Do you want a hand?.................NO

chazbar

Why is it that in every supermarket I go to now I am confronted by strangers trying to pack my shopping?

I know some are for good causes and I am not anti charity but......
#1 I don't want any help packing my shopping
#2 I have said no thanks before but it didn't matter
#3 My groceries which i am paying good money for is getting threw in every way, bread is getting crushed, fruit and veg is getting bruised and then I give them money for it because if i don't, I feel guilty.
#4 Most are not for charities, they are for clubs and societies which I have nothing to do with in any way at all.
#5 Its pretty embarrassing when you buy private products such as contraception and creams, to be then handled by a child

Is it not possible that just a few tills are left with no one packing on them, so the consumer has a choice, or perhaps, why not just leave the buckets at the tills and I would be more than happy to leave my loose change with them.

brightspark

It's a rule in my local Dunnes that the collectors cannot man all the tills, there has to be at least one checkout without any one collecting.

gizmo

chazbar wrote: »

Is it not possible that just a few tills are left with no one packing on them, so the consumer has a choice, or perhaps, why not just leave the buckets at the tills and I would be more than happy to leave my loose change with them.

You do have a choice even when they're there, that's why they ask you "Do you want a hand?". Regardless of whether I want to give them money I prefer to pack my own shopping but a smile and a "No thanks, I can manage" won't cost you anything either.

gizmo

gizmo wrote: »

You do have a choice even when they're there, that's why they ask you "Do you want a hand?". Regardless of whether I want to give them money I prefer to pack my own shopping but a smile and a "No thanks, I can manage" won't cost you anything either.

Yeah that's what I do too

looksee

I agree with both chazbar and gizmo. I don't like having other people manhandle my groceries, and yes I have had things damaged by bad packing. Mostly now I say, I'll give you a donation, but I'd rather pack them myself.

It does seem a bit silly to refuse help though when you have to catch up with packing because you have been unloading the trolly, especially when the 'helpers' just stand there in your way, gawking. I have also heard other customers make smart remarks about people who are too picky to allow the children to help!!!

What is frustrating though is when you head for a non-packing till and someone comes from one of the other tills to 'help'.

And at the same time I appreciate that these people have given up their Saturday to help raise money, and are trying to be helpful. I always give a donation, regardless of whether they pack or not - football clubs might only get a token though:D

Exclamation Marc

I agree with the OP, sometimes you just really don't want the help they're offering.

Some of them are decent, but there are a hell of a lot of "volunteers" who just flat out dont want to be there, and more or less try to pack everything as fast as they can and just rifle my shopping into bags under the "fit it all in" principle.

Also the amount of times packers have mixed in Domestos or Dettol with food is just baffling, so I prefer to do it myself or hit the tills with no packers.

wmpdd3

I was working on a check out today, I choose one without a volunteer packer, ended up being most popular check for the hour. We only have packer once a week and we hare hounded by these charities and groups for more dates.

Last year one group couldn't get the date they wanted so they advised all the children's parent to boycott the supermarket.

Put your opinion in writing to the supermarket so we can pass your thought s to the groups when they demand their dates.

And no way would I let anybody else pack my bag, even if they were trained by the supermarket such as superquinn.

Nolimits

I know our store manager doesn't like them because alot of customers don't like them. The key is that there should always be one person to 2 or 3 tills or even more, that way if you don't want a hand they can quickly move onto the next one instead of just standing there like a pleb as you pack your own stuff.

Exclamation Marc

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Last year one group couldn't get the date they wanted so they advised all the children's parent to boycott the supermarket.

That's disgraceful, but doesn't suprise me hugely.

AngryLips

It especially gets on my goat when the society/organisation/charity is of a religious persuasion

Priori

Self-service checkouts all the way.

I usually get embarrassed and give them change, and it's never the money that bothers me; for some reason it just gets me in a fluster when I know somebody will be there to offer to pack my (one bag) usually! A little silly I know.

ShooterSF

The trick here is to turn the old guilt tactic back on them. Let them pack the bags then turn and say "I can give you money if you wan't but I'm sure you'll agree the feeling of doing a good deed for no reward is the best reward of all"

The Lovely Muffin

I hate this as well.

Every weekend (without fail) most of the checkouts in the supermarket have people at them packing bags.

I always say 'no thanks' and while some of the 'bag-packers' listen to me, some just stand there looking at me.

