# Do supermarket customers have an obligation to bag their own groceries? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 10, 2002, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296 "2002-07-10T20:28:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/41 "2002-07-12T00:51:54Z")
I’ll echo **elfkin477** ’s sentiment - every time I see someone starting to bag their own groceries, they are quickly asked to stop it. I’ve seen it at several different grocery stores - from mom and pop to upscale. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/42 "2002-07-12T00:59:34Z")
I’ve never been questioned about bagging my own grocieries, the cashiers always thank me. I’ve never seen anyone asked to stop, although I have seen embaressed baggers run up to do their job. As for being questioned about shoplifting while shopping with a canvas bag, in the 15 years I’ve been doing this I’ve had one cashier say she could have me arrested for shoplifting. I found it absurd then and told her so. Never heard from anyone since. Many of the stores I shop at sell the canvas bags and lots of people use them. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/43 "2002-07-12T01:48:16Z")
IIRC, they won’t get you for shoplifting until you get past the register. I don’t know whether it’s law or whether it’s simply a practical matter. They can’t really prove that you weren’t intending to pay for the items. Nevertheless, I never “conceal” an item while I’m shopping. ---
**Author:** ![castle\_bravo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@castle\_bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/castle_bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/44 "2002-07-12T06:15:01Z")
Bagging groceries for customers is merely a service provided to customers. The store’s only obligation is to sell them the merchandise, not package it for them. Since, in many cases, its both a product and a service offered for free, I don’t see how you could complain even if a store that bagged for you in the past stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/45 "2002-07-12T17:43:14Z")
There’s an older woman in a scooter that comes in with canvas bags that she uses to put her purchases in, and then we help her empty them and put them back, as I think she has arthritis or Parkinsons or something. It’s not a big deal. Hey, when I go to the library, I always bring my backpack, put my books in it, take them, check them out and put them back in. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/46 "2002-07-12T20:32:42Z")
Last night, at a Safeway here in SF, I attempted to bag my own groceries. The cashier asked me to please not do that. When I asked her why, she said it was b/c the manager gets mad if he sees customers bagging their own groceries b/c they are supposed to do it. I’ll try Andronico’s next (upscale) and report back. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/47 "2002-07-16T00:52:55Z")
I’m back! Sleeping thread be damned - I did some research and I’m posting it dammit! Andronico’s ALSO forbade me from bagging my own groceries. This time, I asked to speak to the manager about it - not in a hostile way, just b/c I was curious. I mentioned that I thought it was odd that they wouldn’t let me bag my own groceries - I was just trying to speed up the line, etc. According to the manager, turns out that an older woman and regular customer was adamant about bagging her own groceries, and one day she put too many glass bottles in one of them, it broke open on her way out of the store, she tripped and fell, and SUED them. As a result, their insurance policy now demands that no one is allowed to bag their own groceries. So, based on my research and experience, customers have an obligation to NOT bag their own groceries. For my next trick, I shall stroll into several more threads and kill them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2002, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/48 "2002-07-16T05:05:44Z")
**Dooku** , you are such a spoilsport. (well researched, though 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2002, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/49 "2002-07-16T05:59:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tsubaki \* > \*\* > Do they have the promotions where you get discounts if you take your own bag in Wakayama, though? \*\* I’ve never tried to do so, so I don’t know for sure, but I’ve never noticed any signs or anything around advertising such a discount. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/50 "2002-07-16T19:55:03Z")
In Ohio, Kentucky and NC, the three places I’ve lived where I’ve been old enough to do my own shopping, there is always either a bagger or the cashier will bag my groceries. _However_, i’ve seen more and more of the “Self-Scan” aisles where not only do you bag your own stuff, but as the name says, you scan it, too. They only offer plastic bags in these aisles, but I suppose you could use your own if you wanted to. Further, many of the grocery stores have stickers on the front doors saying things like “Please do not tip, serving you is our pleasure!” which strongly leads me to believe that helping out bagging is one fo the last things I should do. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2002, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296/51 "2002-07-17T01:39:06Z")
Well, here’s the deal-always offer. They can always say no. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-supermarket-customers-have-an-obligation-to-bag-their-own-groceries/118296.md?page=2)