Aldi Rathmines - You MUST use THEIR basket .....

MissFlitworth · 19-02-2013 08:51AM

Piliger wrote: »

Absolutely right. If it did ... don't you think they would ALL be doing ... oh yes they would.

No - this is a stupid and idiotic policy that insults shoppers.

Why would they put a policy in place that causes them unnececessary aggravation and people leaving their store in a strop? The problem probably isn't you with your one small cotton bag you can roughly see the outline of contents through. The problem is people with multiple bags or bulky bags things can be hidden in or a rake of bags with shopping from other places and they can't have one policy for people with bags they like & one for people with bags they don't.

Most places I shop in have signs up near the baskets and trolleys asking people politely not to use shopping bags until they've paid

P.C. · 19-02-2013 08:53AM

Piliger wrote: »

Absolutely right. If it did ... don't you think they would ALL be doing ... oh yes they would.

No - this is a stupid and idiotic policy that insults shoppers.

How does it insult shoppers?

Does the basket shout out insults as you do your shopping?

hooradiation · 19-02-2013 10:29AM

P.C. wrote: »

How does it insult shoppers?

Does the basket shout out insults as you do your shopping?

Because he's offended and therefore it's all so offensiv--WHARGLEBLARGLE!

Is how the reasoning seems to go.

Piliger · 19-02-2013 10:37AM

hooradiation wrote: »

Because he's offended and therefore it's all so offensiv--WHARGLEBLARGLE!

Is how the reasoning seems to go.

Ahhh such insight. Well they didn't stop a shop lifer, they just lost ca €115 a week of my custom. And if you think I am alone ...... you must be on what he's on ... :cool:

Piliger · 19-02-2013 10:37AM

P.C. wrote: »

How does it insult shoppers?

Does the basket shout out insults as you do your shopping?

No ... the food on the shelves shout at me ... buy me ! buy me !! and how did YOU know ????

Pumpkinseeds · 19-02-2013 10:38AM

I don't really understand why people would be offended by a policy requiring customers to put groceries in baskets rather than their own shopping bags. I think most of the major retailers have notices up requesting people not to put items into bags prior to paying for them. Yet people just ignore it. What are the retailers supposed to do, stop people as they leave the store to check their receipts and search their bags in case they've shoplifted

Piliger · 19-02-2013 10:44AM

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I don't really understand why people would be offended by a policy requiring customers to put groceries in baskets rather than their own shopping bags. I think most of the major retailers have notices up requesting people not to put items into bags prior to paying for them. Yet people just ignore it. What are the retailers supposed to do, stop people as they leave the store to check their receipts and search their bags in case they've shoplifted

I have never seen one. I have never heard of one. It's your imagination.

efb · 19-02-2013 10:46AM

You buy €115 worth of groceries in a canvas bag... From Aldi! Impressive!

Honey-ec · 19-02-2013 10:51AM

Piliger wrote: »

I have never seen one. I have never heard of one. It's your imagination.

No it's not, they're all over the place.

You've little to be worrying about, OP. If this is your reaction to being asked to use a basket, I can only imagine the scene you'd cause if you were asked to have a look in your bag before leaving the store.

Pumpkinseeds · 19-02-2013 10:54AM

Piliger wrote: »

I have never seen one. I have never heard of one. It's your imagination.

I'm not in your part of the country so my imagination really isn't a factor. If people would just stop putting items into their own bags there wouldn't be a problem. I think its a non issue to be honest. I would never put any items into a bag until paid for, why would anyone want to risk being accused of shoplifting, correctly or incorrectly?

We live in such a litigious society people want it both ways, they want to ignore store policy to suit their own convenience yet they feel morally outraged and offended if they are mistakenly accused of shoplifting. Why should the store leave themselves wide open to shoplifting when the simple solution is requiring customers to use baskets?

Realistically if people don't like using a basket they have the option of shopping elsewhere.

