Supermarkets have become something of a battlefield during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Calm, rational human beings turn into monstrous shopaholics when they enter a supermarket now.
And despite being told several times not to panic buy, Singaporeans (and citizens of many other countries) continue to do so.
We forget that aside from depleting stocks for other Singaporeans, panic buying or hoarding can also present difficulties for the poor cashiers who have to deal with these people.
Long Queues & Hoarders
One disgruntled cashier took to Reddit to complain about the inconsiderate behaviour of shoppers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The user, kangqi2000, says that he’s only been working for a week as a cashier and has already “suffered the consequence” of the hoarders.
For one, the queues are so long that people have to queue outside and the police have to intervene to make sure people practice social distancing.
And some people refuse to follow the purchase limits placed on certain items.
In both February and March, NTUC FairPrice has had to impose purchase limits on some of their items like paper products and instant noodles because people were buying obscene amounts of these things.
But this cashier says that some people are not abiding by the purchase limits, and have tried to buy more.
“If you want to get more, you have to re-queue”, the cashier said.
And this isn’t just a mild inconvenience for these cashiers, it means extra work.
“Please read and understand the limitations before you reach the cashier counter. Other than serving you with your purchase, we have to put back the items you don’t want. If you think the items in your basket is too heavy for you to carry home, don’t take the extra items in the first place.”
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Impatient Customers
The cashier also urged customers to be patient if the cashier is a little slow. Some cashiers, like him, are inexperienced and have only gone for a few days of cashier training.
Moreover, these cashiers have to stand for long hours, while shoppers only have to stand for a fraction of that time.
“If the cashier made some mistakes, please don’t be angry at them. We are humans too. Please be more patient and wait till the manager come (sic) to assist.”
I can only imagine what abuse this cashier has suffered at the hands of some impatient customers.
Cashier Injuries
You may think that being a cashier is an easy job, but standing for long hours every day constantly handling transactions can take its toll.
The cashier describes how his kneecaps are swollen and how he’s gotten bruises, cuts, and bumps on his hands.
And he/she is only 20 years old.
“Most of the cashiers are elderly of around 60-70 years old. I’m only 20 and I’ve already gotten some physical injuries”.
“If I’m already getting such injuries, what about the older cashiers. They would be getting more painful injuries”, the cashier said.
The Reddit user added that while all staff members are supposed to get an hour break, it’s often cut short in order to serve all the customers.
Staff members are also asked to work overtime due to the shortage of people.
So, what should shoppers do?
Well, the most important thing is to never abuse the cashier. They have a tough enough job without someone scolding them for being a little slow.
Secondly, follow the purchase limits and don’t buy products in obscenely large quantities or hoard anything. As the cashier says, the packers have to constantly restock items because they keep magically disappearing into the bags of selfish customers.
Some customers are also leaving their NTUC trolley in “random places” for their own benefits after their bulk purchases, the cashier said.
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If you think you’re going to buy a lot of things, please bring your own trolley. There’s already a shortage of trolleys in NTUC due to such behaviour, the cashier said.
Netizen response
In response to the post, many netizens lambasted the inconsiderate shoppers and thanked the cashier for powering through this tough period.
So, if you’re planning to head to the supermarket soon, please spare a thought for those poor cashiers. It isn’t easy to do what they do, especially at a time like this.
