Supermarket checkouts

Mollygo I never use my ADHD as an excuse for anything I do, but I do try and manage it and not do things where I know I will not be able to - and hand scanning is one of them.

For other things lists are a wonderful resource, as are calendars and diaries. I know I run things to the wire, but I never missed deadlines, and rarely, if ever, forgot appointments. And list making is such a good procrastination device!

M0nica I admire you for avoiding hand held scanners for that reason.
I have listened to people who say they have a problem which means they find it difficult to focus, concentrate or remember and use that as an excuse for having forgotten to do things, usually in work, but including scanning items.

ForeverAutumn

twiglet77

I always use a hand-held scanner where possible, so I can pack straight into my own bags and don’t have to unload onto the belt. Sometimes it calls for a random check but that’s more than compensated by the time saving over the course of a month.

I much prefer this method of shopping too, it really does cut down the time spent in supermarket queues.

It is dependent on you knowing that you will remember to scan every article. I have ADHD, I know, that sometimes, with the best will in the world, my attention will wander, I will either not scan and not realise or not scan several articcle, realise and be scrabbling in the trolley trying to locate all those items I forgot to scan.

I will continue to use the staffed tills for all but small shops.

Our M&S had queue control, both outside the shop and before you entered the food hall, which was one in, one out. It meant that once you got in there it wasn’t actually too bad - so our queuing was to get in there in the first place. Glad it’s done, but they had no double cream at all so I’ve still got to go out and find some.

GrannyIvy
Our huge M&S opened at 6am today and the queues were like those for January sales!

After a while, we finally decided DH would just move to the end of an aisle whilst I whizzed up and down to collect stuff.
Should have done it before, but school finished on Friday and the weekend was taken up with long distance visiting.
The car park was jammed, but no chance of running out of stuff as delivery lorries were still arriving as we left.

I was in M & S at 8 am and omg it was so busy. DH decided to help (he kept vanishing with the trolley) and it took so much longer! He kept picking up random things, the fridge is so full anyway this time of year so didn’t want extra stuff we didn’t need. Big queues for check outs (and self checkout) but staff were on hand efficiently guiding people through.
Only the turkey to collect from farm shop tmrw!

I loathe grocery shopping any time of year. (Well, any shopping actually.)

We did our usual weekly shop on Thursday, then popped into Tesco’s soon after 6am on Saturday for milk and suchlike.

No intention of shopping today or Christmas Eve.

Will do this Thursday’s weekly shop on Friday, then back to normal, (thank goodness).

Popped into Sainsbury this morning although parking was a squeeze the store was running well all checkouts open and we sailed through- also bagged a nice flower vase for £8. Bargain.

Yes, Monica it’s getting the self-scan till to recognise my cotton shopping bag that causes me most delay, especially when I have more than one bag for a small trolley shop.
The bags invariably need to be approved by a store colleague.

If I have a big shop I always use a staffed till and enjoy a pleasant chat while we work.

We’ve done the Christmas shop today, and queued for ages. The self service checkouts are my preference, but they are no good if you have a trolley full of food because the area to put yourbags to pack them just isn’t big enough for everything.

Turned up at my local supermarket at 8.00am this morning, half an hour after it opened, so the first rush of early early customers were already on their way out. The shop was busy but everyone seemed to have a list and was working their way round the shop briskly and efficiently. I was round and out in 45 minutes, including using a manned (it was a man) till. No queue. Arrived 20 minutes early for my collection time at the turkey farm.but got it early as well and was back hme to enjoy a leiurely coffee by 10.30.

On self-service tills. They are OK only as long as you areonly buying a few items and do not put them in a bag until you have put paid. Picking a cloth bag up to put goods in before you finish shopping almost always ends up in the alarm system ringing.

They also do not work for trolley loads of goods as there is never enough space at the scanned end of the system for all the shopping and anyway, I like to put things through the scanner and straight back into my trolley where my bags are all lined up for loading and even the so-called special trolley self scanners cannot cope with that. I also find the space allocatted to self scanners is too small and cramped, especially when shoppers have pushchairs or shopping trolleys.

husband always goes self service but when i try flipping lights flash or it says object not recognised or I have not put item in the bag when I have done it! i get so stressed and flustered I cant wait to get out of there. I stick to manned checkouts

That apostrophe was nothing to do with me. Phone!!

Just back from a packed M&S food hall. The main problem was the men! For some reason lots of men were trying to 'help' their wives with shopping. They blocked the aisles with their trolleys, didn't know where anything was, had to discuss every choice with their wives and had lovely chats with other male shoppers. Some thought they'd be clever and not use a basket thus dropping lots of items that then needed cleaning up this blocking more aisles!
This time of year requires precision shopping by experienced shopper's who know the rules and the store layout.
Rant over. .....and relax!

I am with you oldwoman and don’t use self scan for the same reason.

Just been into Marks, heaving. Long queues even for the self service. Staff sent us to the clothing self service, which was much quicker

I never use the self service check out as I consider it is doing someone out of a job. Yesterday the queues at the manned check outs were moving faster than the self service ones as there seemed to be lots of problems.

I think people cofuse self scan and with self check out. Self checkout yes its probably quicker at a manned check out for a big shop but self scan means you scan the item and put in your bag there is no scanning at the till as you've already scanned and packed it. One zap into the till and pay. But each to their own. 🎅🎄✨️

Happy Christmas xx

I always use the normal checkouts. I am not in a hurry and now know several of the people on the checkouts and have had many pleasant chats to people in the queue. It makes shopping more than just buy groceries.

I won’t use scan and go as I am not loyal to one supermarket but shop around. Self check every time for me unless a big shop, but M&S Simply Food near me does not have enough self scan tills. There are always queues. I understand that in large M&S stores there are even self scan on clothing departments. Can see abuse happening there 🤔

Self service isn't quicker for a large shop. Trained checkout operators are bound to be faster at beeping the products through while you pack (at waist height too, so no stooping). On a self checkout you are doing both jobs. I use self check outs regularly for small to medium shopping but for large amounts they really are slower. You also have to wait for restricted products to be confirmed or any other blips in the system.

Ah Maw funny you should mention those bags. On my exit from Tesco last week I noticed a woman who had some smaller versions of those bags in her trolley.

I’ve just popped to Tesco for a few bits it was heaving with already long queues at tills. There are 10 self scan tills 5 of which were not being used I was at the till less than 2 minutes even though I had to have security tags removed it’s a no brainier isn’t it? Really! the more you do it the less things go wrong. There and back in 25 mins. Give it a try when it’s a quiet day and you’ll never go back to manned tills.

I like scan and go, or whatever it’s called in different shops. Food packed in bags in the order I want it, no unpacking and repacking and only the occasional 12 item check.
Many staff have been redeployed and some prefer to be on the move picking for home deliveries rather than sitting at a till all day, though I don’t know if they’re given the option.
My DGS says no option, but then he likes to be on the move and it makes the day pass quicker.

At least it’s not like the banks, where the use of ATMs and credit cards has meant loss of jobs and bank closures.

Random question - does anybody remember those deep “trolley bags” Sainsbury’s used to sell which had wooden dowelling as handles. They were made of a plasticised fabric with a twirly sort of Art Nouveau Sainsbugs logo and they were as deep as the bigger deep trolleys?
They were a brilliant idea, you could fit three across a big trolley thus holding everything BUT when you got to your car, the damn things were too heavy (and of course deep) to lift clear of the trolley and into the boot.
I wonder why they never really caught on?