, the two people behind me weren't impressed and their only option was to use the self service tills
People who are wrong are just as sure they're right as people who are right, the only difference is they're wrong
When we arrived here, 20 years ago, the level of service Greeks expected in their shops, amazed us ! In supermarkets, the cashier was expected to produce bags and pack your shopping for you as they rang it up. Our insistence on packing our own was met with incredulity and an assurance that it was no trouble. When the foreign budget supermarkets started to open, there were often huge arguments at checkout when folk realised they had to wheel away the trolley and pack their own.
One of our first trips was to a large furniture warehouse to order settees. We were greeted warmly as we entered and led to a fully- stocked bar and invited to choose alcoholic drinks and/or coffee.
When IKEA opened, a lady customer swept in front of us shouting “ bring me a coffee, skerto (black) and then show me your armchairs “. Presumably, the staff had all been briefed on how to politely explain that, not only were customers not offered coffee but were also expected to push their own trollies and load their own cars. Just stopping them parking in the loading bays, despite notices, was a full time job.
It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
Our supermarket experience in the States was very similar and elderly men were employed to pack your trolley and wheel it to your car. In those days I really enjoyed the novelty of shopping at midnight when it was cooler and shops were quieter.
Many Americans have to work at more than one job to make ends meet - way beyond our expected retirement age - they get very little holiday and quite often work 6.5 days a week.
Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to.
Post by Berry McPaper-cuts on Aug 9, 2024 16:33:13 GMT
The only self-service tills I can manage are the ones at our Aldi. I nip in there to buy a gift for my sister when we visit so it’s only one thing and I can do that now I know I have to put a bag down first. As not many people use them it is quiet and the assistant guarding the 6 tills is able to help if I panic.
I remember going to the grocers shop to collect the shopping for my mum and watching him cut the bacon and wrap your piece of cheese up while you listened to all the gossip- just like Arkwright’s shop!
I can't remember the last time I went through a manned checkout. I love C&C for my main weekly shop, if I need anything else when I go to collect, I pop in the store and use the self-checkout. The odd time I actually shop in store, I scan as I shop. Love it.
That said, I totally agree there should be more manned checkouts for those who prefer or need them, two or three is not acceptable. How many people would want to use the scan at the till option for a large shop, there isn't room for a start. The big supermarkets make more than enough money to give a better service.
I remember going to the grocers shop to collect the shopping for my mum and watching him cut the bacon and wrap your piece of cheese up while you listened to all the gossip- just like Arkwright’s shop!
My first memory of shopping was when the grocery/ fruit & veg lorry parked up outside the Jefferies house. The driver got out and using a pole lifted up the canvas that ran the length of one side of his vehicle. Everything he needed was there. If I was good I got a Wagon Wheel! It was a new estate and the nearest shops were about a mile away so he did a roaring trade. The baker came in a red van, the milkman delivered around dawn and the Corona man came on Friday evenings. Later, when some shops were built, I remember going to the Maypole with my mother. It had a chair for older customers to sit and read out their shopping list. Fronting the till area were several large square tins containing broken biscuits. I assume they were sold by weight. My mother didn't do a weekly shop, she went nearly every day.