AITA: Grocery bagging

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:She should have said "Unfortunately we haven't got anyone to bag working today so this might take a little longer than it ought to while I bag this up." And you should have said "Oh, I'll take care of it while you scan."
Our local groceries all employed disabled people as baggers until minimum wage laws made that impossible. Thanks Dems!

Minimum wage laws didn't make it "impossible."

Grocery stores simply enjoyed screwing over employees--including those with disabilities--when it was dirt cheap for them.

This is the second thread in 24 hours where the citizens of DCUMlandia have demonstrated their acceptance of a society of the haves and have nots where businesses take precedence and certain people simply don't deserve to be paid enough to make ends meet when they work 40 hours a week. What is wrong with everyone???

BAGGING GROCERIES is not a job one takes to make ends meet. It is for disabled people and young teens. If you think a grocery bagger should be paid enough to pay rent and raise children in an expensive urban area then you should understand why this job barely exists anymore.

Every full time job should pay enough to pay rent and raise children in whatever area the job is in.

Anyone who thinks they shouldn't supports modern day feudalism and should be cast out of civilized society.

People should not have children that they cannot afford in any geographic area.

You cannot possibly be this much of a moron or ahole.

What about refugees? Immigrants with families? People with disabilities don't deserve living wages? People starting over?

Because all immigrants and refugees have no marketable skills or education?

The ignorance is astounding.

DP - your logic is lacking.

PP was not arguing all immigrants and refugees can only get minimum wage jobs but that is one sub group of many who are badly in need of living wages. I have worked with refugee families through our church and many have to work at jobs far below the professions they trained for in their home countries.

That is only one example of people who rely on living wages.

I wish waitresses and waiters were paid living wages as they are in many parts of Europe and Australia so they wouldn’t have to rely on unpredictable tips.

But that's not what the poster said. You are assuming their intent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m from the uk where everyone bags their own groceries so I wouldn’t bat an eyelid but it is weird that she directed you. I do think you’re ta for not just doing it and instead pulling rank tho - why have that power struggle with a f-ing grocery cashier ya weirdo

As mentioned this isn't the UK so it doesn't matter what happens there.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to try this tactic tomorrow and see if I can get a client to do part of my job for me.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Mid-morning weekday grocery shopping at Harris Teeter. Naming the time, because this wasn’t Monday night or Saturday morning — store was quiet and uncrowded, with no line behind me and other registers open. Naming the store because I think they try and position themselves with their customer service. I had a small load of groceries — filled three reusable bags. Not a massive shopping trip.

As I wheeled up, the checker announced “We’re going to work as a team. I’m going to scan and you’re going to bag.” I said, “No thanks. I was counting on you to bag my items.” She then frowned and went silent for the duration of the transaction.

I’m physically able to bag my own groceries, and I did it without a second thought during the height of the pandemic when we were worried about contact. I’m happy to do it at Aldi or Lidl, where prices are cheaper because that’s part of the deal. But at a “full-price” regular grocery store, I don’t want to. I’m not getting a discount, and frankly I want to use those few minutes to check my email, send a quick text to someone, update my shopping list, mentally plan the evening scrum of sports/homework/dinner, or just veg out for a few blessed minutes. I don’t refill my own drink at restaurants, I don’t loosen the lug nuts on one wheel while my mechanic rotates the other, and I don’t pre-rake my leaves for the landscapers. I will smile and make small talk and say thank you and gratefully acknowledge their much-appreciated help. But I’m not interested in doing someone else’s job. I’m tired enough just doing my own.

Is bagging your own groceries when asked a thing now? AITA for objecting?

I would have bagged - cashiers make little money and have a boring but important job. What does it hurt to bag your own stuff?

Next time you see the sweeper at the store, offer to sweep a couple of aisles for them. They make little money and have and boring and important job too.

Fascinating. There are 2 types of people who live in this world - those who ask "what can I do to help?" and those who ask "what can you do for me?" You choose your own category, but I guess you're also the same person who leave their cups on shelves in stores, carts in parking lots, and expect people to clean up after you because... why should you pick up after yourself?

So, in a grocery store setting you ask "what can I do to help'? Do offer to help them shelve the cans, restock the produce? SMH. As a customer I know what my role is in a grocery store and that includes picking up after my self and corralling my own cart. If I want to bag my own groceries then I will chose to go to the self check out line. If i am in the cashier line then it is their job to bag.

You don't have to proactively help in every situation. But if someone indicates they could really use your help, it's a bit churlish to refuse. Like, you're within your rights, but you're not nice.

Meh. My grocery store has a checker with dwarfism and another with cerebral palsy who proudly do every part of their jobs without asking for help, even though most people would help them if asked.

Do you pat them on the head when you leave? I have CP, this is kind of gag worthy even though I'm sure you didn’t mean it to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m from the uk where everyone bags their own groceries so I wouldn’t bat an eyelid but it is weird that she directed you. I do think you’re ta for not just doing it and instead pulling rank tho - why have that power struggle with a f-ing grocery cashier ya weirdo

The UK also drives on the other side of the road. Do you do that here without batting an eye too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She should have said "Unfortunately we haven't got anyone to bag working today so this might take a little longer than it ought to while I bag this up." And you should have said "Oh, I'll take care of it while you scan."
Our local groceries all employed disabled people as baggers until minimum wage laws made that impossible. Thanks Dems!

Minimum wage laws didn't make it "impossible."

Grocery stores simply enjoyed screwing over employees--including those with disabilities--when it was dirt cheap for them.

