Our Health Or Their Profits?
The other day I was standing in line at the cashier in the grocery store. There were at least 6 people in front of me and only one cashier. I know for a fact that there are plenty of employees to do the job, but somehow smoking in the back of the store when the shop is full with customers, seems more appealing to them.
So what do you do when you are waiting in line? You either look at the products displayed around you, or at he cashier. It's a matter of choice. I was looking at the products the other day, when a lady in front of me asked for a few pastry products. As the cashier was alone, she went to the shelf and started packing what the lady wanted. Then I hear the lady saying:
For God's sake woman! One minute ago you were handling cash and now you're touching the pastry with your dirty hands. You're going to sell me all the bacteria and it's not the first time I see you are doing this.
What followed was deep silence, from the cashier's part. I didn't want to look at them to see what happened, but the lady got her pastry and left, obviously angry and disgusted.
I wish this would have been an isolated case and a fussy customer but it wasn't an isolated case nor a fussy lady as she was right.
Image by mediendozent from Pixabay
In almost every grocery store, there's a butcher's section where you can buy fresh meat as well as sausages, sliced ham, salami etc. I have my favorite brand, which is a local one and can't buy it pre-packaged. So I usually go to the lady serving buyers and ask for whatever quantity I want and I'm watching what the lady is doing.
Photo by Nick Karvounis on Unsplash
There are cases, when she takes the ham out from the fridge, slices whatever quantity I need, then turns back, licks her finger to be able to pick a piece of paper up to pack my ham. This is the part, where I usually say:
No, thank you, I don't want anything anymore. Good bye.
Next she gets mad at me and asks me why the hell I asked for the product if I don't want to buy it. To which my answer always is:
I asked for ham, not for your saliva on the wrapping paper.
Then I turn my back and leave.
Some are wearing gloves, as they should, but that doesn't stop them from licking their finger to pick up the wrapping paper.
Image by Hands off my tags! Michael Gaida from Pixabay
Last time I wanted to buy a few slices of cake. I was standing for 5 minutes, waiting for someone to come and serve me but no one was interested in selling cake. So there was a lady sweeping the floor and I asked her if there's hope for anyone to come and give me some cake. She put down the broom immediately, went to the cake stand and asked me what she can give me 😳
I said it would have been nice to wash her hands first, but it doesn't matter anymore as I'm not buying anything and left.
Image by Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay
Our Health Or Their Profits?
I have a routine by now and know where I can buy relatively safe and what shops I have to avoid. Although you can never be sure of what is going on behind the scenes or when no one is watching.
The truth is, these safety measures are not specific to shops or stores. One should learn at home at a young age to wash their hands and not touch the food. There should be no need for anyone to be told specifically, but reality proves otherwise. Looks like some people need to be told and I'm sure there's a set of rules to follow as well, as the health and safety department is handing out fines if a case is reported, but that matters less as negligence cases are many.
One would expect for things to get better in time but this is only going to get worse. Businesses are looking to maximize their profit by reducing costs and one of the are where they are cutting costs is salaries. With all the difficulties and hardship going on in the world right now, cheap labor is available everywhere. Hiring unskilled labor because it's cheap is one strategy, that can ruin your business pretty fast.
It may look funny to complain about these things, when there are countries facing high level of food shortages and hunger kills people on a daily bases. However, these are things that can be changed very easily, a little attention and responsibility is needed. That's all.
Till that happens, it's my responsibility to protect my health the best way I can, even if I have to give up buying what I like. Worth the sacrifice.
Do you know the legal name of @themarkymark ???? It is needed to contact his local police station. Any information to his whereabouts would be much appreciated.
You have to be careful these days as I was at a butcher a few years back that there was enough flies to fly off with the meat if they wanted to. If you watch what happens you wouldn't buy anything. There is so much contamination happening at the weighing scale where all the meat is dropped on the weight plate with no covering right in front of you, what happens in the back out of public view? I am rather fussy and expect others to be the same when handling food.
I've seen shops with flies too over the years, but those are a big No No for me. I just turn back and walk away. I'd rather starve than buy what they are offering. The truth is, we're eating enough garbage already as you never know the whole story, so why buy badly handled food knowingly.
I suppose the situation is even worth in other parts of the world. It's sad as with a little attention and care these things can be avoided.
I know what you're saying. It's not far behind living in a third world country like the one I'm now, that seemingly well developed but the people with the caveman mindset. The sandwich guys always take a pencil to indicate on the wrapping paper for me despite I ask them not to 😂 and the delivery guy crash in to the shop, grab that pencil and sign the sales docket, put the pencil back to the counter. And the janitor walk pass, took the pencil to mark the job sheet, and the next customer get to "label" their sandwich 🤣
Oh and one time, I strike gold. The kitchen worker came out from toilet with wet hands. I assume he did wash hand, then wiped his hands on his pants 🤣 I almost burst out laughter, and then he puts on glove. I'm very happy he did that, but he took the pencil and make a record to the small book and mark he took a set of gloves before he start making the next sandwich 🤣🤣🤣
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ Unbelievable. And this is routine for them, they are not thinking through what they are doing. And this is how you get infected with God knows what, although you've been careful.
I would put surveillance cameras everywhere for a week and confront them after. Keep them a good lecture to see what they are doing. It would be a lesson for life. Or not, as some people never learn. Sad, very sad.
It's beggars belief why people still don't pay enough attention to hygiene in the post Covid world, especially when they are serving customers.
I didn't want to mention Covid, but during those times buyers were obliged to wear a mask in any shop, while they were wearing their masks under their chin. Not to mention how many other irregularities I've noticed. People and stupidity. What can I say?
This story sounds made up.
If it is the only shop in your area and you had 1 health and safety concern you'd only buy sealed packaged items going forward given your obvious cleanliness compulsions.
It's fairly stupid to order meat or cake and then complain when you know already that it won't be served the way you want it served.
Otherwise you shop at different stores that are clean and have engaged staff.
If you say so ...
That downvote by you was dumb. I downvoted then removed it.
I don't post so you have a much bigger downside by downvoting me. Downvoting reinstated.
Well this person is quite aggressive lol wtf
Yeah, he may be bored or something
I hear you on that stuff! Thankfully we don't have to deal with that a whole lot around here, it's engrained in people to always wear gloves in those situations, even at the bakeries that we visit. What they also do is put their hand on the outside of the bag and grab the item and then drop it into the bag so that also works in the end which is nice.
Sadly I don't understand why people don't put some effort into their lives. It's not the best to be doing work like that however people don't seem to think that they are lucky to be earning some money or even be in a place that's got food all around! Wild stuff but I guess if your world view is limited to a very small area, you don't tend to appreciate some of these things.
Some are uneducated and think if what they do is good enough for them, then it has to be good enough for others too. With a little attention and care things could get better but with all the things going on in the world right now, who knows. Till then, it's our job to protect ourselves thr best way we can.