Community: Real Life

Trolley rage


Jackie Killick

Jackie is studying law in London and hopes to qualify as a solicitor in a few years time. She loves travelling and is looking forward to going to Vietnam for a month this summer.

Jackie thinks that working in a supermarket, even part time, has got to be one of the most stressful and soul-destroying jobs in the world.

If I didn't have a desperate need for spare cash I wouldn't have ever started this job. Being in full time education limits your employment options somewhat and so after four long years I'm still here, despite the numerous problems. If there's one thing that really grinds my gears it's the snobbery of shoppers who frequently look down their noses at me for working in a large supermarket.  Generally, I couldn't give two figs what other people think, but I do get quite offended when customers talk down to me in that sneering way that tells me: "What do you know? You're only a shop assistant". Well thank you very much but I'm capable of stringing a sentence together, and if I try really hard I might even be able to help you. A piece of advice though - if you're rude and condescending I might temporarily forget what aisle the milk is in.

Snobby customers aren't the only thing about my job that gets on my nerves. The second most irritating thing about working in a supermarket is the children. (Oh the children) I'm sure that anybody who has ever worked in retail will understand my angst. It's a deadly combination: supermarket + children = nightmare for all concerned. When a child screams all the way around the shop it's usually an indication that they don't want to help mummy pick out the food this week. So, to avoid the headache, many parents will simply dump their kids in the toy aisle and return to collect them when they've finished. Great, so muggins here has to clear up after them. Wouldn't the simple solution be to leave them at home? But what, if there is no one to look after little Jimmy while mother does the shopping? This is the crazy thing, the majority of parent-child shoppers include both mummy and daddy. Why one can't stay at home with the children while the other shops, is beyond me. Or if that's incomprehensible, they could always discover internet shopping.

"Some OTT parent bashed me over the head with Bob the Builder as she tried to get her hands on more bargains. Charming."

My final gripe with working in a supermarket is dealing with customers when we 'reduce to clear' stock. The trolley rage is bad enough when food products are reduced to a few pence every evening. However, when we roll out discontinued toys to be reduced, I'm truly mesmerised by the frenzy that engulfs my section. People push and shove and steal out of each others trolleys and wait with watchful eyes as I (because it would be my job wouldn't it) chuck the toys on the shelf, then leg it as fast as I can to get out of the way before I get squashed under the force of 20 really scary women. Unfortunately I don't always survive unscathed. Last time, some OTT parent bashed me over the head with Bob the Builder as she tried to get her hands on more bargains. Charming.

These scenarios really make me wonder if it's all worth it; surely I don't get paid enough for all the rubbish I have to put up with? At least us students are in it together, and I suppose it provides the necessary impetus to work hard at university to ensure we don't end up working there full time. So we keep our heads down and get on with it and when we're old and rich we can say to our children: "if you think you're getting any pocket money you've got another thing coming! When I was your age... "

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Updated: 05/06/2008


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