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What do you do when

2K views 19 replies 16 participants last post by  cool_kid 
#1 ·
You pick out the best fruits or veges you find in the grocery store, and then the cashier just about throws them into the bag? You know they're bruised but the checker is a nice lady and you don't want to offend . . Do you say anything? Found myself in that place today and said nothing, now having to discard bruised produce.
 
#2 ·
I just say "Here let me help you, your working hard, I 'll bag them for you if you just hand them to me." Or you can also have your own cloth reusable shopping bag. Either way should work and sure beats having them bowling with your fruit!
 
#4 ·
yeah, i always bag my own stuff, also because i have to carry everything from the car (which i may have to park several blocks away) and will want to do a first trip with the stuff that goes in the frige - so i put all the cold stuff together, then maybe the fruits and vegetables which also can;t stay long in the car and then a special bag or bags for delicate items, peaches, soft bready things, tomatoes, etc which i carry separately, hooked onto the hook of the cart, and in the front seat of the car. I always tell them i prefer to bag my own. Also, if i have too much stuff to be able to unload the cart and also bag, I make sure that i put the most delicate things on the conveyor belt last, so i can be on the other side before they come out and i just bag those myself.
 
#5 ·
I always bag my own, because nobody is trained how to do it anymore. I can outbag any two supermarket baggers I've ever seen; doing it right while they just toss away.

The worst is Walmart, where they are actually taught to put all the heavy stuff together in one of those flimsy plastic sacks. What genius thought that one up. I hate those plastic bags anyway, on several levels.

The rare time I let them to the packing I always get into trouble. I remember one time at Kroger. I specifically asked the guy to not put the cans on top of the eggs. And he paid attention. Instead of the cans he threw a melon on top of them.
 
#6 ·
This is also why I love those new self check out lanes!
Except when you get one of those very helpful baggers that come over and start bagging for you.

I just cheerfully say "Thank you, but I'm extremely picky about how I pack my groceries. You really don't want to know why. Thanks again, but why not help that old lady over there?" Then I wink and flash a big smile.
Usually works.
 
#7 ·
My feeling would be to return the produce to the store and complain LOUDLY to the manager. If enough people hear you and you sufficiently embarrass the manager, maybe things will change.
We have become a world where no one wants to lay blame or complain as it is no longer "politically correct". Then we sit back and whine to others about the bad service we receive. Buck up people, place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the service provider and demand improvements. That is the only way things will improve, though I never expect them to be what they used to be when service people actually cared. Today's generation seems to feel the world owes them something so they will never truly give a rat's ***** about anything other than themselves.
Just my opinion though....
 
#8 ·
I absolutely agree about holding people accountable and letting them know when they screw up, but I'm not so sure this is a generational problem.

Unfortunately, today the emphasis is on fast and cheap; quality is an unexpected luxury. We shop at Walmart and Costco, then complain when the service isn't top drawer. Sure, you can complain, but don't be surprised when no one listens. Go to a market or a privately owned grocery store and I'll bet you find the kind of service and products you expect!
 
#11 ·
If that happened to me - I'd complain and demand replacement of the produce that was damaged.

I dunno - I guess I'm lucky here. I regularly shop at the nationwide supermarkets, and have nothing but praise for the checkout staff. Cold gets put with cold, soft with soft (eggs and bread), tins of food not too many per bag, same with juice bottles and soft drinks, etc, etc, etc.

Mainly its my fault if the stuff gets bruised - I'm an impatient shopper and the sooner I'm out of there the better. The peaches end up getting bashed against the bottles of cola rolling around in the car boot. Eh :)

Training is the issue. Don't shoot the messenger, they are just not taught right.

The packers here go to the extent of putting fabric softener in its own wee little blue plastic bag, so it won't fragrance the other items. Also the same with any offal - poor old much maligned and unpopular items they are - they have to face yet more segregation :).

