Convenience Store Etiquette

Are you guilty of grocery store sins? 7 rules of shopping etiquette

It's one of the most common grocery store sins: Please be kind and at least return it to the cart corral, if you don't have the time or energy to bring it all the way back to the front of the store.

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Amethyst says they usually find at least one cart a day abandoned inside the store -- which can be especially troubling if it contains items that should be frozen or refrigerated. It's okay to change your mind when you see an item preferable to something in your cart!

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Or maybe you realized you grabbed one too many cans of tomato paste. But do you bring the no-longer-wanted can back to its original place, or simply set it down among the rolls of toilet paper in the aisle you are presently cruising? Amethyst says there's a third option, for those who aren't inclined to return to the tomato paste shelf -- "We wish customers would return items directly to us, as a cashier, at the register -- instead of just placing items 'wherever' on the shelf!

Amethyst says it's surprising how many people put multiple-priced items in the same plastic bag, then get annoyed when the cashier reaches their hand in the bag to take items out for separate weighing. Even different brands of apples can be different prices, so it's not apples to apples folks! Yes, you read that correctly, Amethyst says it's okay if you're starving and you need a handful of chips to get you through the shopping excursion.

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Or maybe your kids are cranky and giving them a handful of goldfish will make everyone's life easier. What's not okay is eating half a bag of grapes that are priced according to weight, before you get to the cashier. During our store visit, we found an empty can of Red Bull, sitting on a random shelf. Amethyst says some folks count, "1, 2, skip-a-few, " -- and that's not cool. A trip to the supermarket is an out-of-body consumer experience, best attacked alone and with your brain on standby.

Supermarket etiquette: a guide to modern manners | Life and style | The Guardian

That's why it's OK to ignore people you know or, if need be, to hide from them. This is actually a courtesy, so don't be offended when someone does it to you. If you must chat with a neighbour or acquaintance, keep it brief and don't stop moving forward.

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If you're standing still, you're in the way. It's fine to accept a free sample of some horrible new cordial, or a bit of cheese on a stick, but bear in mind that the person handing them out does not value your opinion. He's just there to stop you taking too many.

It's important to say "Thank you," when the person ahead of you in the queue places a divider on the belt between your shopping and hers, but eye contact is by no means mandatory. You're shopping, not speed-dating.

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Making sure your local convenience store lives up to the promise of its name is a team effort. Here are a few simple rules you can follow to help. By following grocery etiquette guidelines, you can keep your shopping trip efficient and free of drama. See 10 grocery etiquette rules to get started.

There is nothing arch in the way the robotic female voice at the self-checkout bay keeps saying: Occasionally an exotic or unfamiliar item will confuse a new checkout employee. You may choose to see this as an opportunity to indulge in some quiet middle-class self-loathing, but the person behind you — me — is in a hurry.