Readers React: General Distaste for Jewel-Osco Cart-to-Car Service

Wheaton and Glen Ellyn Patch readers were quite vocal on Facebook in response to our story on Thursday that Jewel-Osco stores have implemented a new policy mandating in many cases that baggers follow shoppers out to their cars in "cart-to-car" service.

The general consensus was that the policy is "creepy" and unnecessary, and should not be so mandatory as it appears to be, though there were a few dissenting voices who liked the idea of the extra help.

Here are some of the responses we got:

Jim Larrison: “This goes down as one of the dumbest ideas in the world. Why not take the people that are helping to keep lines shorter and make sure customers can get checked out quickly and force them to spend an extra 5-10 minutes with each customer? They are either going to have to have 10x more baggers working every day, or there are going to be a lot of long lines.” – Glen Ellyn Patch Facebook

Alisha Ali: “I was there last week and the person who bagged my groceries just followed me to my car without saying a word to me. It made mr feel so uncomfortable. I thought because it was a nice warm day the guy just wanted to get out of the store. They should at least let the customer know.” – Wheaton Patch Facebook

Keith Lavin: “I was asked if the bagger could take my cart out for me. Seeing that I had two bags that weighed less than five pounds total, I found it pretty silly, given that I would ditch the cart before I left the building. I wonder what will happen when people start using the self checkout to avoid that creepy feeling of being followed by the bagger.”  – Glen Ellyn Patch Facebook

Paula Coyle: “I was at Jewel in North Wheaton yesterday, and overheard the employees offering the customers (numerous times) if they'd like help outside. Thought it was a nice gesture. [I] was quite startled to find a male employee standing behind me as I unloaded groceries into the back of my car. I had no idea he had followed me out of the store! It'll take some getting used to, and as long as they don't require/expect tipping, I will be thankful for the assistance.” – Wheaton Patch Facebook

Colleen Arnold: “I went full cart shopping yesterday in Glen Ellyn and was asked if I needed help, [to] which I said ‘no thanks.’ I would have been ‘WTF’ if someone started following me out. Creepy is right…” – Glen Ellyn Patch Facebook

Sue Stozek Mayeda: “I've not seen this, but I would think that would be bad for the next customer wanting their items bagged. I do not wish anyone to help me out unless I have super heavy items in which case I usually bring someone along to help me anyway!” – Wheaton Patch Facebook

Colleen Follett Bluhm: “How about the new owners spend time teaching the baggers how to actually bag the groceries the right way. Putting a jar of sauce in one bag, the pasta in another, and the bread in yet another is a little wasteful.” – Glen Ellyn Patch Facebook

Jonah Lather: “Creepy. I plan on avoiding Jewel because of it—if this is so.” – Wheaton Patch Facebook

So what's your take? Tell us in the comments.

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