My local fruit and veg store underwent a refurbishment

[Bretrick]

Before the work began I asked the owner if he was going to include shop floor scales for the customers to use.
He assured me yes.
Guess what? No customer scales. Which means that those products that are sold by weight, the customer does not know how much it will be until they get to the checkout.
Large Watermelons can weigh 20 pounds, 9 kg, which at $2 per kilo is a lot of money.
Just another way businesses force one to pay more than they can afford.
A shop floor scale would see some people not buy certain items.

 

[againstthegrain]

Before the work began I asked the owner if he was going to include shop floor scales for the customers to use.
He assured me yes.
Guess what? No customer scales. Which means that those products that are sold by weight, the customer does not know how much it will be until they get to the checkout.
Large Watermelons can weigh 20 pounds, 9 kg, which at $2 per kilo is a lot of money.
Just another way businesses force one to pay more than they can afford.
A shop floor scale would see some people not buy certain items.

There should be scales, but we can always not buy the item and leave it at the register if it costs too much. I'm pretty sure most all stores in the US have scales.

The tactic I dislike the most is selling items that are larger than average and sold by weight. There are 2 reasons 1 it does force one to buy more weight if one needs 4 apples for instance, but also the larger piece sizes are often poorer quality than average or less than average size.

How is the quality of the produce? How does the price compare to similar qualities elsewhere?

 

[Bretrick]

There should be scales, but we can always not buy the item and leave it at the register if it costs too much. I'm pretty sure most all stores in the US have scales.

The tactic I dislike the most is selling items that are larger than average and sold by weight. There are 2 reasons 1 it does force one to buy more weight if one needs 4 apples for instance, but also the larger piece sizes are often poorer quality than average or less than average size.

How is the quality of the produce? How does the price compare to similar qualities elsewhere?

The quality is top notch.
Price is more often than not cheaper the the supermarkets.
My gripe is the larger size produce are expensive. Plus even when cut up, if the price is $25 for a whole Watermelon, a piece might be $6.
No way of knowing.
Those on a limited budget will not buy something so dear, especially if the weight is unknown.

 

[againstthegrain]

The quality is top notch.
Price is more often than not cheaper the the supermarkets.
My gripe is the larger size produce are expensive. Plus even when cut up, if the price is $25 for a whole Watermelon, a piece might be $6.
No way of knowing.
Those on a limited budget will not buy something so dear, especially if the weight is unknown.

I got that, and there should be scales, but we've all been around for a long time. We all know what's expensive so we stay away from those items. For instance I don't buy raspberries, exotic tropical fruit, heirloom tomatoes in winter, fancy mushrooms, etc whether the exact cost is known or not.



Perhaps he just hasn't gotten around to it yet and I really can't remember anyone other than me ever using the scales anyway in 1000's of trips to the produce dept. . Is the store legally required to have scales for consumers?

I sold produce for a living so I might be biased.

 

[gruntlabor]

I use the store's scales all the time to verify the weight of pre-bagged produce, to make sure I'm getting 5# of oranges in my sealed bag which is labeled 'Five Pounds'.

 

[MrJim]

Bring your own scale.

The ones they make nowadays are lightweight and accurate.

Or one of these....

If nothing else, you might make a point.

 

[againstthegrain]

Or one of these....

If nothing else, you might make a point.

The point is the idiot weighing the fish in that manner stands to break the fish's jaw and mortally wound it.

 

[againstthegrain]

"fishes' jaw" or "fish's jaw". need grammar and or spelling advice on this one, could both be acceptable?

 

[MrJim]

The point is the idiot weighing the fish in that manner stands to break the fish's jaw and mortally wound it.

A) though you could be technically correct re: the fish's potential injury, that's actually not the point at all.

B) I kind of doubt "the idiot" in the picture really cares as he's probably got plans for the fish that involve a filleting knife and a skillet, and

C) if one is really that adamant about weighing one's produce (a perfectly understandable position) there are ways to accomplish that goal in spite of the grocer not providing a scale. Which is the actual point. That and telling the store owner he needs to provide his customers with produce scales.

A handy dandy little hand held hanging scale that fits in a purse or coat pocket from which one can hang a bag apples or potatoes or whatever, and get a reasonably accurate reading, would be a cheap, easy and convenient solution to the problem.

I'm a "where there's a will, there's a way" kinda guy.

Straight line thinking.

 

[Paco Dennis]

A) though you could be technically correct re: the fish's potential injury, that's actually not the point at all.

