Grocery Shopping Stress

Grocery shopping is not what it used to be. Back in the good ole days, you could go to the grocery store in less than an hour. Shoppers could easily load their buggy up and get checked out in no time. It's not that easy in today's time. There is always something or someone preventing shoppers from making a quick grocery trip.

First, you have the stockers. Yeah, we understand that the shelves need to be stocked, but why not do this at night? During the middle of the night, no one is around! Not a clerk, not a stock boy, no one! Wouldn't this be the best time to stock the shelves up for the day? What's worse, when you do finally fight the stock boy and make it down the aisle, the groceries you need are out of stock! It just doesn't make sense!

Then, we have the kids running around. You have to constantly watch for fear of running over a child! Why don't mothers have control over their children anymore? It is not ok for kids to be running wild, knocking over displays, standing in front of products, and screaming at the top of their lungs. You are the parent, not the kid.

Now, let's talk about these people who like to stop in the middle of the aisle and catch up with a friend they haven't seen in ten years. Get their number! Call them at home. We are in the grocery store to shop, not to socialize. There's nothing worse than needing to get to a can of pinto beans and have two people acting like they are the only ones shopping in the store. If you are going to stop and have a thirty minute conversation, at least move to the side; get out of the middle of the aisle!

Now, it's time to checkout, the most dreaded part of the whole trip. There are two clerks open and five people in each line. Is this not the time to call some workers to the front? Of course not! Let's wait until the customers have been standing in line for forty-five minutes and have all their groceries already loaded onto the belt.

Do not even attempt to self check-out. Even if the machines are not out of order, you will more than likely have to scan each item a thousand times.

Why must grocery shopping be so stressful? Why do people make the simpliest tasks harder on others? Next time you are in the grocery store, consider the shopper behind you. They probably don't want to wait around for thirty minutes while you catch up with your 5th grade teacher.