I actually prefer to bag my own groceries, and I often tell the cashier not to bother with it. My preferred way is to use the self-checkout. There, I can really take my time, scan everything, eliminate items again if I have to, and slowly arrange everything in my bag just the way I want it. I always bring my own two carry bags to avoid plastic and unnecessary waste.
I prefer bagging my own items as well, not only is it faster since I'm bagging while the cashier is still scanning the rest of the items, I get to organize everything how I want it. When I used to let them do it for me, I once had fruit in the same bag as bleach! They don't pay any attention or care to it so it's better to just do it myself.
It sounds like a good idea (which is why I do it with my groceries at WalMart), but I don't know ... I mean, my groceries SEEM to cost more than I thought they were going to when I picked them out. I think I might try using the employees again for a week or two---see if I come back with more cash than the self-checkout returned to me. Also, I wanted to 'complain' about something: I can only use cash, & at least one of Walmart's self-checkout machines only takes credit/debit-cards. The deal is, I approached this machine, started to unload my groceries, and had unloaded most of them before I noticed the little Post-It note that said 'CARDS-ONLY ON THIS MACHINE.' It was 'rush hour,' so I had gone to that machine because the other ones were being used by others. When I realized I couldn't use that one, I went back to the line waiting to use one of the four machines. As the man at the front of the line went to one of the other machines, some lady cut in front of me to use that card-only machine before I could get the man to move on to the card-only machine so I could use cash. (I shoulda started another topic/forum/discussion about the PostIt-sized signage ... oh well ... )
If it saves me money, I'll bag it and just say it is part of the process of eating. The cart thing at Aldi's is pretty smart really. They do not lose carts as a general rule. The things run upward of $250.00 a piece, so for a quarter that you get back anyway, it works. Actually I bag a lot of groceries anyway. If it looks like the cashier at the local grocery is jammed up, I will automatically start bagging and give him/her a little breathing space.
Bagging your own groceries is very unheard of in the Philippines. I think it's just a US thing. But if ever that would be implemented, then I wouldn't really mind, because it's not really a huge chore bagging your own groceries.
I prefer to do what ever I am to do whether it is that I bag my goods myself, or have someone do it for me, that's fine with me! self checkout is really a good system, it makes me wonder at times though, will we walk into a supermarket or store one day and upon reaching the "Cashier" realize that all the Cashiers have been replaced by automated machines :-/ think about that! I have, and I can tell you, I'd love to see people that are at the cashier's station, it makes me feel more human!
I usually bag my own groceries as well, we don't have the habit here in my country of other people bagging them for us. Sincerely, I prefer to do it because I do it faster and I put the things the way I prefer, so it's no big deal.
If they are doing dumb things like putting heavy items on top of bread, and putting cleaning products with food, they were not trained properly. That is Bagging 101 level stuff. Haha. How does Aldi work with old/disabled people? I can't imagine they'd make a frail old lady bag all her items herself. They must have someone to assist people who need help with that. Here, if you have two or more bags, the bagger is required to ask if you need help carrying the stuff out to your car. Do they also have someone to help with people who need that? I do bag my own groceries, or at least help the bagger do it. With two people doing it it, the job gets done faster. I can also make sure the raw chicken is bagged separate from everything else because that always manages to leak. No, it's apparently a UK thing. Here in the US almost all places will bag your groceries for you without asking. Some of us prefer to do the bagging ourselves though.
I don't mind bagging my own items. If I can take a few minutes to bag my groceries at Aldis in order to keep the costs down for them (meaning savings for me), then I have no problem. It also cuts down on a lot of waste. Plenty of stores use plastic bags (far more than needed) and the customers just go home and throw them away. If you know you'll be bagging your own groceries the next go around and having to pay for your own bags, you won't throw them away. I think it's very smart, actually. It cuts down the cost of the store buying countless numbers of wasted bags, they save money and don't have to charge so much for products, they support the movement for a better environment and make people use their resources wisely. Nothing wrong with that .
I don't mind doing it myself. It's nice when someone does it for me but sometimes it's some 15 year old who puts bread in with canned goods I like organizing things by where they'll go in my kitchen. Another thing that irks me when someone else does it is when they waste bags. Sometimes they'll only put 3-4 items in a bag when there is plenty of space left. Some people may prefer that method but I want to use the fewest number of bags possible.
Bagging your own groceries is a way of life in the UK. It's something you just do without thinking about it. What I don't like is where you have a cashier who just keeps on scanning things through without stopping to give you time to bag things tidily. The groceries end up in a big pile on the checkout. This happened to me the other day and I had to keep saying "stop a minute" all the time.
I cannot abide having my bags packed for me and insist on doing it myself every time. Otherwise, you'll end up with squashed bread, tin cans on top of the eggbox and washing powder next to deli items.
In most of the places here in the states where you bag your own groceries, they ring it through and put it into another shopping cart. Then you push the cart away, and bag up your things. I can't imagine having to stand there and bag as they ring up, especially if you have a big order. I like to take my time and bag it all up properly. I wouldn't want to be throwing things into bags just to avoid holding up the line. I can see why you wouldn't like it with that set up. Thanks for sharing this. I've learned something. I always wondered why some people dislike bagging their own, but in your situation, I can certainly see it.
We're getting an Aldi store in my area, so I'll have to bag my own groceries and I'm okay with that. I bring my own reusable bags to stores anyway and at Walmart, the cashier gets confused when I bring my own bags, so I usually end up bagging some of my own items anyway.
I have often bagged my own groceries. Sometimes it's faster to do it yourself, and at other times you know you get stuff bagged "properly" when you're the one putting your stuff in the bags. Also, I try to bring my own bag(s) and if I do it, I'm often ready to go by the time the cashier is done scanning.