Duggy747 · 19-02-2013 11:06AM

Worked in Lidl myself and we had to ask people not to use their own bags until they've paid for the stuff. It was always because of the amount of thieves who'd squirrel away whatever they got their mitts on and hide it amongst their other bags they brought in with them, making it awkward for us to check them.

You couldn't exactly stop someone and ask them to empty their bag if you assumed they stole something. If you got the wrong person you'd have a shìtstorm on your hands from that customer.

If anything was below stock / robbed then Lidl management came down on us like a ton of bricks. Better safe than sorry was the mentality.

SouthTippBass · 19-02-2013 11:11AM

Piliger wrote: »

NO other supermarket thinks this idiotic anti-customer action is required.
.

Supervalue in Cahir have a sign saying you must use their baskets provided. Although I'v never had it enforced on me.

hooradiation · 19-02-2013 11:13AM

Piliger wrote: »

And if you think I am alone ......

I do.
Because you are.

Samba · 19-02-2013 11:32AM

MissFlitworth wrote: »

A fairly standard way of preventing shoplifting?

68 lost souls wrote: »

I completely understand the shops point of view, far too hard to manage everyone with their own bag, yes you may not be likely to shoplift but if every one used their own clothe bags it would be a nightmare to manage and monitor for shoplifting, if you cant hold the basket properly use a trolly

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

In Irish law a customer's personal bags and handbag can't be searched.

We're talking about a cloth carry bag ffs! I can understand these arguments for purses and backpacks and such but the OP is talking about a cloth shopping carry bag people, exactly how are shops at an increased risk of theft by allowing customers to use these instead of baskets or trolleys?

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

And in France , which is closer, they had lockers to leave your backpacks in, and any bag bigger than a handbag was shrink wrapped when you went in.

rules vary

Totally standard in French supermarkets nowadays and somehow they still allow customers to use their own carry bags.

Honey-ec · 19-02-2013 11:37AM

Samba wrote: »

We're talking about a cloth carry bag ffs! I can understand these arguments for purses and backpacks and such but the OP is talking about a cloth shopping carry bag people, exactly how are shops at an increased risk of theft by allowing customers to use these instead of baskets or trolleys?

Because not everyone uses just one cloth bag. Some people have insulated freezer bags, some people have thick plastic bags, some people might have twenty bags with them and if the cashier has to check every single one of them, on every single customer, it's going to fcuk up her checkout speed stats and she'll get a bollocking off the manager.

Simplest solution - ask all customers to use baskets/trollies. It's not rocket science.

Clearly some stores apply this rule at their own discretion, but if it's a big, busy store or in an area that's more at risk of shoplifting, then they're perfectly within their rights to ask people not to use their own bags. If you don't like it, shop elsewhere. It's as simple as that.

witchgirl26 · 19-02-2013 11:44AM

Have to agree that it's hardly a big thing to use their baskets. I would never use my own bag while shopping - only put things in it after I've paid. Fair enough if they let you use a bag when the only thing they have is giant trolleys but if they've gone to the effort of providing baskets, then they should be used.
I really don't see the massive annoyance here. My mam has terrible arthritis in her hands and just uses the smaller trollies they now provide with no hassle at all. Plus it means she doesn't have to carry anything.

19-02-2013 11:45AM

Piliger wrote: »

no places have felt the need to impose such a draconian policy.

Firstly - the only reason a lot of places let this behaviour go on is because customers with your attitude cause them so much hassle daily.

Secondly - it's hardly a draconian policy, that's ridiculous.

Thirdly - I work in a shop and people who bring in their own bags do cause hassle and are usually the same type to make things worse for themselves and us.

Finally - Before I worked in the shop, if you had told me that people actually do this I would have thought it was a joke.

Samba · 19-02-2013 11:59AM

Honey-ec wrote: »

Because not everyone uses just one cloth bag. Some people have insulated freezer bags, some people have thick plastic bags, some people might have twenty bags with them and if the cashier has to check every single one of them, on every single customer, it's going to fcuk up her checkout speed stats and she'll get a bollocking off the manager.

