AWRIGHT THAT'S IT! I'M PO'ED!

Either watch the bagger or as in our supermarket they have several lines where you bag your own groceries.

I understand your frustration. I used to use a market like that, and it drove me nuts. There are two options:

Find a market where the persons who train the staff know what they are doing.

If that is not convenient, spell everything out to the bagger. Tell him exactly what you want, where. If he gets testy, have a little talk with the manager. Stores want to retain customers, not lose them!

I sympathize with you, edgar. I do think they put ice cream in plastic bags in case it starts melting. that way it won't get all over your crushed vegetables and cracked eggs.

I just got back from the store - 6 crumpets and lettuce in one bag - 16! bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the other. I was just shaking my head.

I used to have one bagger glare at me all the time because I told them he broke my eggs (He dropped them from about six inches into the cart). If hard eyeballs were baseball bats he would've beat out my brains with them. Another one got angry because I insisted on paper bags after he already had a few in plastic. He should've asked.
I go to this particular store because they have what I need in a convenient location and prices hard to beat. They have the best fresh vegetables in town and I buy loads of them.

au1929- When I lived in NY, the Pathmark had one of those double conveyer belts where you bagged your own groceries.

Remember the scene in "I Love Lucy" with the cookies!!!

I still catch that episode of Lucy from time to time. There used to be a store like that around here, but, Houston is a tough market. Few survive.

Phoenix32890
Yes Pathmark is the one and they still have bag your own checkout counters.

chatoyant
I could understand putting the cold stuff in plastic to keep it from dripping. What I fail to see is why they don't then put it paper bags to keep it cold.

You got me there edgar. Maybe they're in cahoots with the doctors, trying to keep your blood pressure up ... or something.

They put the ice cream in plastic bags so it doesn't get other things wet when it starts to melt, I guess. But if they put it in a bag with other frozen things like they're supposed to, it really doesn't matter.

-From a guy, who used to bag groceries...THE RIGHT WAY.

doo hoo, you're a vanishing breed.

So I'm told.

I dont understand how its too complex of a task for anyone to handle correctly...I mean, I know Im a bit overboard about it, and I try to go with it as much as possible, I mean no one else knows the order in which I like to put them away, what cabinets go together, etc etc but...the whole one item in each plastic bag when I asked for paper and to fill it up please even...just doesnt seem to work....its unbelieveable.
I know two baggers that get it..but, everyone else knows who they are as well....so...long lines....humph
Not only do they get it but, one always says..something like you live by yourself and have three flights of stairs huh? Yeah, something like that...does it take alot to figure that out??? Id like to kiss your mother for actually raising someone with a brain.
More often then not..I get the complete idiots. Lately..Ive told them to just let me do it...thanks...and Ive gotten some bad looks for that...well H E L L O...you obviously cant do it...I will...I only get mad if they blatantly ignore what Ive said...its happening more and more.
bastidhs

Seriously, though...what do you expect from somebody that makes minimum wage? More times than not, they simply could care less about your groceries. Whether or not you come back to that store doesn't affect them in any way.

And I worked at a grocery store for three years, the first year as a bagger and cashier. People do really look down on you, and you deal with miserable, whiny people all day, who will bitch over $.25.

No fun from either end. That's why I could care less how they bag my groceries, just as long as nothing gets damaged, I don't put that much thought into it.

Now that I'm not in that industry any more, I have the right to look at the bagger and say "Bag em' up right, bag-bitch."

So whatta ya saying..just because its not a high paying position, they shouldnt do their job in some sensical way??? Thats just wrong.
I get ya, really..I dont expect a whole lot from minimum wage, and actually a great deal are handicapped as well. I do however hope they understand the difference between paper and plastic...that would be a good starting point...could just be me though.

They SHOULD do their job in a sensical way, but in reality, alot of them don't care. I always thought I was a good worker there, and got more compliments then complaints. But that was back in the day.
Way back in 92-93. When us kids walked 10 miles to work...and LOVED IT.

Sensical? that is a GREAT word!

I admit that I am obsessive enough to put my items on the the conveyer in such a way that they more or less HAVE to bag 'em sensibly. Actually, our supermarkets seldom have baggers - the check-out operator does that, too - and really, they do a pretty good job, and are pretty cheerful and friendly (prolly HAVE to be) poor darlin's.

Edgar:

I always ask for paper&plastic. If I repeat myself 5 times, the baggers usually get the message!