Well I do have to make sure they’re the appropriate size. Size matters, you know.
I think for some eople they really have no clue. They are so accustomed to the kids they don’t think about it. But for crying out loud people, teach your children about respecting property that doesn’t belong to them. So many people seem to think that if it’s in a store it must be okay for thier kids to play with. I understand the natural desire and curiouslty of children, but it is your responsibility as a parent to treach them to be careful, and not to touch, or to ask permission.
And have some sense, don’t let your small children wander the store without you. Seriously, if you simply can’t control them, and haven’t taught them to mind thier manners in public, don’t bring them in.
The other day our very laid back salesman had to tell one family that thier kids could no longer be in the store because the kids were banging on merchandise and the adults seemed oblivious.
And unlike the grocery store, if you or your children break something, you’re expected to pay for it.
Except for their names being Cletus and Charlene. you nailed it.
Just came across this thread (linked by Smapti’s newer supermarket customer rant). For whomever may find it useful, here’s my strategy:
Those big brown paper bags serve this purpose perfectly well.
(1) Shop as regular, using big brown paper bags. (Of course, stores don’t want you double-bagging. That’s fine.)
(2) Save these at home, until you have a dozen or so.
(3) NOW, double-bag those. (Once they’ve served their purpose in life once, I have no moral qualms about this.)
(4) You now have a stash of perfectly good re-usable bags that will fold up nicely in your cart while you shop, and stand up on their own while you bag.
Additional benefit: The conveyor belts are often filthy. I lay out these bags (still folded) on the belt and put my groceries on top of them.
I find that I can re-use these doubled bags anywhere from 20 to 30 times (usually) before they begin to get too frayed to use. (I’m pretty sure that double-bagging them more than doubles the number of good re-uses that I can get before they fall apart.) After that, they can serve one final mission as a garbage bag. Then it’s off to the landfill, after a grocery bag’s life well spent.
ETA: You may call thee bags, thus used, zombie grocery bags. There. I beat everyone to it.
More ETA: And at many stores around here, you get 5 or 6 cents off, for every re-usable bag you bring. And these bags count for that too!
Another from the customer side: if I’m sorting stuff into categories as I put it on the conveyor belt, please assume I wish items bagged by category (e.g., refrigerator products together, cleaning products together, frozen goods together, etc.). Not only does this make my life easier when I’m putting stuff away at home, but if you put cold goods together, they help each other stay at least cooler longer. In summer, this is very helpful to a customer whose car’s AC is dubious at best.
And PLEASE do not put eggs or bread in the same bag with a 2-liter bottle (yes, this has been done to me). Eggs and bread are OK bagmates.