B) I kind of doubt "the idiot" in the picture really cares as he's probably got plans for the fish that involve a filleting knife and a skillet, and

C) if one is really that adamant about weighing one's produce (a perfectly understandable position) there are ways to accomplish that goal in spite of the grocer not providing a scale. Which is the actual point. That and telling the store owner he needs to provide his customers with produce scales.

A handy dandy little hand held hanging scale that fits in a purse or coat pocket from which one can hang a bag apples or potatoes or whatever, and get a reasonably accurate reading, would be a cheap, easy and convenient solution to the problem.

I'm a "where there's a will, there's a way" kinda guy.

Straight line thinking.

I'd have a hard time with my nerve damaged arms holding out more than a pound and bending down to a floor unit is hard also. They should have hanging scales. I have never heard of such non-sense. @Bretrick I feel your pain. Is this like a really old store?

 

[againstthegrain]

Bringing your own scale to weigh produce, yeah ok.

Typically if one intends to "catch and release into hot grease" the weighing gets done at home and vice versa if one intends to release the fish back into the water it's weighed immediately after capture.

 

[MrJim]

Bringing your own scale to weigh produce, roflol.

It certainly is a funny notion, but then again, why not?

If the store isn't willing to provide them, show 'em who's boss!!!

 

[MrJim]

I'd have a hard time with my nerve damaged arms holding out more than a pound and bending down to a floor unit is hard also. They should have hanging scales. I have never heard of such non-sense. @Bretrick I feel your pain. Is this like a really old store?

You wouldn't have to set it on the floor.

Just set in in the bottom of your cart.

 

[gruntlabor]

"fishes' jaw" or "fish's jaw". need grammar and or spelling advice on this one, could both be acceptable?

No, I think fishes is plural, fish's is possessive. Either way we know what you mean.

Copilot says:
You can say "fishes" when referring to multiple species of fish, especially in scientific contexts. For example, you might say "There are many different fishes in our pond".
"Fish" is the more common plural form of "fish" ..

There's more...

:

 

[Twostep]

The quality is top notch.
Price is more often than not cheaper the the supermarkets.
My gripe is the larger size produce are expensive. Plus even when cut up, if the price is $25 for a whole Watermelon, a piece might be $6.
No way of knowing.
Those on a limited budget will not buy something so dear, especially if the weight is unknown.

Enough customers changing their mind at the register may make him rethink the no scale policy. What does the law say?

 

[Remy]

Can you refuse at the cashier if it was too much?

 

[Aunt Bea]

When I was just starting out, I had a similar problem with old fashioned butcher counters.

I used to do my best to estimate the cost and then hold my breath when the butcher tossed the meat on the scale.

I got pretty good at estimating and also saying no thank you when a purchase was beyond my means.

 

[againstthegrain]

Can you refuse at the cashier if it was too much?

Of course, just like they'll refuse to sell something you carry to the register and don't have the money. I do price checks at the register if necessary.

 

[Jules]

Bretrick, I’d simply say I don’t want it, if the price is too high. The owner may get the message and get a scale. I’m one of those who rarely ever use them. If my husband is with me, we buy it no matter the total.

 

[Bretrick]

I'd have a hard time with my nerve damaged arms holding out more than a pound and bending down to a floor unit is hard also. They should have hanging scales. I have never heard of such non-sense. @Bretrick I feel your pain. Is this like a really old store?

Not an old store. Opened in 2000.
Just a way to get more money from people.
Like coffee shops that do not display prices in the display cabinet.
A business model designed to rip people off.

 

[Bretrick]

Enough customers changing their mind at the register may make him rethink the no scale policy. What does the law say?

I can find nothing about F&V stores have to provide customer scales.

 

[Bretrick]

Can you refuse at the cashier if it was too much?

Yes, too pricey? Reject it.

 

[smiley]

A) though you could be technically correct re: the fish's potential injury, that's actually not the point at all.

B) I kind of doubt "the idiot" in the picture really cares as he's probably got plans for the fish that involve a filleting knife and a skillet, and

C) if one is really that adamant about weighing one's produce (a perfectly understandable position) there are ways to accomplish that goal in spite of the grocer not providing a scale. Which is the actual point. That and telling the store owner he needs to provide his customers with produce scales.

A handy dandy little hand held hanging scale that fits in a purse or coat pocket from which one can hang a bag apples or potatoes or whatever, and get a reasonably accurate reading, would be a cheap, easy and convenient solution to the problem.

I'm a "where there's a will, there's a way" kinda guy.

Straight line thinking.

ah not quite - and then there is the argument at the 'check out or is that cheque out?? - or is it just a moot point?

 

[Capt Lightning]

Not a 'moot point'. You pay for your goods at a 'Check out' with a cheque - although I suspect few people write cheques any more.