Annoying characteristics of supermarkets.

Their are many things about supermarkets I dislike. 

Things like the car park, the layout of and constant rearranging of the layout, people not being prepared to pay for their comestibles after waiting in the queue and then waiting until everything is rung up before hunting for their purse, the long queues, far too much choice in brands of goods.  But my gripe today is about bread.

There is always plenty of sliced bread.  But I don't like sliced bread except to toast.  I like a nice fresh bakery loaf. Most times.I bake a loaf myself using a breadmaker.  Bit with no yeast I found myself looking in the supermarket a full two hours before it closed both last night and today

And what did I find? The instore bakery had sliced all of a full score of loaves, both wholemeal and white leaving no loaves uncut.  When I asked about this, I was told they 'have to' slice the loaves when they have finished the day's baking which put me close to meltdown. it does not make any sense to me as I am sure that many  other customers would also prefer an unsliced loaf. I refuse to have a sliced loaf. I like my bread cut three inches thick so I can delight in the texture of the fluffy inner, feeling it melt away in my mouth. If I want sliced bread there is plenty of choice of sliced loaves, and I am quite capable of cutting it myself. Even a loaf sliced from the bakery loaf tastes totally different when it is cut into half inch thick slices rather than the chunks I like.

On both occasions they have lost a customer and I made do with a bowl of shredded wheat instead. And I will get some.yeast and continue continue to bake my own bread which will only be sliced at tje point of eating, and I can savour the flavour of a nice chunky piece.

What do others find annoying about supermarkets,, or is there anyone who thinks supermarkets are like Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way.

Parents
  • I hate supermarkets and in particular their condescending attitude of moving all the stock around because it makes people buy more.   It forced me to go to Aldi where it's limited stock choice and set layout means I can do the weeks shopping in 30 minutes.

    Also, Aldi size means a walk of probably 400m to do the whole shop.   Our local Sainsbury's is an annoying mile long bee-dance of chaos.

    There's also ther morons in the car park walking behind the car when I'm reversing and the idiots that just can't park their cars.

    I prefer the Ninja style of getting to the shop on opening and, as I don't buy anything near the door, I'm up the first aisle while the others are bumbling at the door.

    I consider all shopping to be a stressful waste of time.

  • Condescending attitude of moving stock around to make people buy more JoyJoyJoy that’s funny. It’s their job to make people buy more, they’re a business, in it for profit, they’re not a not for profit public service, they’re a business to make money so they’ll use all the tricks they can to achieve that. So moving stock around isn’t condescending, if it works, it’s a smart business move. 

    I’m just wondering why you even go shopping if you find it a stressful waste of time? Wouldn’t it be easier to either shop on line or pay somebody to do it for you? I’d rather eat less and pay somebody to shop for me (if I was in limited money) if it caused me that much stress. You’re worth more than that. Don’t do it to yourself. Treat yourself well and get yourself a personal shopper. You’re worth it. 

  • the moving the stock around is for the feeble-minded to have to bumble around the whole shop - I won't play that game so for the possible extra money they might earn from the muppets, they've lost my entire spending.  It's their choice.

    I believe all these marketing games were thought of in the 1950s - I wonder if they still apply?

Reply
  • the moving the stock around is for the feeble-minded to have to bumble around the whole shop - I won't play that game so for the possible extra money they might earn from the muppets, they've lost my entire spending.  It's their choice.

    I believe all these marketing games were thought of in the 1950s - I wonder if they still apply?

Children
  • Yeah, she (my friend) was into the advertising/marketing  side of things so maybe that’s where they pile their millions now. 

  • These games were all done in the early supermarkets but I suspect most of today's merketing is all about raising brand awareness and lying about how they are cheaper than their competitors. 

    The actual nuts & bolts of the supermarket is well defined so there's not a lot you can shout about..

  • I’ve no idea but I do know they spend a lot of money on the psychology of what makes people part with their money, such as the smell of fresh bread, even if they don’t sell it. My friend used to work for the top supermarkets, helping their advertising campaigns, and even though it paid ridiculous amounts of money, she gave it up to be a writer as her conscious couldn’t cope with it in the end. That was only a few years ago so supermarkets are still investing a lot of money to get people to buy more and I mean, a LOT of money. She’s probably set up for life, from what she earned even after buying her amazing home and boat.