Grocery Store Check Out Etiquette - Supermarket Shopping

Once you are behind the wheels of a trolley inside your supermarket do you consider yourself a good shopper , considerate of others around you as you race up and down the aisles or maybe wander slowly or are you an aggressive type when it comes to making sure you get your way no matter what happens while shopping + at the checkout wherever you are in the world ? .

Many people are considerate while shopping to other shoppers as well as the checkout operators as well as everywhere else they spend their time .

They have their money or card out ready to pay at the grocery store checkout, go to the appropriate aisle for the shopping they have done, empty their basket out and are friendly and polite not talking on their phone the whole time .

Some people seem to lose their manners as well as their sense of humour once they get into shopping mode so they need reminding to be considerate of others as well as the checkout operator .

Here are some of the top things to do while in a supermarket to ensure you would win a prize for the most dreaded shopper in town or the city you live in !

One of the things you can do to frustrate other shoppers and the check out operators is to act like the Aisle 12 items or less apply to everyone but you .

Saying " but I only have 13 - 14 items makes you look silly - Can't you count to 12 ? Last time we counted 13 was above 12 not below it

Saying " I have 20 cans of cat food but they are the same brand so that is only 1 item makes you look desperate and pushy to everyone.

We still have to spend time moving them etc.

How do you personally feel when you only have 1- 2 items and are in a hurry & you see someone emptying out a basket of 20 or items onto the 12 items or less checkout then see them run off for another handful of goods , ask for prepaid phone credit..........

You say the checkout operator is not busy so feel you have the right to empty your trolley out onto the 12 item or less Aisle - While you are being served elsewhere where they are waiting for you they could have served up to 10 customers with 1- 12 items.

Are you really that starving and desperate that you cannot survive a short shopping trip before having to start eating the food or having a drink before you get to the checkout ? What are you teaching the children when they see you eating and drinking products that you haven't yet purchased

I am stunned by the amount of people that think this is acceptable behaviour and encourage their children to do the same .

If you know you or your child will need to have something during a shopping trip why not bring your own like I have seen some mothers do .

What will you do if you get to the checkout & find you have left your card/wallet behind & cannot pay for the item you have eaten or drank ?

That happens more often than you would expect . Would you like to be held up while the manager is called because you cannot pay for something you ate that you hadn't paid for ?

Are you really that lazy that you cannot empty your basket out onto the counter , or if you have loaded up a freezer bag in the shop why not empty it while waiting especially if you have joined the queue knowing that you should be in another aisle.

Most men & elderly people do empty their basket . A lot of checkout operators are short so it is harder having to reach into it & slows them up trying to empty your basket.

If you really want to keep the line flowing get your shopping ready out of the basket to be scanned & keep the line flowing.

Also do not abandon your basket in the middle of an aisle while you go grab an unforgotton item .

It makes it very difficult for those with a trolley to keep the lines flowing as they struggle to manouver around your basket .

Have your cards/ or cash ready for use rather than have to dig them out of the bottom of your bag holding everyone up or worse still they are out in the car .

A lot of time is spent by staff returning food back to the shelves when people have left their wallets at home .

Make sure you have what you want to buy before you reach the checkout rather than dashing off all the time making everyone wait for you or pay for what you have & get back in line if it is busy .

Fortunately checkout operators can postpone your sale if you are taking too long and you wait at the end of the line when you are ready to continue.

It is handy to use up your loose change so as to lighten your wallet or pocket but please count it out yourself and make sure you have the right amount then put it into their hand rather than make them pick up $$$$ worth of change off the bench and keep everyone waiting.

Please don't be on talking on your phone while going through the checkout and totally ignore the checkout operator , It is rude & makes it hard for them to do their job properly and efficiently .

If you decide that you can't buy a piece of meat or another cold item for any reason please put it back where it belongs so someone else can buy it without danger of it not being up to standard .

You might not care at the time yet you would be the first one to complain if it happened to you and you were sick as a dog having unpaid time off work or one of your children.

You might have a thing about plastic bags however if you are buying 4 or more - potatoes- oranges please think about the checkout operator who has to try get them to stay in place while weighing them for you.

Maybe you might consider putting them in a mushroom bag to hold them together.

Broccoli & other vegies make a mess on the checkout.

Meat is put into a bag as it often leaks juice out .

Chemicals are put seperate in case they break.

Bread is kept seperate so it doesn't get squashed !

Please keep in mind the checkout operator is trained to scan and pack fast .

If you want your reusable bags used please

Make sure your reusable bags are kept clean & not smelly .

Open the bags up for the checkout operator & put them at the end of the checkout for easy access.