I used to enjoy shopping at Vanier Loblaws but since Friday, October 2, 2015, I might have to reconsider.
It appears that Loblaws wants its cashiers to become bag police because I had a rather unpleasant encounter with a Loblaw’s cashier on Friday evening over whether my cloth bags were full enough or not. I had to remove one or two items from one bag that was full to the brim, and I attempted to explain the produce would fall out in my trunk when I was driving as it has happened before. I have to assume she was not pleased with my comment, which I said without hint of criticism. It was simply a statement of fact. I bring ten bags every week and let the cashier and/or the person helping to bag the groceries know that I use all ten. Yes, I could get away with maybe six bags but I would only be able to carry maybe three or four of them, if that.
When the bagging was completed and I told her I had ten bags and wanted to pay, she actually walked over to my cart and started to look into my bags. She made the comment that some bags were not full. I stated that I had one bag with my eggs in it and asked if I were supposed to fill it up to the brim so that the eggs could break. I was quite surprised by her action and comment given that I am not a young person, and wondered why I suddenly found it necessary to justify to the cashier that I would not be able to carry these bags if full to the brim. Is everyone a weight-lifter that shops at Vanier Loblaws? I must admit I have not paid much attention to what other shoppers are carrying but many have healthy young men and women to carry their bags…. I do not. I know that Goodlife Fitness is upstairs but was not aware that all of their customers were athletic and loved the challenge of carrying extra heavy bags.
Then it hit me. Perhaps this is a new policy of Loblaws that every shopper who wants 1 point for a bag must fill it to the brim or else they will get zero as it is a bit difficult for the cashier to give me ½ point or maybe ¾ point.
If you do not shop at Loblaws then 1 point = 1 cent that can be applied to free groceries. If I fill ten bags for 52 weeks I would be eligible for 520 points…. Not enough to collect free groceries unless I also have another 19,480 points. However, I do not collect points on my bags solely for free groceries as I would use the environmentally friendly bags regardless of points. What this cashier did and how she treated me was not only demeaning, but I consider it a form of harassment. Was it because I am not a young person and that Loblaws was trying to make sure that older people must fill a bag at least 3/4 full, but certainly not half full?
At this point I will no longer collect points on my bags as it is not worth it for me to be treated in such an undignified manner.
Perhaps the lesson to be learned is that Loblaws should learn what the words Customer Service mean and that they can lose customers because of how rudely we, their customers, are treated by their staff. Yet I ask how a staff member can treat one of their customers so rudely unless they were quite smug in the belief that this is standard operating procedure.