Someone carrying 20 bags? You make it sound like it's a huge issue with only one practical solution, I don't agree with you.

What's to stop me doing exactly what you've just described, but instead I put all my shopping bags I walked into the store with into their trolley. Have they reduced their risk in this scenario, because I'm using their trolley or basket? Not in the slightest, it's a moot point, I could just as easily conceal items in my other shopping bags if I really wanted to.

This perceived element of risk is being grossly over-exaggerated, assuming we're talking about all forms of shopping bags here.

Any argument is completely negated by the fact that you can freely walk into to any supermarket with other shopping bags and backpacks, but if they are using the designated baskets and trollies, the risk is somehow reduced?

Honey-ec · 19-02-2013 12:05PM

Samba wrote: »

Someone carrying 20 bags? You make it sound like it's a huge issue with only one practical solution, I don't agree with you.

What's to stop me doing exactly what you've just described, but instead I put all my shopping bags I walked into the store with into their trolley. Have they reduced their risk in this scenario, because I'm using their trolley or basket? Not in the slightest, it's a moot point, I could just as easily conceal items in my other shopping bags if I really wanted to.

This perceived element of risk is being grossly over-exaggerated, assuming we're talking about all forms of shopping bags here.

Clearly it is a huge issue for some stores, if they've implemented the policy in the first place.

It's a lot harder to start stashing stuff into your bags that are lying flat on the bottom of your trolley than it is to "forget" to take something out when you've been putting all your shopping into the bags to begin with.

Look, if someone is determined to shoplift something, they're going to do it regardless. These stores are well aware that they're never going to eliminate it completely. But if they can take simple measures to reduce the risk, then they're going to do so.

And no, the risk doesn't seem huge when you look at it on an individual basis. But if you extrapolate that up for the number of customers walking through the door of every store, every day, then it does become a massive problem.

I have no idea why people find it so hard to understand this concept.

Basq · 19-02-2013 12:07PM

My local Aldi and Lidl don't supply baskets either..

.. normally I'm only popping in for a few bits.

So I can either use one of their big bastard trolleys (wastage), use an empty cardboard box (more wastage) from their store or use my own bag.

I'm using my own bag until I'm told otherwise tbh..

Honey-ec · 19-02-2013 12:10PM

Basq wrote: »

I'm using my own bag until I'm told otherwise tbh..

The irony is, I use my own bag too. And if I'm ever I'm ever asked not to, or asked can the cashier have a look in it to make sure it's actually empty after I've put my stuff on the conveyor, I won't have any issue with it.

But the very people who are complaining about being asked to use a basket are the ones who'll have an absolute sh*tfit if they're asked to do this because they'll see it as an accusation of theft.

Hannibal Smith · 19-02-2013 12:11PM

our local lidl has a sign up saying please don't use your own bag...use the baskets/trolleys provided...do aldi not have the same? if you can't use the baskets could you not use a trolley?

Samba · 19-02-2013 12:23PM

Honey-ec wrote: »

It's a lot harder to start stashing stuff into your bags that are lying flat on the bottom of your trolley than it is to "forget" to take something out when you've been putting all your shopping into the bags to begin with.

Are you speaking from experience?

Come on, you're clutching at straws there.

Honey-ec wrote: »

And no, the risk doesn't seem huge when you look at it on an individual basis. But if you extrapolate that up for the number of customers walking through the door of every store, every day, then it does become a massive problem.

I have no idea why people find it so hard to understand this concept.

I understand the concept just fine, but you're entirely missing my point. Customers should be instructed to leave their bags at the front before entering, simple as. It's a proven system on continental Europe and 99.9% of stores I've used have no issue with customers using their own carry shopping bags, regardless of whether they are freezer bags, plastic or cloth. :rolleyes:

Basq · 19-02-2013 12:24PM

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

our local lidl has a sign up saying please don't use your own bag...use the baskets/trolleys provided...do aldi not have the same? if you can't use the baskets could you not use a trolley?

As mentioned, anytime I go in.. I tend to just get a few bits..

