[Merged] Supermarket checkout etiquette

Salu · 24-07-2006, 15:54

Whose responsibility is it to place the little block to separate your shopping?

Is it yours to stop you having to accidentally paying for the person-behind-you's shopping? Or is it the person-behind-you's responsibility to place it to indicate the start of their shopping? Maybe you place it after your shopping to be polite and courteous? Perhaps you stubbornly refuse to place it as it is up to the person-behind-you to show the assistant when their shopping beginsÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚Â¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¦.

I know it doesn't really matter so long as the demarcation is made but I'm interested in social behaviour and wondered what your take is on this?

24-07-2006, 16:00

I place it myself to give the person behind a clear indication that I have finished loading the conveyor and that no it's not right for you to push all your goods right up the **** of mine to save 10cms of space.

Aragorn · 24-07-2006, 16:00

I usually put one after me and get the hump when I have to lean over to grab one because the person in front didn't bother!

**Rob** · 24-07-2006, 16:02

Another in depth issue of the day

Simple really, the checkouts are usually that compact that the bod behind could never reach to get the "block" without barging past. As I don't want to pay for their shopping (paying for mine is bad enough), I'll put the block in place.

24-07-2006, 16:04

funny enough I find this varies with the store, in Aldi I find people will do it for you, then you do it for the person following, wheras in Tesco people seem a lot more insular. I will do it for myself, in that case - and for the person following, but don't often get a thankyou...

It is also noticeable that in Aldi people will ask if you want to go first if they have a trolley full & you have just a couple of things - that has never happened to me in Tesco....

liamboyle06 · 24-07-2006, 16:05

i only ever put the block at the front of the shopping so as not to pay for the person in front. Never actually thought about placing it at the back I assumed because who ever comes behind me would usually do it themselves.

**Stuart** · 24-07-2006, 16:06

I tend to make sure there is one both sides. Mainly because I did once have some bloke behind me try and pass his shopping off as mine..

Salu · 24-07-2006, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by homealone

funny enough I find this varies with the store, in Aldi I find people will do it for you, then you do it for the person following, wheras in Tesco people seem a lot more insular. I will do it for myself, in that case - and for the person following, but don't often get a thankyou...

It is also noticeable that in Aldi people will ask if you want to go first if they have a trolley full & you have just a couple of things - that has never happened to me in Tesco....

Tesco also have those special wide parking spaces for Parent with small children, BMWs and Mercs....

orangebird · 24-07-2006, 16:09

I always put one behind my shopping once I've put all my stuff on the conveyor. Sometimes it's difficult for the person behind you to reach for the divider, so I do it as a matter of course.

Nugget · 24-07-2006, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

I tend to make sure there is one both sides. Mainly because I did once have some bloke behind me try and pass his shopping off as mine..

He'd have been gutted if he did that to me - he'd have had to go back into the store and get it all again, 'cos I'd have had whatever gear I'd paid for

As for the block - I always put it at the back (if there's someone behind me), and put it at the front if required

Jules · 24-07-2006, 17:03

I always put it behind my shopping, but then I am a nice kind thoughtful person

Wicked_and_Crazy · 24-07-2006, 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by homealone

funny enough I find this varies with the store, in Aldi I find people will do it for you, then you do it for the person following, wheras in Tesco people seem a lot more insular. I will do it for myself, in that case - and for the person following, but don't often get a thankyou...

It is also noticeable that in Aldi people will ask if you want to go first if they have a trolley full & you have just a couple of things - that has never happened to me in Tesco....

its a class thing

your spot on though about Aldi customers allowing the 1-2 item person to jump the queue even though it takes about 1/2 the time to get through an Aldi checkout

---------- Post added at 17:52 ---------- Previous post was at 17:49 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nugget

As for the block - I always put it at the back (if there's someone behind me), and put it at the front if required

surely the 2 foot band of beer is demarcation enough

**Hugh** · 24-07-2006, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

surely the 2 foot band of beer is demarcation enough

Is Nug cutting down?

Angua · 24-07-2006, 19:11

I will put the divider up behind my shopping especially if someone is waiting except when I do my monthly shop at ASDA as I am so busy trying to get a huge amount of shopping packed away (frozen stuff in the freezer bag sort of thing) that I don't have time and cos it is a huge amount most folk try to find another checkout anyway.

ADd · 24-07-2006, 19:12

Always put one behind me, and one in front if it hasn't been done. Doesn't really bother me too much, but if the person in front places a block after their shopping I'll acknowledge with a polite 'Thankyou'.

I've noticed that people are, generally, rushing about all the time; just a consequence of modern life I guess, and this is certainly true of people in supermarkets. You can hear the sighs, as the customer at the till asks for a replacement to a damaged product - just think, those few minutes make all the difference.