- Business Insider asked an etiquette expert what people should avoid doing at the grocery store.
- She said it's impolite to park a cart in the middle of an aisle while shopping.
- Additionally, customers should always use tongs when picking up loose items in the bakery.
Grocery shopping is a mundane activity that many rush through, leaving some to forget the importance of basic etiquette and consideration for fellow shoppers.
To learn more about what you shouldn't do at the grocery store, Business Insider talked to etiquette expert Jules Hirst about the common mistakes she sees customers make. Here's what she said.
Parking the shopping cart in the middle of the aisle
It's important to be mindful of where you park your shopping cart, especially in a crowded store. For example, it's impolite to leave your cart in the middle of an aisle and go about your shopping.
Hirst compared this to driving a car, saying, "you don't drive and just stop in the middle of the road; you actually pull over and do what you need to do. It's the same thing with your cart."
Instead, if you have to quickly grab something in an aisle, she said it's better to leave the cart off to the side or in a spot with less foot traffic.
Forgetting to pay for snacks you munched on while shopping
Although snacking while shopping isn't encouraged, Hirst said paying for anything you eat is important.
For example, she often sees customers casually sampling produce like grapes before weighing them.
This may not seem like a major offense, but Hirst believes it's a habit shoppers should avoid.
Not using tongs in the bakery
Whether you're grabbing fresh bread, pastries, or a doughnut, it's important to use the provided tongs.
If you can't find the tongs or there aren't enough available, Hirst said to use one of the bags as a glove.
If you touch anything with your bare hand, it's proper etiquette to purchase it instead of putting it back in the display case.
Being rude to the employees
When the store is sold out of an item or a coupon doesn't scan correctly, many people tend to take their frustrations out on the staff.
However, Hirst told BI that yelling is never the answer in these situations.
"They're just doing their job," Hirst said. "So have a little bit of respect for the employees that work there."