.. balls if I'm arsed getting a trolley and arriving up with 5 items in it.

If everyone did this, there'd be no trolleys for those who actually need it.

Mocha Joe · 19-02-2013 12:25PM

Shops want business. They wouldn't implement this policy(knowing I'm sure that it would upset a few Joe Duffy listeners) if it wasn't worth it.

19-02-2013 12:33PM

Basq wrote: »

.. balls if I'm arsed getting a trolley and arriving up with 5 items in it.
If everyone did this, there'd be no trolleys for those who actually need it.

I'm pretty sure they wont run out of trolleys - if they did they'd probably just increase the number of trolleys until the problem ceased. If the number of items you buy really is that small, you could always live life on the edge and carry them with those articulated bits most people have on the ends of their arms. That would leave trolleys free for people with lots of shopping or a reason they're unable to carry things.

mathepac · 19-02-2013 12:33PM

Basq wrote: »

My local Aldi and Lidl don't supply baskets either....

and there's the crux of the problem.

I won't use a trolley the size of a 40ft container to shop for milk, bread and today's special gadget (I'm obliged to buy it and I'll never find a use for it, but jayzus lads it was some bargain!).

If they had the option of using something like the Dunne's collapsible bags fair enough, but not them big ugly mothers, I'll stick with my own handy soft bag for life (no, I don't mean the missus).

MissFlitworth · 19-02-2013 12:36PM

Samba wrote: »

We're talking about a cloth carry bag ffs! I can understand these arguments for purses and backpacks and such but the OP is talking about a cloth shopping carry bag people, exactly how are shops at an increased risk of theft by allowing customers to use these instead of baskets or trolleys?

From people like the OP - pretty much zero risk unless he forgot to pay for something. By giving actual shoplifters , as in people who come into the shop specifically just to rob stuff & that's how they get their groceries so they're good at it it & will either go batsh1t or into brazen liar mode when caught, opportunity to stash things in bags as they walk around the shop absolutely raises the risk of theft. If the OP with is one cotton bag is walking round the store putting biscuits into it and someone security feels is a shoplifting risk walks in and wants to start filling their own shopping bags from the shelves what do they say to them? "Sorry - he can do it because he doesn't look like a scumbag, you however must use a basket Madam".

Secondly if you have a storewide policy that no one puts anything in a shopping bag before they've paid for it and you catch someone on a camera sticking things in their shopping bag then walking out the door without paying for it you don't have to deal with 'oh, but I was using my shopping bag as a basket and I forgot to pay for stuff, definitely not shoplifting me'.

Shoplifters are brazen & Irish people are litigious fcukers who would rub their hands in glee if they were falsely accused of shoplifting because everyone has this idea in their heads that an accusation of theft = a nice big claim. Asking people not to use their bags until they pay makes it that bit easier for the store to see & stop actual shoplifters.

Basq · 19-02-2013 12:41PM

true-or-false wrote: »

If the number of items you buy really is that small, you could always live life on the edge and carry them with those articulated bits most people have on the ends of their arms.

http://tottenhamonmymind.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/vic_bob_handbags.jpg

Great in theory but sometimes it might be 3 items.. sometimes it might be 5 items.. sometimes 6 items.

If you can manage to balance a 2 litre of milk, some bread, a pack of striploin steaks, a few bags of jellies, some ketchup (etc.) in your hands (and not risk the milk or ketchup falling), fair dues to yourself!

If only there was something a big bigger than an arm and smaller than a trolley... oh, I'd give my kingdom for one... oh wait! :pac:

kristian12 · 19-02-2013 12:42PM

I use my own bag in Aldi as i'm not driving due to an injury and that way i know i'll be able to carry the weight home, on the few occasions i've used the trolley i've had to phone somebody to come and collect me as i've over done it. So there are other reasons than just not being assed to use trolley. I wouldn't object them looking in my bag though and using a bag in very common in our Aldi.

Aldi Rathmines - You MUST use THEIR basket .....

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