A grocery store, just like any other public place, has its own etiquette. Perhaps some of the rules are unspoken and not taught in any textbook or at school. Either way, things like not blocking the pathway for other shoppers seem like common sense. Unfortunately, not for everyone.
One man shared a story where another shopper blocked his way in the aisle three times. And all three times, she didn’t see (or pretended not to see) a problem with it. That’s when he decided it was time for some petty revenge that involved both their carts and their latches. Read on to find out how his plan unfolded.
People who block your way in a grocery store aisle can be a real nuisance
Image credits: Jack Sparrow / pexels (not the actual photo)
This man shared the unique way he taught another shopper some shopping cart manners
Image credits: drazenphoto / envatoelements (not the actual photo)
Image credits: bouncypinata
Breaking the rules of shopping cart etiquette can seriously upset people
Image credits: Christian Naccarato / pexels (not the actual photo)
Having someone block your way on a grocery store aisle might make many people lose their temper. We’ve probably all had a similar experience of trying to squeeze past someone between the always-too-narrow shelves. But, interestingly, there is certain grocery cart etiquette.
People often wish everyday operations such as grocery shopping went as smoothly as possible. In fact, Treadmill Reviews did a survey and asked people what makes people the most upset when shopping.
90% of the respondents claimed that they get annoyed by shopping carts blocking the aisles. 60% of women said they have confronted other people for blocking the aisle, while 47% of men said they have done so as well.
Rude and discourteous shoppers also tend to bother people, as 91% of the respondents said they get upset by them. However, people tend not to confront people about rude behavior – only one in four shoppers say they accost those who are being rude.
You might think this is too silly of a problem to even talk about. However, given how often people encounter problems with other shopper’s behavior with their shopping carts, it might make perfect sense. Hardly anyone enjoys shopping in general. It’s more of a chore than an enjoyable activity. So, why not make it more pleasant by establishing some rules?
Luckily, etiquette expert Marallee McKee has some advice on this front. She lists some common rules that, if every shopper were to abide by them, would make every shopping experience that much more pleasant.
When in doubt, think about your grocery cart like a car on a busy street
Image credits: Marco Verch / flickr (not the actual photo)
First and foremost, she writes, it’s useful to think about shopping like driving: always keep to your right. A similar logic applies when you want to get across the aisle. Park the cart on the right and walk over to the left to pick up your items.
Another driving rule – in situations where there’s an obstacle in your way, give way to those coming from the opposite direction. If there’s another cart parked on the right side of the aisle, yield to the person coming in front of you, just like you would if you were driving.
The etiquette expert also likens a grocery store’s aisles to a street. “Imagine a stop sign at the end of each aisle,” Mckee writes. “As with driving, come to a stop, and look both ways before maneuvering your cart into the main aisle.”
What if a person is standing right in front of that can of soup you need to grab? Mckee writes that it’s okay to reach for things in front of the other person. However, it’s always polite to let them know in advance you’re standing next to them or need them to move. A big no-no is to reach behind people or try to pick something up by going over their heads.
Then, when you’re at the check-out lane or a self-check-out kiosk, stand in front of your cart. Because this side is the lowest part of the cart, it makes it easier to retrieve and scan your items or put them on the conveyor belt.
People praised the shopper for coming up with such a brilliant revenge plan
Others shared their encounters with ill-mannered shoppers
