The Art of Packing Your Groceries
One of the things I enjoy most about having my own blog is the fact I can write about the mundane and the trivial. Mainly because so much of life falls into this category. Life defining events are all fine and dandy and certainly lend themselves to philosophical musings that make fine blog posts. However, you can get just as much mileage out of those everyday things in life with less gravitas, that we all do. Such as buying new clothes, taking out the recycling and going to buy groceries. I have written about all of these in the past. However, today I wish to broach a subject that both fascinates me but also raises my blood pressure. I believe it to be a social marker and a clear indication of an individual’s personal psychology. Yes, I’m talking about packing your groceries at the supermarket and the various rituals and social etiquette associated with it.
One of the things I enjoy most about having my own blog is the fact I can write about the mundane and the trivial. Mainly because so much of life falls into this category. Life defining events are all fine and dandy and certainly lend themselves to philosophical musings that make fine blog posts. However, you can get just as much mileage out of those everyday things in life with less gravitas, that we all do. Such as buying new clothes, taking out the recycling and going to buy groceries. I have written about all of these in the past. However, today I wish to broach a subject that both fascinates me but also raises my blood pressure. I believe it to be a social marker and a clear indication of an individual’s personal psychology. Yes, I’m talking about packing your groceries at the supermarket and the various rituals and social etiquette associated with it.
Now before we begin, it has come to my attention that in some countries, such as the US, there is a culture of having a grocery clerk undertake this task for you. However, research indicates that this practice is declining due to the increased use of reusable bags and the desire for faster checkout lines. Self-checkouts are also a factor (something else I have strong views on but that, alas, is another blog post). So this disparity may not be such a major distinction, as it previously was. Moving on, let me set the scene for that which I wish to discuss. Imagine if you will, that you’ve gone to the grocery store/supermarket of your choice at a fairly busy time of day. You’ve finished your shopping and are now in the checkout queue. The customer in front is currently having their items scanned and there is now space on the conveyor belt for you to place your groceries.
Firstly, how do you organise your shopping on the conveyor belt? I favour a process of segregation according to size, weight and whether an item has come from a cooler/refrigerator/freezer. Cold items cause condensation to form so you don’t want them coming into contact with specific things such as a magazine or birthday cards. Next when packing begins the following protocols are followed. Weighty items are evenly spread between bags with lighter objects placed on top. An item’s category and where it goes once home also affects which bag it is packed in. We keep a stock of household cleaning products in our garden shed, along with a supply of toilet paper. Bags packed with such products can then be conveniently taken directly to their respective destinations. Finally, fragile items, such as eggs and crisps, are packed last of all and cushioned with bread etc. When required we will use bespoke bags for bottles or hot food.
Next, after this efficient undertaking is complete, there is the matter of paying the checkout operator/cashier. Fumbling, dithering and any other form of being unprepared is verboten and a cardinal sin that will invoke much tutting and “hard stares” from other customers waiting in the queue. Hence cash or cards must be provided post haste. There is usually a LED display facing the customer indicating the price as goods are scanned. Use this visual cue so you can be prepared. While you pack your bags, it is socially acceptable and indeed, civil, to make “small talk” with the checkout operator/cashier. However, once you have paid, do not linger relating anecdotes pertaining to your last enema or the birds on Mrs. Coltarts roof, as you will unnecessarily delay the next customer. This again will invoke tutting and further social admonishment.
The process I’ve described is best carried out by two people and is a skill that Mrs P and I are well versed in. We have experimented with aspects of this procedure over the years, segregating items according to atomic weight and taking into account the Beaufort scale as well as sun spot activity. We have found the current method the most efficient and self righteous. Of course, there are other methods for packing your bags. Many people prefer a more “free style” approach, wreaking havoc in their wake. Make note of such individuals and act accordingly, come the revolution. Mrs P thinks I take these matters too seriously and there are worse crimes to commit. Indeed there are, like that blasphemous act of eating an item in store, before you’ve paid for it and presenting the cashier with an empty wrapper and barcode. I believe there’s a new eighth circle of hell reserved for such barbarians.
Supermarket Loyalty Cards
In the dim and distant past, UK supermarket loyalty cards used to be about earning points that could be traded for luxury items. This would be merchandise or services. Air Miles being a prime example. This changed over time and supermarkets moved to a system where you earned points via purchases that had a nominal financial value. The customer could then offset these accumulated points against their grocery bill. A couple of years ago, around the time the “cost of living crisis” began, some UK loyalty cards added an additional system and started offering discounted prices on specific products. For example a pack of 9 Andrex Complete Clean toilet rolls retails at the standard price of £5.95 but if you have a loyalty card, you can purchase it at the lower price of £4.65 instead.