I regularly see a woman at my local butcher who will NOT put chicken in with any other meat - her husband was diagnosed with an allergy to chicken and had to be hospitalised. She will bag it twice and keep it well away from any other meats when she packs the order.

I think we must be lucky where I am by other responses in this thread - go Aussie Packers!!!! :)
 
#12 ·
You worked hard for the money to buy the product. Why do you care if the lady is nice? She needs to do her job.
I have found that a verbal OUCH! when they heave your food gets attention to the problem.
It opens the door in a humorous way to tell the checker that the food is delicate.
Save your receipt # and call the store back. Speak with the manager and refer to the reciept checkers name and voice the problem. Follow it through til they take heed or threaten to shop elsewhere!
Dont roll over and throw your money away.
You do what you do well so should the checker, or USE THOSE VOCAL CHORDS!
Ciao
 
#13 ·
I don't agree. I complained to Kroger about some products our local Scotts Foods stopped carrying when they were bought out by Kroger. I emailed from Kroger's website and could not believe it when my phone rang yesterday and it was the manager of our local Scotts. She apologized to me about one of the products which was from the chain they were originally associated with before selling out to Kroger and can no longer get. She did offer a couple of alternative products they now carry which I had not seen. The other product, they do carry but because of big promotions, don't always have it out in the fresh meat market anymore. She told me all I have to do is ask the service people in the meat market to get it for me. Along with that, it was stressed that if there are products I bought before that I can't find, bring it to her attention and she'll see if she can still get them for me. That made me happier giving them our hard earned money!

On the other hand, we had a small store near us which was local owned and operated. The owners, themselves, usually manned the meat dept. and the check-out. If you didn't get there on Friday when their meat was delivered, you got meat that had been in the cooler for days and a very poor selection. When asking if they had anything besides pork steaks on a Tuesday afternoon, I was told they wouldn't get anything else until Friday. I'd run in there and pick up odds and ends instead of driving 13 miles to another store and most of the time, the owner wouldn't even speak except to tell me the total of my purchase and give me my change. I despise unfriendly service people and especially when it is the owner. They don't mind to take my money but then can't even say a simple, "Thanks for coming in" afterwards. I stopped patronizing that store and apparently so did a lot of other people because it closed on Labor Day. I hate to see the little man go out of business but without customer service, what can they expect?


As to the original question, if at all possible, I bag my own groceries. Having worked in customer service as a cashier and a bagger for over 3 years on my first job, I know how to do it correctly and can usually do it a lot quicker than the people they hire. I always put my breads, fruits, fresh veggies, and any other items easily damaged at the very end of the conveyor so they don't get smashed by everything else. If someone does throw something in the bag or bags something together that shouldn't be, I don't hesitate to correct them. I guess I am pretty bad (or good...depending on how you look at it) at correcting them because Les was afraid I was going to get us banned from one grocery store a few years back. I never bought groceries there that I didn't have to tell them not to put a 5 lb bag of sugar on my eggs or not to put toilet bowl cleaner in with raw food items. I try not to be too overbearing but this is my family's food we're dealing with and I want it to be edible when I get home!
 
#14 ·
Correct me if i'm wrong... But in the uk we dont have a bagging problem, cos the checkout person ALWAYS asks "would you like a hand to pack" Packers are not used really.And they are never cack-handed enough to actually bruise anything coming through. Cant help thinking they would have to be battering the stuff about?? Unless a litre of whiskey is pinging through at full speed after a pound of tomatoes.
Only problem i have is when the scouts/brownies are having a fundraising packing at the supermarket. - Then you're likely to find your icecream in the same bag as the rottisseried chicken.
It's not coming through that quick...Surely you are in control??
 
#16 ·
Shop on my son:look:

Be not afraid.

Your quest for vegetables shall be unfettered. You have garnered the support of the international culinary community and shoppers everywhere.

Bruise not thy neighbors tomatillo verily and your tomatillio shall be unharmed.

Bend not thy spine as a centipede.

Go in peace and fret no more!
 
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