Grocery shopping can be pretty boring and basic, but that’s no excuse for some of the rude behavior some shoppers show. If you’ve ever gone to the supermarket at an incredibly busy time, like the week before Thanksgiving, you know how bad it can be. Etiquette expert Jodi R.R. Smith warns that shopping can be a “full-contact sport” if you happen to be there at a very busy time.
But it doesn’t have to be that way, if people would just follow some basic shopping manners. Etiquette experts share the rude things shoppers do and the faux pas to avoid at the supermarket.
Using the express line with too many items – No one likes waiting in long lines, especially when they’re in a hurry, but that’s no excuse for ignoring the line limits. Etiquette expert Nick Leighton reminds, “Don’t be that person who thinks ‘10 items or fewer’ doesn’t apply to you. It does!
Ignoring aisle traffic rules – This includes not blocking other people, stopping suddenly or changing directions without looking out for other shoppers, as well as cart collisions
Touching and opening things without buying them – We live in the COVID era, people, so pay extra attention to hygiene and germs, especially when food is involved. Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert, advises, “Avoid opening packages to smell or taste and then putting them back if you don’t like them.”
Taking items from other people’s carts – Believe it or not, there are people who shop out of other people’s carts. Don’t be one of them, even to snag the last bottle of Sriracha in the store.
Holding up the checkout line – That means staying off the phone, having your card ready to pay and not making those in line wait for you to run to the back and grab the eggs you forgot.
“Returning” items to random places – If you change your mind about an item, please give it to a stocker or a cashier, don’t just stick it on a random shelf.
Not returning your cart – If everyone just left their empty shopping cart in an empty parking space, it would be a nightmare for parking and for store employees. So do the decent thing and return it to the right place.
Source: Huff Post