Aldi - charge for bags not used or put down on conveyor belt

Mee

Had a strange experience yesterday when I was charged 3p for a plastic bag I did not put on my part of the conveyor belt nor used. I noticed the assistant had a bag near the scanner. I put all my shopping in my own reusable bag. On leaving the store I discovered the 3p charge and returned to the store.
After an heated argument with the assistant who refused at first to accept I had not put it down or even picked up a plastic bag as I had my own bag, they refunded the 3p. I realise it is only 3p but the incident left me wondering whether this was a common occurrence by design or error?!

suzy_g

I expect it was a mistake on her part, stupid to think it was by design that would be ridiculers

lulu_92

Surely the whole point of a bag charge is to encourage people to bring their own bags?

It was probably a mistake.

Shrimply

Did you have any fruit and veg in your order, and were you charged for all of it?

That would be my guess as to whats happened over a bag being put through when it wasn't part of your shopping. Its easy done either way, as its all done with entered codes and because things go through the till as fast, and people tend to cram stuff on the belts so peoples shopping merges together.

However, any assistant that was on the ball, would pick up on this, and realise you hadn't used the bag.

Again it's understandable, particularly if they are new, as they would have needed to get the manager to sign off on the refund... for the sake of 3p. But it shouldn't have been up for argument they've made a mistake either way. I imagine most rational people wouldn't have put it through as a refund but just opened the till and gave you the 3p back (and binned the carrier bag).

Mojisola

suzy_g wrote: »

I expect it was a mistake on her part, stupid to think it was by design that would be ridiculers

Not necessarily. Years ago, when supermarkets were a relatively new thing, the manager of a local one made all his checkout staff keep a small packet of salt by the till. Every customer who went through the till was charged for the salt. Anyone who noticed was refunded the money and an excuse was made for the salt being by the till - 'left by a previous customer, haven't had time to put it back on the shelf'.

If you add up the number of customers times a few pence it can add up to a lot of money. Whether this would work with computerised tills, I don't know.

Shrimply

Mojisola wrote: »

If you add up the number of customers times a few pence it can add up to a lot of money. Whether this would work with computerised tills, I don't know.

It would work, but it would seriously mess up the stores inventory. And Aldi are really strict on inventory checks, even the carrier bags...

Mee

suzy_g wrote: »

I expect it was a mistake on her part, stupid to think it was by design that would be ridiculers

It was a male assistant!

Mee

Shrimply wrote: »

Did you have any fruit and veg in your order, and were you charged for all of it?

That would be my guess as to whats happened over a bag being put through when it wasn't part of your shopping. Its easy done either way, as its all done with entered codes and because things go through the till as fast, and people tend to cram stuff on the belts so peoples shopping merges together.

However, any assistant that was on the ball, would pick up on this, and realise you hadn't used the bag.

Again it's understandable, particularly if they are new, as they would have needed to get the manager to sign off on the refund... for the sake of 3p. But it shouldn't have been up for argument they've made a mistake either way. I imagine most rational people wouldn't have put it through as a refund but just opened the till and gave you the 3p back (and binned the carrier bag).

Bag was not with my shopping nor I think the customer before. I remember seeing it near the scanner. The male assistant must have been management as he signed-off the refund himself after claiming 'I' had put it down.

iris

Did you by any chance buy a bag of carrots that weren't on your receipt?


I had this happen to me and apparently the code for carrots is 33 and the code for bags is 3 (I was charged for 2 bags i.e. 3px2=6p). HTH


Aldi cashiers are just too quick for their own good sometimes. The mistakes are always to do with vegetables on special offer.

tealady

If someone holds me up in Aldi over a refund on a3p carrier bag I will reach into my purse and give them the 3p! (in exchanege for the carrier bag of course - I'm an MSE'r after all!!)

geordie_joe

lulu_92 wrote: »

Surely the whole point of a bag charge is to encourage people to bring their own bags?

And the fact that they make a profit from it has nothing to do with it.

lulu_92 wrote: »

It was probably a mistake.

Probably is not definitely.