This is the second thread in 24 hours where the citizens of DCUMlandia have demonstrated their acceptance of a society of the haves and have nots where businesses take precedence and certain people simply don't deserve to be paid enough to make ends meet when they work 40 hours a week. What is wrong with everyone???

BAGGING GROCERIES is not a job one takes to make ends meet. It is for disabled people and young teens. If you think a grocery bagger should be paid enough to pay rent and raise children in an expensive urban area then you should understand why this job barely exists anymore.

Every full time job should pay enough to pay rent and raise children in whatever area the job is in.

Anyone who thinks they shouldn't supports modern day feudalism and should be cast out of civilized society.

People should not have children that they cannot afford in any geographic area.

You cannot possibly be this much of a moron or ahole.

What about refugees? Immigrants with families? People with disabilities don't deserve living wages? People starting over?

Because all immigrants and refugees have no marketable skills or education?

The ignorance is astounding.

DP - your logic is lacking.

PP was not arguing all immigrants and refugees can only get minimum wage jobs but that is one sub group of many who are badly in need of living wages. I have worked with refugee families through our church and many have to work at jobs far below the professions they trained for in their home countries.

That is only one example of people who rely on living wages.

I wish waitresses and waiters were paid living wages as they are in many parts of Europe and Australia so they wouldn’t have to rely on unpredictable tips.

But that's not what the poster said. You are assuming their intent.

it was inferred …

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from the uk where everyone bags their own groceries so I wouldn’t bat an eyelid but it is weird that she directed you. I do think you’re ta for not just doing it and instead pulling rank tho - why have that power struggle with a f-ing grocery cashier ya weirdo

As mentioned this isn't the UK so it doesn't matter what happens there.

Well maybe we should be learning how to be less of an a-hole from them?

Agree.

And learn to pick battles more wisely

[Anonymous]

OP back again, to thank everyone for their opinions and assure some accusers that I'm not a troll.

I live in a jurisdiction that has a plastic bag tax. That, plus the fact that it's easier for me to carry 3 large bags instead of 13 little flimsy ones, are why my (non-hazmat, regularly laundered) reusable bags were there in the first place. I'm not going to change that.

I like to think that I'm a courteous customer, and maybe even a good person. I don't leave my cart in the middle of the aisle, I say hello to the restockers and wait for them to finish with a shelf rather than shouldering them out of the way to reach the peanut butter, etc. And I always, always return my cart.

I chose not to complain to the manager in some Karenesque rant because I didn't want the checker to get into trouble. Instead, I opted to voice my objection directly to the person with whom I had the issue, with a sentence that started with "No thanks."

While I appreciate the perspectives of those who feel that I should help when asked, I'd like to point out that I wasn't asked -- I was drafted and assigned a role, and that took me aback. For those who characterized me as some demanding princess, waiting to be served... that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I find it interesting that others have noticed this, or engaged in similar standoffs with a checker. I also find it interesting that some believe this is not something that's regularly being asked of men. (The groceries of the man in front of me were bagged for him, by the way. Although I didn't hear whether he was initially asked to do it.)

Thanks to those who made up their own enhancements and embellishments to the story, generally to my detriment. It wouldn't be DCUM without you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from the uk where everyone bags their own groceries so I wouldn’t bat an eyelid but it is weird that she directed you. I do think you’re ta for not just doing it and instead pulling rank tho - why have that power struggle with a f-ing grocery cashier ya weirdo

The UK also drives on the other side of the road. Do you do that here without batting an eye too?

Yup. Breaking the law and endangering lives and putting a banana in a bag - that’s the same

[Anonymous]

This may be the most entitled post I have ever read and I am a lazy millennial who does not want to rto and if left to own devices would take all meetings from bed.
Literally millions of people lost their lives or lost loved ones today. It’s not the misery Olympics but this isn’t even misery. Put your damn groceries in your own bag and use the time you saved being salty about it to do literally anything else with your life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't want to bag your own groceries, don't bring your own bags.

A lot of stores have a policy of not bagging customers own bags so they aren't responsible of the bag rips, zipper breaks, etc.

Not true. Customer can hand over the grocery bags to the cashier and inform them that they should use their bags. There is no store that says that they will not bag the customers purchases in customer provided bags.

Yes, the hell there is!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This may be the most entitled post I have ever read and I am a lazy millennial who does not want to rto and if left to own devices would take all meetings from bed.
Literally millions of people lost their lives or lost loved ones today. It’s not the misery Olympics but this isn’t even misery. Put your damn groceries in your own bag and use the time you saved being salty about it to do literally anything else with your life

And that’s why you have no credibility, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:During early COVID, the cashiers stopped bagging things when customers brought their own bags. I think that’s a good practice. When I bring my own bags, I either pack them myself or ask for store bags — which I then put — packed — into my reusable bags. I don’t think the OP was wrong for not wanting to pack her own bags, but her comment could have been nicer. Her comment about the cashier going silent was problematic as well. Someone ringing up your groceries and packing your bags isn’t obliged to chat with you for your entertainment. You indicated that your priority was service — rather than kindness, and that’s exactly what you got.

In the future, don’t pull out your probably never washed reusable bags from home. Then it will be pretty clear that you want your groceries to be packed in bags from the store. You can then take them as is, or put them in your own bags if that’s more convenient.

Packing the groceries in bags from the store is wasteful.

Not really. At least not in my case. I reuse the bags for many things.

[Anonymous]

Some stores will not have the cashiers use the fabric bags as who knows if they were washed/cleaned and they can be gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ESH (everybody sucks here).

I like this option.

+1