It's mostly for sports clubs though, sometimes, it's for charity, but not always.

Kidchameleon

Absolutely hate bag packers. One time I was in my local Super Valu and there were packers there. So your one packs my bag, grand not a bother, I throw some change into her bucket, she then proceeds to stare into the hole in the bucket, counting how much I put in :eek:

Magenta

They've even had them in Boots as well. I mean for ****'s sake.
The checkout space at Boots is small enough as it is, they are designed for people only buying a basketful of things max, and you've got somebody from a sports club etc standing at each one, crowding the place up. Very annoying, especially when you're paying by card and don't want someone breathing down your neck.
Why on earth would anyone need help packing at most, a basketful of stuff?
Plus, Boots stock is often very sensitive ie pregnancy tests, condoms, etc- I'm not letting some kid put those in a bag for me!

91011

A few weeks ago at Tesco Newbridge

At Door - guy selling Big Issues. (has been there for years and decent too)

At checkout - bag packing in aid of local club.

On way out - table with someone selling Jackie Skelly memberships and box with sign asking you to donate to animal shelter.


Whilst no-one has an issue with groups & people looking to raise money, there has to be some form of limit / option for those who do not wish to donate to be able to avoid it in some way otherwise it will be counter productive.

TheDriver

I hate down here in the country where other GAA clubs are packing in my local supermarket even though we have our own GAA club.
Anyone ever get annoyed by the way that some sports clubs have seperate collections for underage/women/men etc

pinkypinky

I deliberately went to the self-service tills in Tesco Clare Hall with a mostly full trolley today because there was some charity packers. I don't have a lot of spare money for charity at the moment and it embarrasses me to have to not give something.

wmpdd3

Honestly put your comments here and something will be done. I know it's a pain but trying to convice clubs (who are also customers) that they are annoying customers is impossible.

https://www.tescocomments.com/

pinkypinky

Thanks for the heads up. Filled out the form - they want a bloody store number and I don't have my receipt - can't send the feedback without it. Silly. I called the branch and got it.

Brendog

Lads I know you are all doing it for a good cause but you need to learn how to pack shopping bags.
The amount of times I've got someone to help pack my bags and when I get home I discover the ice cream is in with the toiletries, fruit is in with meat and crisps are in the freezer bags.


I know you're doing your best but its very annoying when I spend €200 on food and by giving you €2 I can only eat €100 worth of what I've bought.

foggy_lad

91011 wrote: »

A few weeks ago at Tesco Newbridge

At Door - guy selling Big Issues. (has been there for years and decent too)

At checkout - bag packing in aid of local club.

On way out - table with someone selling Jackie Skelly memberships and box with sign asking you to donate to animal shelter.


Whilst no-one has an issue with groups & people looking to raise money, there has to be some form of limit / option for those who do not wish to donate to be able to avoid it in some way otherwise it will be counter productive.

Lidl and Aldi never have these annoying bag packers! it is just another nasty americanization of irish society.

jpb1974

I know you're doing your best but its very annoying when I spend €200 on food and by giving you €2 I can only eat €100 worth of what I've bought.

50% of a €200 shop destroyed... wow... that must've been some packing job.

Liamario

The obvious solution is for all the local supermarkets to agree that they don't allow these "charities" to come in and pack bags.
Problem solved.

Das Kitty

I would actually be delighted to have someone pack my bags IF they knew what they were doing.

The last time I said yes I was 9 months pregnant and on my own. Stuff was squashed, bags were burst, there was even a broken jar. I complained to the manager the next time I was in.

A local girls hockey club collects in one of our local supermarkets regularly. It galls me to see the girls slowly dumping everything that comes their way into the same bag not even looking because they are either texting or staring vacantly out the window. I never donate to them and I always get scowled at. It's rarely charities that do these collections in my experience.

LittleBook

Brendog wrote: »

Lads I know you are all doing it for a good cause but you need to learn how to pack shopping bags.

+ 1

I usually don't mind these kids so much and where I shop it's usually for a good, local cause. If I want a hand I say "yes please", if I don't "no thanks".

But a kid this weekend put me off completely, I had a lot of stuff and no less than 6 bags but even after I tried to point this out he managed to stuff the lot into two bags that I couldn't lift!

