Okay, this is a petty rant....What happened to grocery store baggers??

[blueamy66]

I swear, every single time I go to the grocery store, I end up bagging my own groceries. And many times, whilst bagging my own groceries, I see the store manager walk right on by me.

I'm about ready to ask the store manager to reimburse me my hourly wage to do this myself.

But, on the other hand, it really aggravates me to watch an able-bodied person let $150 worth of groceries stack up at the end of the conveyor belt and then wait to have the cashier bag every single one of their purchases.

I can't win.

I should go live on a deserted island...I know.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My store still has them...

And normally they bag my groceries...

If nobody's there to help, the checker does it.

Try speaking to the store manager...

The squeaky wheel and all that, you know!

:hi:

[Moondog]

2. We've still got them -

here in central FL. Of course, most of them are older folks trying to make ends meet after their 401(k)s went to crap, the banks are being allowed to pay practically zero on interest so that they can get bailed out, and the calculation to index social security to inflation is a cruel joke. But we've still got baggers ....

[trof]

3. Same here. Almost all senior citizens.

[hippywife]

4. No problem at either of the groceries

I use here. As a matter of fact, one of them will not even let you take out your own groceries. They don't want the carts to even go out the door so they fall all over themselves to make sure you get bagged and your stuff carried to the car. :shrug:

[NightWatcher]

5. you can still afford groceries? la tee frickin da

I'm setting up squirrel traps and nibbling on acorns

[blueamy66]

24. Yeah, it's tough.

We've cut down on the fancy meals lately. Trying to sock away some money, just in case....

And I am a coupon queen. I usually save over $40 per week with coupons.

And we grow alot of veggies out back.

I'm lucky in that I am still able to work and get some OT. It will help with Christmas this year.

I realize that your post was tongue in cheek, but, hey.....

[blueamy66]

6. It must be my grocery store then.

It's Fry's, in AZ.

[Kali]

16. my safeway (also in az) is pretty good about having them around

also good about hiring mentally disabled, of course the prices are higher than frys

occasionally I end up helping but not often

unfortunately wally world has really put the hurt on them

[blueamy66]

17. I've noticed that Safeway is really good about having

baggers...but I find their prices to be higher than Fry's.

Wally World just turned a smaller store into a Super Center right next to my Fry's...I haven't seen a difference at Fry's. It is still packed!

[Orrex]

7. Good question with several answers.

At the "big" grocery store in my town, the check-out lanes are configured in such a way that the cashiers can bag the groceries as they ring them up. Typically, an empty cart is positioned nearby so that the cashier can load the bagged groceries into the cart, and at the end of the transaction, the cart I'd been using gets rotated into place as the "empty" cart for the next shopper.

At the "small" grocery" store in my town, an empty cart is likewise kept on hand so that the cashiers can load the rung-up groceries directly into the cart. Bags are optional and must be purchased separately; alternatively you can bring your own bag (which I do) or else use one of the boxes that they keep at the front of the store for customer use (which I also do).

I'm about ready to ask the store manager to reimburse me my hourly wage to do this myself.

Good luck with that one!

[azmouse]

8. Albertsons has baggers and they'll even take your bags to your car

and unload them in the trunk for you.... AND you don't need a shopper's card there to get the specials.
I've found the prices at Albertsons cheaper than the other stores but they don't always have the widest selection. It's a trade off I guess.

[hippywife]

9. Albertson's was just the opposite here, price-wise.

They aren't here any more.

[azmouse]

10. They closed a few stores in the Phoenix area a year or two ago.

I think they had money trouble after a long truckers strike in CA.

[blueamy66]

18. Does Albertson's double coupons?

I didn't think that they did.

[azmouse]

27. I don't use coupons so I'm honestly not sure.

I think they sometimes do promotions where coupons get doubled or even tripled.
Coupons have gotten so hard to find.

[blueamy66]

28. I'm a coupon nut.

If a Sunday paper has alot of great ones, I'll go out and buy another paper.

My co-worker brings in hers too...and let's me take whatever she doesn't want.

I also belong to a few websites that direct you to online, printable coupons.

It takes some time, but is worth it.

[azmouse]

29. I don't find much in the Sunday coupons that I could use so I stopped even looking at them.

The ads or coupons seemed to be mostly for cheap checks and dust collecting figurines and plates.

What coupon websites do you use? I'm certainly not adverse to saving a few dollars if I can! :)

[blueamy66]

36. I visit Hot Coupon World.

I let them do all of the work and I profit. :-)

[rcrush]

21. Damn I havent seen an Albertsons in about 15 years

I loved Albertsons they were always so cheap.

[Ptah]

11. The Fry's I occasionally shop at has baggers at each checkout.

:shrug:

Same with the Safeway's closer to home.

[edbermac]

12. Rather bag it myself. Quicker and better.

Baggers just shove stuff in there no matter what the item. A loaf of bread and then a 30 lb turkey on top of it. :grr:

[begin_within]

13. Vons stores in California still have them,

but their prices are high and open checkstands are few and far between, meaning long lines, so you pay for the bagging that way.

[nickinSTL]

14. 2 of our local chains have baggers...

at least in theory - I think often the cashiers do the bagging.

Hard to say, as those 2 stores tend to cost more, so I don't go there as often. I also tend to use the self-check lane and therefore bag stuff for myself.