In the dim and distant past, UK supermarket loyalty cards used to be about earning points that could be traded for luxury items. This would be merchandise or services. Air Miles being a prime example. This changed over time and supermarkets moved to a system where you earned points via purchases that had a nominal financial value. The customer could then offset these accumulated points against their grocery bill. A couple of years ago, around the time the “cost of living crisis” began, some UK loyalty cards added an additional system and started offering discounted prices on specific products. For example a pack of 9 Andrex Complete Clean toilet rolls retails at the standard price of £5.95 but if you have a loyalty card, you can purchase it at the lower price of £4.65 instead.
Although overall inflation is reducing in the UK, food inflation remains high, as do energy prices. These may well stay that way due to potential global factors that could come into play next year. Hence supermarket loyalty cards will continue to play a major role in keeping the price of a weekly or monthly grocery shop manageable. The discounts on offer are such that our household currently has four loyalty cards from the following stores. Tesco, Sainsbury’s Morrison’s and the Co-op. We shop at specific stores for particular products that are maintained at a discount price. We have found it possible to make savings of £40 or even £50 a month, if we keep an eye on prices across all four stores. Often this means having an app installed on my phone and being notified of offers.
Naturally, the increase in this loyalty card culture has generated a great deal of interest. How do the big supermarkets accommodate such competitive pricing? Is it simply a question of loss leading, or is it a case of inflating the original price and then offering the minimum retail price as the discount? Is this practice sustainable? There have also been claims that the system is unfair and biassed towards those who can afford to shop at the top tier supermarkets. The counter argument is that the budget stores are already offering discounted products by default, as it is essentially the foundation of their business model. Whatever the methodology and irrespective of the ethics of supermarket loyalty cards, it certainly isn’t impacting upon profits. Tesco, the UK’s number one supermarket chain, had a turnover of £48 billion in 2023.
Unless you are so wealthy that the cost of living is not a consideration, most people have some requirement to “shop smart” these days. We make use of loyalty scheme discount prices and buy some products in bulk from outlets such as Amazon. Tea has fluctuated in price over the last eighteen months, mainly due to adverse weather conditions in the countries of origin. As Mrs P is highly unlikely to stop drinking the stuff anytime soon, we tend to buy a half dozen boxes at a time. The panic buying we all saw at the start of the pandemic is another reason why we like to maintain a small stock of some products such as toilet rolls, cleaning products and pasta. Until the economic situation improves, we will continue to make use of any scheme or process that allows us to keep our grocery bill as low as reasonably possible. Perhaps we can gamify the process to stop it from becoming a chore.
Going to the Supermarket
When I was a child growing up in the seventies, my parents used local shops such as the grocers, butchers and bakers for their regular shopping needs. All were small, independent, family run businesses. Sadly, those days are long gone. Nowadays, most of us go to a supermarket or local store of some kind, for our respective shopping requirements. The frequency of such visits may depend on your pay cycle and whether you prefer to shop daily, weekly or monthly. In the UK, store loyalty has been an important factor for many years. More recently, because of the cost of living crisis, many shoppers are now going to stores where it is more economical. Store and brand loyalty are being tested and not necessarily winning. The march of online shopping has also stalled, as convenience is no longer trumping cost. Things are changing and changing fast. Who said retail was dull?
Sainsbury’s Crayford
When I was a child growing up in the seventies, my parents used local shops such as the grocers, butchers and bakers for their regular shopping needs. All were small, independent, family run businesses. Sadly, those days are long gone. Nowadays, most of us go to a supermarket or local store of some kind, for our respective shopping requirements. The frequency of such visits may depend on your pay cycle and whether you prefer to shop daily, weekly or monthly. In the UK, store loyalty has been an important factor for many years. More recently, because of the cost of living crisis, many shoppers are now going to stores where it is more economical. Store and brand loyalty are being tested and not necessarily winning. The march of online shopping has also stalled, as convenience is no longer trumping cost. Things are changing and changing fast. Who said retail was dull?