It was like he was playing Tetris rather than packing intelligently! :pac:

ShooterSF

For those of you interested I found this book a great help. It explains the tactics people use to persuade you to do things and once you are more aware of them you can realise the obligation you are feeling is one you have been cleverly tricked into and you can consciously override it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Robert-Cialdini/dp/006124189X/ref=sr_1_1/277-1889232-7706728?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284384627&sr=8-1

wmpdd3

Good point about Lidl and Aldi, never have any kind of collector. Has anyone tried to collect on their premises? What's their policy?

keithclancy

ShooterSF wrote: »

For those of you interested I found this book a great help. It explains the tactics people use to persuade you to do things and once you are more aware of them you can realise the obligation you are feeling is one you have been cleverly tricked into and you can consciously override it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Robert-Cialdini/dp/006124189X/ref=sr_1_1/277-1889232-7706728?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284384627&sr=8-1

Actually I think its the Irish Mentality, people are too polite.

Germany and Holland they just say 'no' and have no problem doing so.

They say exactly what they mean, hence they come off as rude when visiting our emerald isle

VERYinterested

Most of the kids clubs collecting is to subsidise a trip for them abroad at Easter. It is not being done for charity. Don't feel guilty, just opt out of the help. If they want to go on a holiday, let their parents pay, why should you pay?

dudara

I just say "Thanks, but no thanks". I drop in a few coins and leave it at that.

If they're really determined, I stand over their shoulder directing them on how to do it.

sozbox

I spent 4 weekends this year carrying out bagpacks that I myself organised.
Just a few comments:
The volunteers we had for this we all expected to pack bags properly, putting Dettol in with food just wasn't done.

Customers were always asked if they needed help with a smile. If yes then the bags were packed with care, if not, no problem.

I found that the majority of people were grateful of the help and enjoyed a bit of light conversation regarding the cause. Also, the checkout staff expressed their appreciation of the help as queues were sped up and items were't building up on the belt.

However, I have had my bags packed by people who didn't seem to care less what went in so I think you shouldn't simply generalise and say "Bagpacking is bad".

If organised and monitored effectively then these problems don't crop up.
That's my 2 cents from my 50+ hours of standing at the end of a till

Off topic note; Woman working in Tesco on West Street, Drogheda, gave me a hand today at one of those self service checkouts today - one of the nicest, and most useful sales assistants I've ever encountered. Fair play to her. Wanted to throw in a good comment on that Tesco site, but no store number, sadly, as I don't have the receipt. Didn't catch her name either, so it probably would've been a waste, anyway.



Anyway, with regards to these guys, would it not make more sense to offer to bring your bags to your car or to the taxi rank (if there's one nearby) or such? Would people not appreciate that a little bit more than bagpacking?

sozbox

In many cases yes and we did offer to do this for people with kids, elderly etc.

However, unfortunately because the aim of bagpacking is to make money it makes more sense to keep people at the tills. Donations increased massively when people manned the tills so having them bringing bags to cars would reduce the number of customers they have contact with and thus the overall take. Cynical yes but you'd be amazed how much can be raised from a weekend of bagpacking. People are extremely generous for the most part.

mikemac

Jason1984 wrote: »

Also, the checkout staff expressed their appreciation of the help as queues were sped up and items were't building up on the belt.

I remember the 1990's when supermarkets employed people to pack your bags for you.
Every supermarket I knew had staff for that.
I'm not sure when exactly it disappeared but it's gone for good now, cost cutting I suppose

chazbar

just to address some guys on the back packers side.
speaking for myself, i always give money and end up letting them pack my bags just because i feel guilty if i dont, it is the mentality of many of us.
The packers know this too, why else would you ask my girlfriend and I, who are both young and fit, if we need help packing 2 bags.
I am not anti-charity, i am anti-charity in my face.
I think its generally agreed that if that half the tills had no packers it would be an ok compromise.
The only problem then is that the ques at my till will be huge.:D

Gillo

Hey KKV, next time you're in the store point him/her out to the manager small thing like that would really make her day.