At the 3rd large local chain, they try to keep costs down by having people bag their own groceries - they also don't bother to arrange stuff nicely on shelves, it isn't a mess or anything, but stuff is often still in the boxes, which are cut open and stuck on the shelves.

I also shop at Aldi, where there are no baggers, and of course, you pay for bags or bring your own.

I tend to bring my own bags whenever I can, cloth reusable, as I really don't need more plastic bags.

[UTUSN]

15. It's been that way forever in my neck of the woods. We're unpaid labor

They've got us by the U-knows, since we've GOT to go there (please, I'm in no shape to "barter").

So, in my store, which is a statewide chain, they eke out more profit by:

1) Underemploying baggers, sort of forcing the customers to pitch in. I've seen some jerks, almost always MALES, stand by while the overworked cashier finishes the payment part, then having to turn to bag everything, thusly holding up the line, while the jerk insists silently on being served. Most of us can't stand idly by and begin the bagging on our own.

2) But before that, they have used us as labor from the get-go, UNLOADING the cart ourselves.

[blueamy66]

19. I'm glad that you said it.

It is mostly males that refuse to bag their own groceries, thusly holding up the line.

Sometimes I want to hop around "him" and bag his groceries for him...to make a point.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

20. HA HA

we don't have bag boys/girls here at all. There is about 12 inches of space after the cash desk and you have to scurry to get your shit back into your cart as fast as you can. You can buy plastic bags which cost about 20 cents or you can use a collapsible crate (we do) that we keep in the back of the car.

Walmart greeters and baggers were quickly done away with here too, nobody liked them and felt they were invasive and too friendly. People prefer to pack their own stuff. Also, Walmart went out of business in Germany a couple of years ago.

Whenever I am home, if there isn't a bagger available, I just start putting my things back in the cart and take care of it myself out in the parking lot.

[question everything]

22. Depends. In the so-called "big" stores, you bag your own

and, supposedly, this helps keep prices down.

Although one day last year, there were high school kids who were helping with bagging, hoping for donations. I did.

Others have baggers and some will carry the bags to the car. No one likes the carts being strewn across the parking lot.

I once drove around to the bags "dispensing" areas. There was a senior citizen there and there were lines so I just went and grabbed the bags and put them in the trunk of my car. He said that this was HIS job but I thought that he could tend to the next car. I felt bad for him but, really, it was cold and I just wanted to get out of there.

[Auggie]

23. We have them -- even offer to help us to our cars

We also have lost four full-service check-out stands to those do-it-yourself numbers. The store claims it helps shoppers with fewer items get out of the store faster, but we all know they're saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in reduced payroll expenses.

[rcrush]

25. I like them late at night

When the store only has 1 cashier open but theres like 9 people in line then Ill use the self checkout. But then if there are a bunch of people at self check out it takes forever because some people are so fucking stupid they cant figure out how to scan items.

[cwydro]

26. Here in the Keys

they have them at all the stores.

They always have them in NC where I visit my mom too...

[WCIL]

30. I have the same problem

Our stores employ plenty of baggers, but they usually camp out at the express lanes bagging for the "hot" cashiers. Meanwhile I am trying to bag my $200 worth of groceries before the long lines behind me get unruly. Managers never seem to "see" this until the mob gets ugly.

[bigwillq]

31. I would rather bag my own

but the stores I go to still employ baggers.

[Deja Q]

32. On some nights, they're kids who volunteer.

Start the child labor early...

Actually, lt people bag their own groceries. There are better things everyone can be doing.

[SeattleGirl]

33. At the two main grocery stores I go to, they still have baggers.

The cashier can also do the bagging. The only time I have to bag my own groceries is if I go through the self-checkout line.

[Odin2005]

34. Chasing after Ava!

Sorry, couldn't resist. :dunce:

My grocery store, Hornbacher's, still has baggers. They even have a drive up-thing where they will put you grocery bags in your car trunk.

[lost-in-nj]

35. we don't have them

per say


if one cashier is not busy they will come and bag your order....
otherwise I bag my own.... and that's how I like it

I know out west in Washington they will bring your bags to the car


guess we have a ways to go


lost

[carlyhippy]

37. we have them, but they don't take the groceries to the car like they used to

but that is ok I guess, I need the exercise.

[RebelOne]

38. My local Publix and Kroger here in North Georgia

have baggers. And they always offer to take your groceries to the car.

[unpossibles]

39. my stores have them, but I actually like bagging my own groceries

I use my own bags and also I don't end up with avocado and tomato under the canned goods.

[Iggo]

40. Vons.

[wysimdnwyg]

41. I'd rather do it myself

I don't understand what happened since I stopped working at a grocery (some 15+ years ago), but there can't be more than 10 competent baggers in the entire city. How hard is it to understand when I ask them to "pack them full" (referring to my very sturdy and large canvass bags), they should actually put as many groceries in them as possible? And why do they always put the small stuff in first, then try to fit the large boxes and/or gallon of milk last?

[Hangingon]

42. We still have baggers except in the self check aisles.

There the machine gives you a nano-second after swiping the barcode before an irritating voice says, "Please place the item in the bag". Will these aisle eventually become like ATM? ATM originally were to save banks the cost of a teller and were free. Now many have a service charge. Imagine progress - paying for grocery self check-out.