Grocery shopping is something you either tend to love or hate.
Whether you enjoy browsing the aisles for the latest deals and new products or prefer to get in and out as quickly as you can, it is important to remember to treat the store employees with respect.
It is not easy working in retail, dealing with customers who can be rude and even aggressive at times, but there are certain behaviours that, according to grocery store workers, tick them off more than others.
While anyone that's worked in retail will be familiar with the saying 'the customer is always right' - sometimes that's not strictly true.
So it's worth being aware of the behaviours which employees wish customers would just stop doing immediately.
Mashed got the inside scoop on the rudest things people have been caught doing at grocery store checkouts, so you know exactly what behaviours to avoid if you want to stay in your local store's good graces.
Below is a list of some the most frustrating behaviours customers have when shopping, as shared by employees.
Already eaten or opened items
First up are the people who bring partially consumed or opened items to the checkout.
This one is particularly common with anyone who goes food shopping with young kids, and gives them a snack out of the trolley to keep them quiet.
But, for cashiers it can be a nightmare as they have to work out what to do with the partially consumed item, or whatever packing and waste is left.
It's even worse if it's something particularly messy.
"Don't open things before you buy them," said grocery store employee Albert Navarret.
"This is just rude. Even if you plan to buy it, the item isn't yours yet.
"Most supermarkets have strong policies about this, and you may be approached by a staff member."
So, unless you have a health condition which means you need food or drink straight away while shopping, maybe put down that drink or bag of crisps until you've paid for it.
If you really can't wait, or have screaming children bugging you for a snack - it might be best to go and pay for the items you want to eat so you can munch as you carry on with your shop.
TV spoilers and sports scores
Now this is one that many people probably will not have considered.
A lot of grocery store employees work evening shifts and weekends, and so might not be able to catch their favourite show or team play when it is live.
Instead, they might be recording it or waiting to stream it when they get home, so if you come talking about the big plot twist in last night's episode, or revealing the score of a big game that day, it can rub salt in the wound.
Expired coupons
For a lot of people, coupons can be extremely handy to help bring down the cost of the weekly shop - for others, they're just an added perk.
Either way, there's nothing quite like the embarrassment of handing over your coupon or voucher to hear that it's expired.
This can be frustrating, especially if it made the difference between your shop being affordable, or being able to pick up that special treat.
Sadly, checkout staff are often the ones who become the target for this anger.
They do not set the expiration dates, their job is just to implement store policies and procedures as they try to get through their shift.
In a lot of cases, checkout staff don't have the authority to override expired coupons, so no amount of shouting and begging is likely to help.
Keeping everything in your basket
If you're going to a manned checkout point, then their job is to make the experience run as smoothly as possible for everyone.
Nobody wants to spend more time in line to check out than actually doing their shopping, and by leaving things in your basket you're creating just that hold up.
It is also rude to the cashier, expecting them to do the extra work of unloading your basket for you.
Inappropriate conversation
Grocery store workers have to be polite to customers - it is part of the job.
But just because they're being polite and smiling doesn't mean you can get into inappropriate conversation topics.
Stick to the small talk, you don't want to make the cashier uncomfortable by asking personal questions or sparking up a debate about politics - which can also make the people around you uncomfortable.
There's a time and a place to get to know someone better and to have political debates, standing at a checkout in the supermarket is not it.
Reorganising your wallet as the line builds
For a lot of people, everything in their wallet has a set place and order.
It can be confusing when that order is thrown off, but standing at the checkout after doing your food shop is not the place to fix this.
Just put it away and deal with it later, stand off to the side somewhere if it's that urgent, but holding up the queue at the checkout will not only annoy the people behind you, you're also then stopping the employee from being able to do their job.
Talking on the phone
Our phones are pretty much an extension of us nowadays, where we go, they go.
But when you're checking out after doing your food shop, maybe just put your phone down for a minute so you can pay attention.
Not only is it rude while the cashier is helping you, it also depersonalises the cashier - making them feel you don't care about their job or efforts.
Then there's the disruption it can cause - if you're engrossed in a phone call you're more likely to miss important information or request from your cashier, or make errors during your transaction.
Heavy items on the conveyor belt
It's pretty handy having a conveyor belt to do the heavy lifting, but there are certain items it's best to leave off.
If you're putting particularly heavy items on the belt it can not only create a headache for those involved, but also pose a potential risk.
Once they're on the belt, the cashier has to handle them.
It may not seem like much when you go to do your food shop, but you're only lifting that one item, while an employee might work at a register for eight to ten hours a day.
Repeatedly having to lift the heavy items customers place on the belt can create a recipe for back problems and muscle strains.
A lot of checkouts have handheld scanners, meaning you can leave your item in your cart or basket and have them scanned directly from there to save not only you lugging them onto and off the belt, but the cashier from potential injury.
Blaming employees if prices don't match
We have all been there, lured in by enticing sale signs, picking out what seems like a great deal just to get to checkout and see that it is not ringing up at the same price.
It is frustrating, nobody is denying that.
But that doesn't justify taking out your anger on the employees at the checkout.
Ultimately, they don't have a say in the prices set in store and aren't responsible for any disconnect between prices on the shelves and prices at the checkout.
Instead of blaming the employee, it is far more productive to actually have an open conversation with them and share your concern politely and respectfully.
A lot of employees genuinely want to help customers, and by working together these discrepancies can be identified to create a positive experience for everyone.
Cash in hand or on the counter?
Ok, so not many of us still use cold hard cash in a post-pandemic world - but those that do should be mindful of their etiquette when paying.
If an employee is holding out their hand to receive the cash, putting it down on the counter just makes you look like you don't respect them.
On the other hand, if they would rather have the cash put onto the counter instead of in their hand you should also respect that decision.
Given that they handle money from hundreds of people on a daily basis, they're regularly coming into contact with colds, flu and other bugs.
The old free item joke
There is nothing wrong with having a bit of banter with the employees - it can break up their shift and brighten their day.
But there's one joke which has been done to death, and then some. If an item doesn't ring up, then it must be free.
There is nothing wrong with humour or a smart quip, but this joke is well beyond its expiration date.
Cashiers have heard it countless times, and the novelty faded a good few years ago.
Calling it rude might be a stretch, but it is frustrating to cashiers who hear the same jokes day-in, day-out.
Plus, it can create confusion and slow things down.
Different produce in one bag
When you are picking your fresh fruit and veg, it can be tempting to just throw them all into one bag and call it a day, but that just creates a nightmare for the checkout staff.
When different produce is mixed into one bag, it becomes tricky for staff to identify and retrieve specific items at the checkout.
Efficient scanning and weighing of loose produce is key to ensuring accurate pricing.
When it is all mixed together it takes longer for the cashier to identify and separate each type, causing delays and the possibility of errors.
Keeping each item type in its own bag not only streamlines the checkout process, it also means you're not asking employees to do the extra work of sorting your produce for you.
Too many items in the express checkout
Express checkouts often have faster moving lines than the main checkouts, but if you are over whatever limit the store displays, then just head to one of the other registers.
The express lanes are there for people who are popping in and out just to pick up a couple of items.
But there are those who always want to push the boundaries.
If you ignore the guidance and show up with a full shop, it can disrupt the efficiency of the express lane - which is kind of its whole point.
Not only are you frustrating the cashier, who is there to carry out quick transactions for those after just a few items, you're also holding up the line for everyone else who is abiding by the rules.
So next time, just keep an eye on which lane you're choosing, and remember - cashiers are people too, working hard who deserve our respect.