Mrs P and I go to Sainsbury’s at Crayford twice a month. We supplement these major shopping expeditions with additional ad hoc visits to smaller, local stores. Sainsbury’s is the second biggest supermarket chain in the UK with an annual turnover of £33 billion. It occupies the top tier of the UK supermarket industry, although its appeal has broadened in recent years as it has aggressively expanded its discount policy. We usually shop at the Crayford branch because it is the biggest store in the area and the largest in the UK of this particular chain. There are several advantages to using this particular store. It does not require a pound coin to unlock the shopping trolley. More importantly, due to its size the Crayford Sainsbury’s carries a much broader range of stock than smaller local stores, which focus mainly on what sells the most.
A selection of mushrooms
Like many people, we have a shopping routine. We go armed with a list of items we know that we require but we also investigate most isles to find any interesting special offers. We work our way through the store in a logical fashion so unlike The Clash, we’re never lost in the supermarket. There are some products that we always buy a specific brand of, such as coffee, sausages, eggs. However, in recent years we have become less entrenched in such practices and experiment a lot. Stores own brands have improved greatly both at the luxury and “value” end of the market. We therefore buy a lot of products that are Sainsbury’s own brand. As a retired couple, we prepare about two thirds of our weekly meals from scratch. The rest tend to be ready meals or frozen foods for convenience. Quality is a key factor when we shop. We would rather pay a little more for something that is good, than endure a cheaper and potentially inferior product.
After we finish perusing the shelves we will sometimes go to the mezzanine floor of Crayford Sainsbury’s, as it has a clothing department. This is especially good for children’s clothes and school uniforms. Again a lot of the products are exclusive to Sainsbury’s who have their own clothing range by Tu. I often buy t-shirts, socks, fleeces and hoodies here as the prices are significantly cheaper than branded names, yet the quality is good. There is also a substantial home section in the Caryford store which sells bedding, towels, kitchenware and electrical goods. I often find myself drifting towards the stationary much to Mrs P’s chagrin. When we finally have everything we need, we opt to use the traditional checkouts manned by a member of staff, rather than self service, which I strongly oppose. We have a specific bag packing regime that I still have yet to fully master, again much to Mrs P’s annoyance. It is somewhere between atomic weight and the Dewey Decimal system.
Cheese
Store snobbery and store loyalty are major factors in the UK supermarket hierarchy. The UK is a country riven by social distinctions and it permeates everything including where you shop and what you buy. We go to Sainsbury’s mainly because of food quality and choice. There is a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables available. Often this extends into multiple choices of specific items, such as mushrooms. I have a liking for cheese and the store stocks many types from all over the UK and Europe. The meat and fish is sourced mainly from the UK and is excellent quality. Another factor that is important to us is the range of product sizes. Smaller households do not always require the same quantity of a product and it is nice to be able to buy the amount that you need and no more. In the past Sainsbury’s used to charge a premium for its upmarket standing but in recent years they have attempted to price match other stores. Customers with store loyalty cards often can buy popular products at noticeably cheaper prices.
However, although I don’t mind going shopping at the store in person, I do find that the volume of customers can be an impediment at times. But then again the human factor is the Achilles Heel of most business enterprises. Hence Mrs P and I tend to go early in the morning in the middle of the week, when crowds are less. Also, during the pandemic, I very much enjoyed the convenience of home deliveries and still use them to bulk buy specific items like 2 litre bottles of carbonated drinks, wine and beer. Although the latter items do greatly increase the cost of shopping. On average a couple in the UK spend about £280 - £300 a month on food shopping. We spend nearer £450 a month, although that total is higher due to alcohol which is currently increasing in price. We also buy more than two people need due to ad hoc visits by grandchildren.
Red wine
Although it is customary to talk about quality and choice with regard to supermarkets, in reality most people in the UK shop where they can afford, as opposed to where they’d actually like. However, German chains Aldi and Lidl have recently upset the status quo by courting the discount market, yet still providing good quality products. In the seventies, where you shopped was very much a social marker. This is no longer the case and stores such as Aldi have a very eclectic customer base. We go there exclusively for household cleaning products, with their own brands of washing detergent and fabric conditioner being excellent but far more economical than leading brands. The UK is also at a turning point with regard to food supply, having left the EU. Just in time supply chains are no longer just in time and the country is having to rethink its sourcing strategy. In the meantime food inflation is high. As a result customers are being a lot more canny about what they buy and where from.
