Long queues, confusing store layouts, ‘unexpected item in the bagging area’… shopping for groceries can really be a chore at times. What irritates you the most about supermarket shopping?
For me, just making sure I’ve bought everything I need and navigating the minefield of special offers means grocery shopping is already taxing enough, even if the shop is relatively deserted. Unfortunately, my local supermarket rarely is…
Most of north London seems to be doing its shopping whenever I go in, and the blocked-up aisles keep you crawling around at a snail’s pace. I’ve now started buying more and more groceries online so that I don’t have to deal with the stress that comes from shopping in a packed-out store. Though you do run the risk of receiving some bizarre substitutions when products are out of stock.
Queues are number one irritation
It seems that what irritates shoppers more than anything is waiting in line for ages. Long queues were named by 35% of shoppers as one of their biggest supermarket bugbears in our survey. One shopper told us:
‘The queues at my local supermarket can sometimes stretch into the aisles, making it difficult to open the freezers.’
While another shopper said:
‘They don’t have a “small basket” check out for a few items, so I go in for a pint of milk and have to queue behind people who have huge trolleys full of food.’
Obstructions in aisles was the next most common irritation, cited by 24% of shoppers. I wonder if that includes the other shoppers in my local store?
There were also a number of people frustrated by not being able to buy what they want – 22% mentioned items on offer being out of stock as a bugbear, while 18% cited shelves that aren’t kept well-stocked.
Have we mentioned your biggest supermarket bugbears? Or is there something else that really gets your goat?