When I'm ready to checkout at the grocery store I use to just put everything on the runner as I pulled it out of the cart. I noticed that when I was doing this that the items get bagged just as I had put the on the runner with the exception of eggs. There was no thought in bagging the items at all. Soap with can goods or Kool aid packs with meats. It was annoying because the bags tear or are too heavy. Once I'm home and putting away things I have to search every bag to put like items together. This process went through several changes in an attempt to avoid going back and forth; refrigerator to cupboard. So I started categorizing all dairy, all canned goods, all meats, etc. on the runner and surprisingly that's how they were bagged. If I'm not mistaken, didn't it use to be that way? I think I will bring this to the attention of the store manager but not as a complaint though. Do you just put grocery items on the runner, or do you have a method that you feels helps when checking out at the grocery store?
Some stores will be more thoughtful about this while others will just throw anything in the bag asap, in my experience. If I see the cashier is swamped and there is no person helping them bag the groceries too, I will just do it myself - at least that way I can guarantee everything is bagged the way that I want it, and I don't have stuff like raw meat juices leaking on to fresh produce. Even things like the plastic milk cartons will leak if they are laying on their side. I don't necessarily try to coordinate it on the runner though, I just try to get my buggy emptied out as soon as possible then worry about how it's bagged later.
I do a bit of everything, I put things in the order I want them packed for example all frozen things together and cans together. In the UK you pack yourself most of the time, but when I am in the US I tend to let them pack, but then I repack myself afterwards. I know they are busy and don't want to be a pain, plus I like to transfer things to my my own carriers.
Here in the UK we usually pack our own bags anyway and to be honest I prefer it that way. Somebody else isn't going to be as careful with your groceries as what you yourself are. That's also one of the main reason's I don't shop for groceries online, while its more convenient, i d rather do the shopping myself so I know exactly what I'm going to be getting and in what condition.
Yes I do have a system when it comes to packing the bags. Like you, I can't stand things like washing powder going next to meats etc. It also makes things easier when I get home - I am able to unpack strategically as everything that goes into the same cupboard is bagged together.
And in a lot of places they offerLog In (sometimes along-with checkout-by-employee). It doesn't bother me that much if they mix-up types---sure, it's more efficient to 'open the freezer or `fridge just-once and unload everything that goes in there at the same time'; but it's no big deal to make a couple trips the 2 feet between the counter & the unit, and the few extra percents-of-a-cent aren't going to break the bank. (It only matters to me that they put the easily-destructible things on top, so that those things aren't crushed by everything else while I walk home.)
That's a good idea, though I rarely buy enough at one time for that to be an issue for me. I do try to have all my bulk bags all together so the checker doesn't have to switch gears in their mind to much from entering numbers to just scan.
In our local grocery store they will usually sort out the non-food items from the food and bag them separate. I agree I do not like cleaning products mixed in with things like my meats of vegetables. For the most part things are sort of bagged in the order they come down the belt, but I do try to help them along by putting all the cans and stuff together so they can go in a bag that has both plastic and paper together. There is nothing worse then having the bags rip thru when you are trying to bring the groceries in. I have had items come out and land right on my feet. Not fun! One time a whole gallon of milk feel and split open all over the drive way.
I mostly pack my own groceries. I do put them on the conveyor belt in loose groups so that when they come to the other side, they're mostly already grouped together. Most places won't put other items with meat, but that's about the only thing they separate out. They also often double bag here, which I don't really like. It's fine when items are heavy, but I think it's a huge waste when they double bag every single bag.
I really just put everything on the counter when I check out. Usually through when I go grocery shop though I "category shop" (like I grab all the fruits together, all the veggies, etc) so when I check out those items are already together. This makes things a LITTLE easier, but to be honest I don't see how it would make the check-out line go faster.
