202 reasons for not shopping at a supermarket

[Andy Hamilton]

I have been inside a supermarket 7 times this year. I try my best to boycott them despite their being 4 closer than other shops. I use a milkman, greengrocer, deli, grow my own and go to farmers markets instead. I hate the fact that they are taking over and actually get depressed when I walk around them. So that will be reason 1.

1. They are depressing to walk around
2. Greengrocers are often cheaper
3. It is easier to make friends with shopkeepers than it is with checkout operatives (no offence they just have more time to chat)

[John Headstrong]

4. because I choose to support my local farmers by buying from my local food coop.

[Penny Lane]

5. The two for one offers often lead to waste.

6. They treat suppliers like c**p.

7. They make promises to councils so they can build more stores but never follow through or find loopholes.

[MuddyWitch]

8. They are so bl**dy noisy

9. They smell bad

10. They close local shops

11. They never seem to cater for non-car drivers

12. They decide what you will want (ie very little real choice)

13. Every-one is always in a rush, staff and customers (one can only hope they're keen to leave as quickly as possible too!)

[Rosendula]

14. Too many bored children having tantrums in them
15. Too many people stop with their trolley right across the aisle so no-one can get past
16. There's always a big 'Yorkie' trolley full of boxes of stock that someone is meant to be putting on the shelves parked right in front of the very item I want to buy
17. There's always a large group of people (customers or staff or both) stood chatting in the most inconvenient place
18. Even if you find a quiet aisle, you can guarantee that as soon as you go down there, there will be a huge mob of other people wanting to look at the same item as you
19. You can be stood looking at products on a shelf and some ignorant ***** will come and stand right in front of you, between you and the shelf
20. People insist on parking in the parent and tots area even if they don't have kids. Have you tried getting a small child out of a car seat when you can't open the door fully. The bigger your bum, the harder it is, too


Oooh I could do the full 202 reasons myself, but I shall depart now, and allow someone else to get their frustrations out.

[growingthings]

21. They automatically switch on the 'deposit' button attached to my youngest childs bum ALWAYS in a supermarket ALWAYS mingling with the smell of fresh bread!

22. The self service tills say you need assistance (therby negated them being self service) when all you are buying are some ricecakes and a Wispa bar ?

[mamos]

19. You can be stood looking at products on a shelf and some ignorant ***** will come and stand right in front of you, between you and the shelf

I can not believe how often people try to do this to me.

How rude can you get

And it is not just young people

I just stick my arm out to prevent them from passing in front of me

I am finding it hard not to type a swear word

mamos

[snapdragon]

23. They give me a headache
24. By the time I've found what I need I'm exhausted
25. Cycle racks rare
26. Motorcycle parking rarer
27. My local butcher is brilliant (and the abuse is free )
28. Local 'bits' shop sells Ecover cleaning products and such (it's a 1/4 mile further than the supermarket - but near the butcher's shop)
29. canned music

[ina]

30. they don't stock what I want

Saying that - I must admit I've stopped twice in the last few weeks at a T***'s on my way "home" (temporary home): it's so damn handy - and they have a loo. Didn't buy anything, though!

[Andy Hamilton]

31. They buy up land in prime retailer areas just to stop any competition
32. They do what they can to halt freedom of speech (well in Thailand T***o Lotus have sued journalists)
33. They have taken the heart out of this country and won't stop until they have done the same to the world
34. They force publishers to make ridiculous deals meaning that Authors get less and less royalties.

[Thomzo]

35. They were the ones who forced plastic bags on us in the first place and now they are pretending to be green by not handing them out unless you ask.
36. They waste so much food. Smaller shops are more able to plan their stock and dispose of unsold items responsibly.

Cheers
Zoe

[bryony]

37. Some really do pour bleach on perfectly edible, yet 'out of date' food so that the homeless or anyone else who might try can't eat it. Having worked in a supermarket for 3 years, I argued the case for handing out this food to those who need it, and lost time and time again. argh!

38. They treat their staff like c**p. Low pay, little respect, and little regard for basic needs. Things like popping to the toilet, or having a glass of water on duty had me accused of 'wasting company time'.

39. They are so over air-conditioned that if someone has a cold, everyone else gets in in no time at all. They're a health hazard! Stay away!

Rant over....

[Rosendula]

38. They treat their staff like c**p. Low pay, little respect, and little regard for basic needs. Things like popping to the toilet, or having a glass of water on duty had me accused of 'wasting company time'.

Gosh, yes. I remember now when I worked in a supermarket about 20 years ago, back in the days before scanners. I was still at school, so only worked in an evening (late opening on a Thursday and Friday was a new thing). The store closed at 9:30, and my bus came at 10pm, but after finishing we were often forced to do overtime with no notice, restocking the shelves and such. Sometimes I missed my bus, and the next didn't come for another hour. Not nice when you're in your teens. I hope they're not allowed to do that anymore.

[snapdragon]

40. Overpackaging, overpackaging, overpackaging
41. Timewasting hooge places
42. Did I mention they give me a headache, the lights? or the airconditioning?

[Milims]

I'd really love to join this thread - but sadly I can't really do it! As Andy encountered when he visited - we really don't have much of an alternative to the supermarket. It's either that or we try to live on over priced jam! Believe it or not but local food is rather hard to find round here!
that said :-
43 ther really are the noisiest places on earth!! The sound of the fridges/freezers given me a headache. I once went into the supermarket in the middle of a power cut and couldn't beleive how quiet it was!