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A SHOPPER has left their shopping cart at a grocery store after all the employees took a poorly timed break.
The customer was at a Safeway grocery store on Sunday in Sweet Home, Oregon — about 94 miles south of Portland.
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“At the Sweet Home Safeway this morning. Store full of people and all the checkers go on break at once,” a frustrated shopper wrote on Facebook.
“Left a cart with $200 of groceries and went to Thriftway.
“This has to be the worst-run Safeway in the entire state.”
Other shoppers in the comments fumed about the location calling it “the worst” and slamming management.
“It is the worst store! The management is a joke. The majority of the employees are rude, sloppy, and have no manners or social skills,” a person wrote about the store.
“60% of the time what is advertised as on sale, is an empty sale, and asking for a rain check is like asking for the “impossible dream.”
“What is wrong with Management?” they continued.
“There has to be better people that need work in this town, besides the ones that are there now.
“Sorry, but this is the worst Safeway I have ever had to deal with.”
Another user wrote about a recent experience in the same checkout line calling it “ridiculous.”
“I went there Friday, same thing. The lines for checkout were very long. I was afraid my ice cream was going to melt before I even got out of the store,” they shared.
“I like Safeway but the checkout situation is ridiculous.”
ANOTHER ABANDONED CART
Many Safeway shoppers have been leaving their carts once after experiencing issues at the store.
One customer left after she tried to claim a deal in-store but was told it was only offered online.
Latest self-checkout changes
Retailers are evolving their self-checkout strategy in an effort to speed up checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at various locations were made available only for Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that self-checkout was closed during specific hours, and more cashiers were offered instead.
While shoppers feared that shoplifting fueled the updates, a Walmart spokesperson revealed that store managers are simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance.
One bizarre experiment included an RFID-powered self-checkout kiosk that would stop the fiercely contested receipt checks.
However, that test run has been phased out.
At Target, items are being limited at self-checkout.
Last fall, the brand surveyed new express self-checkout lanes across 200 stores with 10 items or less for more convenience.
As of March 2024, this policy has been expanded across 2,000 stores in the US.
Shoppers have also spotted their local Walmart stores restricting customers to 15 items or less to use self-checkout machines.
“@Safeway Never ever have I left a cart of groceries behind,” she wrote on X.
“Today, I did.”
“You need to explain new Saturday online deals a bit more in [the ad],” she begged.
“In-store was almost $28.00 & told you need to order online.”
She left her cart of groceries and tried to claim the deal online.
However, the shopper said she was charged an extra $4 defeating the point of the online discount.
“Did it in the car & get dinged $3.99 on as it’s not $30.00. Went elsewhere!”
Safeway charges a fee of $3.99 for shipping if the $30 minimum isn’t met.
The grocer responded to the angry shopper and apologized.
“Hello! We’re sorry to hear about your experience with our online deals, and regret that you had to leave the groceries behind!” they wrote.
They also asked for further contact details to look into the customer’s complaint.
The U.S. Sun has contacted Safeway for comment.