Shopping for Clothes
I am a 52 year old man, who has unofficially retired and therefore no longer has to commute, work in an office or interact with clients. I am also in a long term, stable relationship. I don’t have to worry about having to dress to impress, cutting a dash or maintaining a professional appearance. Nor do I put any particular stock in fashion. I view clothes as mainly functional, tempered with a degree of style. Comfort is by far the biggest deciding factor, along with durability. I don’t overly worry about my age, so I don't feel the need to dress especially “young”. My day to day clothes consist of t-shirts, jeans and trainers/sneakers. If it’s cold I put on a fleece. If I need to “look smart” I wear a shirt. If it’s jacket weather I wear a hooded top or something casual. Hence it will come as no surprise that my wardrobe is not at the cutting edge of fashion. However, I don’t look like a hobo either, to quote my granddaughters. It’s all a far cry from my parents' generation when clothes were far more formal and each age group seemed to have an unofficial uniform.
Hope they’re not Autons
I am a 52 year old man, who has unofficially retired and therefore no longer has to commute, work in an office or interact with clients. I am also in a long term, stable relationship. I don’t have to worry about having to dress to impress, cutting a dash or maintaining a professional appearance. Nor do I put any particular stock in fashion. I view clothes as mainly functional, tempered with a degree of style. Comfort is by far the biggest deciding factor, along with durability. I don’t overly worry about my age, so I don't feel the need to dress especially “young”. My day to day clothes consist of t-shirts, jeans and trainers/sneakers. If it’s cold I put on a fleece. If I need to “look smart” I wear a shirt. If it’s jacket weather I wear a hooded top or something casual. Hence it will come as no surprise that my wardrobe is not at the cutting edge of fashion. However, I don’t look like a hobo either, to quote my granddaughters. It’s all a far cry from my parents' generation when clothes were far more formal and each age group seemed to have an unofficial uniform.
I don’t buy clothes regularly, tending to buy in bulk every couple of years when things start wearing out. I was recently told by Mrs P that I need to “buy some new clothes” which was a subtle way of saying that some items of clothing were approaching the end of their lifespan and I was in danger of looking shabby. So the first step was to decide where to go. I’ve never liked clothes shopping. I despise the entire culture associated with it. I loathe going into poorly laid out shops where everything is organised by brand and not item, having to interact with indifferent sales staff, all while being subject to music and advertising via a PA system and TV screens. Hence I wanted a one stop solution and ended up going to Sainsbury’s at Crayford. It’s their biggest store in the UK and has an entire second floor dedicated to clothing and footwear. They also own their own clothing brand which is very reasonable both in quality and price. I am no longer a slave to brands (with a few exceptions).
Very stylish
I bought 4 pairs of jeans, some marvel themed socks, a plain t-shirt and a jumper. I spent £105. When I got home I then went online and ordered two further t-shirts. These were more expensive as they had puerile logos and graphic adorning them but they amused me and that is sufficient justification for their purchase. I shall probably buy a couple of “going out shirts” so I don’t disgrace Mrs P when we’re next at a function or restaurant. I also need a new winter jacket. I estimate that by the time I’ve bought all this, I’ll have spent about £300 or so. I bought some Sketcher’s footwear this summer and although comfortable, I don’t think they’re suitable for walking major distances. However I only recently replaced my Reebok Hi Top Trainers (one pair white, one pair balck), so I don’t need anything further in that department. I still have a decent cashmere coat and a couple of suits, along with some proper shoes left over from my “city days”. But I have no call to wear them except at weddings and funerals.
In some respects a fifty year old man’s wardrobe is a perfunctory affair. That’s not to say I am indifferent about my appearance. But as long as my hair is cut regularly, my beard is trimmed and my weight is managed, then I don’t worry too much about what I’m wearing. As I mentioned at the start of this post, comfort and convenience are now major factors that determine what I buy. In recent years the UK has started enjoying longer and warmer summers. So I now find that I wear shorts around the home a lot longer throughout the year. However, I have not made the mistake of buying larger sizes. That is a very slippery slope. If what I’ve bought today is a little snug, then that’s additional motivation to lose weight. Overall, if I had to summarise my personal sartorial elegance it would be casual, functional and neat. If I feel the need to add some additional distinction and character I suppose I could always wear a cravat and sport a monocle.