On the topic of bag packing, ok I can see how some people think it's an annoyance, but at the end of the day here's (in my experience) mainly kids and teenagers giving up their time to raise funds for which ever club or charity, ok they aren't the best at packing but they are they offering they help in the hope you throw their club a few coppers (obviously euros are nicer).
If you don't want your detergent in with your egg's just nicely tell them it's not that hard. I normally only do small shops (never a trolley load) but still appreciate the help and give a bit of money, then again growing up I did my fairshare of packing growing up.

boarduser1980

i have a certain way of packing my grocerys away, seperating different types of goods, i agree with the 'they throw everything and anything into bags'.
I have never said to them 'its okay ill do it myself' because i think this sounds rude and makes me look like a moany oul'one. (i shouldnt care what they think, but im too polite:(
so i just let them do it without saying anything, and always throw in a few quid to their charity box. but ill always try go to a till without a bag packer.
i always try go to the self service till, depending on how much groceries i have.
i didnt think this was an issue with other shoppers until i found this thread. In future i'm going to say out straight in a polite tone 'thank you but i'd perfair to pack my own bags' and as i am saying this drop some money into the bucket as im saying it.
the guy who said he threw money in before and the person lookex into the bucket counting to see how much they were given...ha-ha ive seen this happen before:o

ShooterSF

Gillo wrote: »

On the topic of bag packing, ok I can see how some people think it's an annoyance, but at the end of the day here's (in my experience) mainly kids and teenagers giving up their time to raise funds for which ever club or charity, ok they aren't the best at packing but they are they offering they help in the hope you throw their club a few coppers (obviously euros are nicer).

It sounds so noble that way and to be fair I'd say most of them see it that way too but I wonder if the higher ups in the club do or if they are trying to guilt you by doing something nice for you first.The power of reciprocity http://www.copyblogger.com/much-obliged-the-power-of-reciprocity/

Little A

+ 1 Jason

While I appriciate some bag packs are badly organised, there are many who go to alot of effort to make sure they run smoothly & peoples shopping is not distroyed.

I've also been involved in helping to organise a few each year:
- We get all the kids togeather before hand to explain the techniques (toileries separate, not to mix raw & cook meat, heavy stuff at bottom, bread at the top etc). If in any doubt, they should ask the customer or a parent
- We always have as many parents as possible involved so they can link up with more inexperienced kids
- We tell them to ask with a smile & say thanks & goodbye to EVERYONE, regardless if they get their bags packed or donate anything

I remember one guy who polite said no to my son. He had a big shop so my son grouped his shopping as it came down into suitable groups (not in bags) so it would be easier for the guy to pack. The guy was so impressed that he had sorted everything properly he said he could pack the bags & remarked how well he had done them.

What really bugs me is when there are buckets at the end & a group of kids just standing around, chatting, not packing (properly or not) & still expect you to donate. Work for it !!!!

yoyo

Happened to me the other day, the back packer abruptly took my bags that I left down at the packing area while I went to fish out my clubcard, I said I can pack my self he says he had no problems doing it, I said well I wont be paying for this. I think he packed a 12 pack of beer cans and a few other items, I paid for my groceries and left and said thanks to him (bear in mind I said I will pack them and I wont be paying him), he snarled your welcome, I felt like saying I dont have the money these days to be throwing away like that, I have given to charitys before but only when they are for an important cause (cancer day springs to mind) and their not chugging for it,
I think my brother was bag packing as a school fundraising thing not so long ago, wouldn't mind but this is a private school he attends :rolleyes:

Nick

Exclamation Marc

Like other posters have said, I think its just very unfair and bad management to force charities upon shoppers.

There should be half and half on the tills in terms of bag packers/no bag packers, you shouldnt have to be forced to deal with bag packers. Its the equivalent of allowing charity muggers stand in your way at the supermarket doors.

I understand that a lot of them are doing it for charity and a good cause but that doesn't mean I should put in a situation where I feel bad about having to tell them not to pack my bags. A large amount of posters advocating bag packers seem to allow bag packers pack their items out of guilt and not wanting to say no, which is ridiculous when you're the one spending money.

I know a lot of them pack well, but a good amount of them pack the bags awfully but when you've just spent a lot of money on food, its not a risk worth taking.

Meeoow

I pay for my child to go horse riding and swimming out of my own pocket. I don't go out or send them out to force others to fund their hobbies. Most of these clubs are funded in some way by lottery funds anyway.
It is time this practice was stopped, it's expensive enough to buy groceries.

the groutch

I have no problem with bag packing per se, but I'd prefer it if it were a proper charity, rather than a sports club, or the school kids going to "build schools" in africa (I doubt they'd let 15 year olds on a building site)

shefra

VERYinterested wrote: »

Most of the kids clubs collecting is to subsidise a trip for them abroad at Easter. It is not being done for charity. Don't feel guilty, just opt out of the help. If they want to go on a holiday, let their parents pay, why should you pay?

