Have you ever been shopping and someone parks their shopping cart in the middle of the aisle to look for something? You can’t get around them, and soon their is a line of people trying to get by while that person is slowly searching for the perfect spaghetti sauce. Or, they park on one side and look for an item on the other side. Sometimes it’s a little frustrating, but I ran into someone (not literally) that was really ticked off about “shopping cart etiquette” and it got me to wondering if there is such a thing. I know, you can find everything on the internet! This is what I found….
Grocery Cart Etiquette From Mannersmentor.com
1.) Just like when driving, stay to your right. In grocery store aisles, push your cart close to the right side of the aisle. Keep the middle of the aisle open for passing.
2.) Park and walk across the aisle. When you need something from the other side of the aisle, park your cart on the right, and walk to the item(s) on your left.
3.) It’s OK to reach in front of people for an item. Try saying something like, “Excuse me for a moment, please. I need two cans of soup.” Then, wait for a moment until they either verbally acknowledge you or move slightly out of your way. Adding the word please positively impacts the way others perceive you and their willingness to do what you asked in a kind way.
5.) When making your way up or down an aisle, yield to oncoming shoppers if a “parked” cart is on your side. Just like when driving, if someone is coming from the opposite direction and there’s something on your side of the road (the aisle) that’s parked and blocking clear passage for both of you, it’s your responsibility to move over to your right and let the oncoming person pass.
6.) When you reach the end of an aisle, stop and look in both directions before turning into the main aisle. Imagine a stop sign at the end of each aisle.
7.) In general, when checking out, stand in front of your cart while placing items on the conveyor. It’s easier to stand in front of the cart (the side opposite the handle) because it’s the lowest part of the cart, making it easier to retrieve all the groceries and load them onto the conveyor. But if doing so makes your lane too crowded, stand behind or beside your cart as needed.
8.) In the parking lot, place your cart in one of the designated cart “corrals.” If the store doesn’t offer a designated spot for carts, return yours to the entrance area, or place it horizontally in front of your car or in some similar location that keeps it from blocking parking spots or causing others to have to move your cart out of their way before opening their car door.
Maybe if we all just practice being more thoughtful, that would go a long way.