Cheap Beer
I often trot out the old adage “you get what you pay for”. However, upon reflection I think it’s a saying that should be used carefully. If employed when referring to buying a shirt, then it carries weight. I recently bought a double cuff shirt from Hawes & Curtis and the high price reflected the quality of the stitching and material. I could have bought another shirt for a tenth of the cost from Primark but it simply wouldn’t have been comparable. So on this occasion, the phrase was relevant. But if employed with regard to products like biscuits or laundry detergent then it doesn’t always hold up. Because the adage implies that a cheaper product is inferior by default, yet that is patently not the case with the examples I’ve given. Many supermarkets range of store brands can provide good alternatives to well-known premium products. It can be a process of trial and error to discover them but they do exist. Also even though attitudes are changing, there is still a lot of snobbery and brand loyalty associated with grocery shopping. In the UK the is a clear hierarchy of supermarkets.
Cheap and cheerful or a surprisingly good bargain?
I often trot out the old adage “you get what you pay for”. However, upon reflection I think it’s a saying that should be used carefully. If employed when referring to buying a shirt, then it carries weight. I recently bought a double cuff shirt from Hawes & Curtis and the high price reflected the quality of the stitching and material. I could have bought another shirt for a tenth of the cost from Primark but it simply wouldn’t have been comparable. So on this occasion, the phrase was relevant. But if employed with regard to products like biscuits or laundry detergent then it doesn’t always hold up. Because the adage implies that a cheaper product is inferior by default, yet that is patently not the case with the examples I’ve given. Many supermarkets range of store brands can provide good alternatives to well-known premium products. It can be a process of trial and error to discover them but they do exist. Also even though attitudes are changing, there is still a lot of snobbery and brand loyalty associated with grocery shopping. In the UK the is a clear hierarchy of supermarkets.
So where is this all going, I hear you ask? Well, I want to discuss cheap bear. Actually, I specifically want to discuss one particular brand but we’ll come to that in a moment. First, a few words about my drinking habits. I enjoy a wide variety of alcohol and drink several times a week. I’m a bit of a seasonal drinker favouring heavier red wines and stout in autumn and winter, then moving to lager and white wine during the warmer months. I also like gin, vodka and brandy. I have a personal drinking hierarchy. For example I will sometime buy an artisan beer and drink it to savour its flavour. Alternatively, if I’m drinking socially at a barbecue or some similar event, the alcohol consumed tends to be more generic. I’ll happily add lime to a standard mid-tier lager. But I wouldn’t bastardise a fine malt whiskey. And then there’s very cheap alcohol. Strong beer or cider that is specifically manufactured for the purpose of rapid intoxication. I tend not to buy these products.
Michael Caine only drinks beer “in a thin glass”…
Now I was in Aldi today. If you are not familiar with the supermarket, it’s a German chain. They are rapidly increasing their share of the UK market. They sell predominantly their own range of products or have exclusive contracts with European suppliers that are not so well known in the UK. Hence you avoid the mark up associated with premium brands but that doesn’t mean that the quality is inferior. Over time Aldi has managed to swim against the tide of cultural snobbery and now enjoys a very eclectic cliental that straddles several socio-economic groups. As the weather is pleasant at present and looks to stay that way for the bank holiday weekend, I thought I’d buy some beer. So I ended up buying 12 cans of Rheinbacher Premium Pilsner. Each pack of four 500ml cans cost £3, so I spent £9 in total. 500ml fills my favourite pint glass with just a centimetre or so gap at the top. The beer itself is a pale lager in the North American style. It pours with a pale gold body with a light white head. It has a fruity aroma and a mild, sweet malt taste. It’s doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it’s surprisingly pleasant and makes for solid evenings drinking if you stick with it.
Is this man a beer snob? Who knows?
Out of idle curiosity, I did a little digging online and discovered that there are numerous beer aficionados running review websites. Rheinbacher Premium Pilsner scores surprisingly well, although you quickly ascertain that a percentage of beer drinking community are utter snobs. And like most snobs, their prejudice is founded in irrationality. Because the main criticism of this particular beer is its price and where it is sold. Factors that have zero relevance regarding its taste. However, despite the garrulous inanities of the idiot brigade, there were plenty of positive reviews. Which brings me full circle back to my opening gambit and getting what you pay for. Sometimes, something can be inexpensive without compromising on quality. Today’s purchase was a nice reminder to look beyond traditional brand loyalty and try something new. Cheap does not necessarily mean poor quality. I suspect that there are “hidden gems” in all supermarkets. I shall certainly be doing some further experimenting next time I go to Aldi.