+1

Noffles

Christ on a bike I hate this carry on.... just leave people alone, if they want their bags packed they'll acknowledge you in some way... otherwise leave them alone... I don't blame the kids to be honest, it's the busy bodies around them!

rubadub

I have my own backpack so they never even think of going near me, i.e. it is a personal bag so they do not want to be rooting in it.

They are really the equivalent or worse than guys cleaning windows at traffic lights -who should be arrested for jaywalking BTW, dunno why they do nothing about newpaper sellers or guys giving out free papers or promotional stuff which very often interrupts traffic.

I do remember shops having their own staff help pack for people, and really only people on their own with big trolleys, the vast majority of people are prefectly able to pack their own so there is no real advantage. What is next, lads standing at your car, "oh give me your keys, I'll open your door for you"

whiterebel

Meeoow wrote: »

I pay for my child to go horse riding and swimming out of my own pocket. I don't go out or send them out to force others to fund their hobbies. Most of these clubs are funded in some way by lottery funds anyway.
It is time this practice was stopped, it's expensive enough to buy groceries.

Wow generalise much? My kids go to a Gaelscoil and they don't get enough money from the government to run it. That's why I help out with the bag packing. FYI, the lottery is handing out no more money to sports clubs etc, and neither are the FAI etc.

From the other perspective, if someone says no, they don't want their bag packed,I feel like an awful lemon standing there while they pack their own bags. Especially when they are struggling to do so.

I will bring it to the attention of the school committee for the next day to make sure there are only enough parents packing for 50% of the tills. Thats a good point that we should implement.

looksee

In fairness, the parents packing are not really an issue. Its the football club lads and camogie lasses that are the main problem. A bunch of very pleasant fellas were packing for the South Africa building scheme a while ago, and did a great job! Unfortunately they are the exception.

Came across this in Tesco the other day (the 24 hour one, not the one with the useful sales assistant).

Actually found it quite ironic, as I hadn't seen it in a long, long time, but after reading and commenting in this thread, I see it almost instantly. Weird.


It was a bit annoying to be honest. The kids weren't really packing bags, but more standing around talking. Looked to be about two kids to every checkout. We didn't have any bags (we usually just fire the stuff back into the trolley and pack it at the van in the car park to get out of the store quickly) so we said no to bag packing but they got a few euro off us anyway.


On the way out, though, i'm fairly sure I seen another elderly woman with one of those coin collector things collecting for something else (the kids were all in white t-shirts, and this woman looked different and her collector thing was red so I assume it was a different club/charity/whatever).

It's a bit of a pain in the ass to be honest. We got out of the van and we were approached and asked if we wanted the van cleaned while we were inside. We go inside and we're asked if we want our nonexistant bags packed, on the way out the door a woman is collecting more money, and that's all at the one shop.


Bit of a piss take.


Scotch Hall was worse for it though. I remember when I worked in Dunnes, I'd be going to work, and on each side of the bridge into the centre I'd be getting asked for money, halfway through the centre i'd be asked, at the top and bottom of the excalators i'd be asked... fucking nightmare.


Then you get home on a Friday and there's some prick standing at the ATM waving a sticker in your face (which I never understood. I'm at an ATM, you sure as feck aren't getting a new €10 note off me!)


Worse is when they knock on your front door!

Should be some rules or regulations or such brought in.



Anyway, sorry for the rant.

LizT

I did bag packing a few times when I was involved with my local hockey club and on another occasion for a charity to do with a certain health condition. I always did my best to help the customer - asking them did they want a separate fridge freezer bag, vegetables etc and obviously put their toiletries, cleaning products etc in a separate bags. Some people choose not to contribute and that's fair enough, others do and others don't want you anywhere near their groceries. I understand all of these choices, the only thing that used to annoy me was when somebody would be rude to me, which did happen quite a bit. No matter what, I'd always smile and say thank you - so not everyone who packs bags is a rude, stupid, ignorant child!

Unfortunately there were some girls with me who were more interested in standing chatting than actually being helpful to the customer. But just to reiterate something that was already said, if you don't want someone to pack your bags, all it takes it "Thanks, but I prefer to pack my own" and a smile. If someone said this to me the few times I did it, I'd usually smile and move away just to give them some space while they did it.