Aren't you going to put those in my cart?

[Sedorna]

Ok, so the other day I was at work, scanning and bagging groceries. We don't have any baggers where I work. Also, there's a small shelf behind the register for me to put the bags of groceries in before they go into the cart. In order to put something in the cart, I've got to physically walk ahead a few steps, and then back. So, it's easier to wait and put a few bags in all at once then walk after every single bag.

So, the following conversation ensued.

SC: Aren't you going to put those in my cart?

On its own, it wasn't so bad. But it was the way she said it. Very snobby, arrogant, and patronizing.

To wit, behind me are bags full of bread and eggs and fruit. Ya know, soft stuff. On the belt waiting to be scanned, were cans of food and large bottles of soda pop. Ya know, heavy stuff that's liable to squish, rather than be squished.

Me: Are you sure you want your cans to go on top of your bread?

SC: I don't like your attitude!

I gave a polite, close-mouthed smile, and continued the rest of the transaction in silence. Oh, how I wanted to obey that old biddy and put her bread in the cart when she asked me to. But I wasn't about to squish her groceries and give her something else to complain about!

[greensinestro]

Regardless of this customer, at least you had the decency to watch what you were doing with the bagging of this customer's groceries. Nowadays, they don't teach the new hires how to bag properly. I always watch what they're doing, and I have even been the victim of squashed bread.

[Witch of Endor]

Not to hijack the thread, but: do any Canadian grocery stores have dedicated baggers anymore? And how common is it in the US or UK?

I was in an American grocery store last week and was surprised to see a kid whose job was solely to bag and carry. Even in the upscale Canadian stores, it seems like the cashier always does the bagging, with multiple bags hung open so that things can be sorted appropriately if she knows what she's doing (bread and cheez puffs together, frozen things separate from fresh produce, etc.). And in the discount stores, the customer does the bagging.

[Ree]

Not to hijack the thread, but: do any Canadian grocery stores have dedicated baggers anymore? And how common is it in the US or UK?

We have baggers at the stores in our area. (Eastern Ontario, near Ottawa)

[kerrisan]

Witch, that was my job at Kroger. But I also collected carts and swept the front of the store. At Wal-Mart they have people whose sole job it is to collect carts.

[SteverinoNY]

I work in a grocery store in America and we preach the dedicated bagger thing to the max. We are supposed to have a 1:1 bagger to cashier ratio (excluding all express and self checkout registers). At no point is the customer to bag their own stuff. If no bagger is at your register, one who isnt busy will come over and help. Or a supervisor will come and pack. Or they will call someone from the stock crew to pack. Either way, there is always a bagger. Before 9 am or after 9 pm though, there are no baggers. Customers still don't have to pack their own...even though the nice ones do !

That gives me a thread idea...stay tuned!

[Becks]

do any Canadian grocery stores have dedicated baggers anymore? And how common is it in the US or UK?

I think it depends on the store. The store I work at has baggers (I know, they made me pretend to be one before Thanksgiving...) but I've also been at others that don't. Half the baggers are new hires who haven't taken their register training yet, and the rest are just...baggers, plain and simple.

[ExHDCashier]

I personally HATE HATE HATE having someone bag my groceries... either they are putting too many items in a bag or sometimes only 1 item per bag.... .. or they put cleaning products in with my food ... plus i know how my cabinets are set up so just please let me do it myself.... i also like to bag for my mom because i know how much weight can go in her bags so its easier to carry for her...i know sometimes the stores want to make it easier on us, but for me its just a royal pain in my butt to have someone else bag for me

[greensinestro]

At BJ's, they don't even have bags!

[friendofjimmyk]

In Omaha, Nebraska, it depends on what store you go to. Most Wal-Marts - the cashier has the round, spinny bagging carousel and they bag - but I can't STAND the way they bag my groceries - but I am not an SC about it.

I put all my groceries on the belt in a way that makes sense to me. I group everything - box items, canned items, frozen items, refrigerated items, non-food items, soft items, etc, etc....but they never get it. I don't want to stop them and request that they do it a certain way. Oh well.

The local grocery stores - some have baggers, some the cashiers do it.

[Jester]

I don't want to stop them and request that they do it a certain way.

My mom did (probably still does) that exact thing. She would very politely but very firmly tell the cashier exactly how she wanted her stuff bagged. She wasn't overly picky, but she made sure they knew what she wanted and expected. I know this as, as a kid, I used to help her at the grocery store.

[BusBus]

Witch of Endor, I'm not sure what part of Canada you live in, but here, Safeway and Save On Foods usually have baggers, but not always. The cheaper places like SuperStore don't have baggers. You also have to pack your own bags at Ikea

I don't mind packing my own bags. At least I can put things together in a way that makes unpacking them easier when I get home.

[Mighty Girl]

At Acme, they have baggers and they almost always ask if you need help with your bags- getting them to your car. At Heinen's, they don't let you take the carts into the parking lot. They have baggers, then when you want to leave, you have to stop by the bag-valet guy (for lack of a better term) and you leave your cart with him and pull your car up and they load it up for you. Supposedly, this is so the cars in the parking lot don't get crashed into by the carts. Coincidentally (or not) they are only located near affluent housing developments.

[Zinjadu]

I work at Safeway, and we do have baggers. The problem is that most of the time they're anywhere but up front bagging. You have to search for them...

We cashiers usually do all the bagging and loading. We also ask the customers if they want carry out or parcel pick up.