Truth About Supermarket Checkouts: Shopper Causes Heated Debate Over ‘Real Purpose’ of Dividers
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Plastic dividers have been a regular fixture at supermarket checkouts for years and have become an essential part of our shopping routine.
We've never really stopped to question if there might be a more efficient way to use them — after all, it's a simple concept, right?
You place the divider between your groceries and those of the next customer, giving some distance and preventing your items from getting mixed up with theirs.
Generally, this involves positioning the divider between the items so the plastic bar runs parallel to the food.
However, the online community has been shaken up by a recent Facebook post that suggests we've been using checkout dividers incorrectly all this time, and for good reason.
The shopper wrote: ‘I’m at the store tonight and noticed some of you don’t know how to use the divider.’
They then suggested that the dividers should, in fact, be placed lengthways on the conveyor belt to create a 30cm gap between each customer's groceries.
‘You need to put it long ways to trip the sensor and keep a distance,’ they continued.
‘Some of y’all use it as a privacy fence!’
The shopper also claimed that placing the divider this way not only increases the distance between shoppers but also enables the conveyor belt sensor to function accurately.
The post has sparked an overwhelming response, with many expressing shock and surprise at the revelation that there was a ‘more effective’ way of using the dividers all along.
One person wrote: ‘I didn’t know it was for the sensor - I thought it was literally to divide the groceries so the cashier knows what belongs to the first person and the second person.’
‘Wait that’s actually brilliant,’ another said.
A third chimed in: ‘I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time. It makes more sense to do it that way.’
‘Well, it actually does make more sense to put it the long way, now that I think about it. It just feels like it’s wrong,’ another added.
Others criticised the post, saying it was a ridiculous waste of space, doubting that it would actually do anything to help regular shoppers.
One person argued: ‘He literally proved himself wrong by calling it a “divider”.’
‘If you put it that way, it takes up half the conveyor,’ another pointed out.
A third said: ‘Are you kidding me? Put it at a small angle it does the same thing without wasting all that space.’
Another critic expressed frustration at the idea of having to wait for someone to move their groceries if the divider was placed lengthways.
‘The people that do this are the same people that park taking up two spaces,’ another claimed.
So, what is the truth behind this checkout divider debate?
While it’s true that placing the dividers lengthways can make it easier to manage the conveyor belt sensor, it’s ultimately up to each shopper to decide how they should use it.
Members, do you agree that the lengthways method is a more effective, hygienic and ‘safer’ way to shop? Or do you think it’s a nuisance? Better yet, have you seen shoppers using this method at the checkout? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
We've never really stopped to question if there might be a more efficient way to use them — after all, it's a simple concept, right?
You place the divider between your groceries and those of the next customer, giving some distance and preventing your items from getting mixed up with theirs.
Generally, this involves positioning the divider between the items so the plastic bar runs parallel to the food.
However, the online community has been shaken up by a recent Facebook post that suggests we've been using checkout dividers incorrectly all this time, and for good reason.
The shopper claimed that most people are using the dividers wrong. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.
The shopper wrote: ‘I’m at the store tonight and noticed some of you don’t know how to use the divider.’
They then suggested that the dividers should, in fact, be placed lengthways on the conveyor belt to create a 30cm gap between each customer's groceries.
‘You need to put it long ways to trip the sensor and keep a distance,’ they continued.
‘Some of y’all use it as a privacy fence!’
The shopper also claimed that placing the divider this way not only increases the distance between shoppers but also enables the conveyor belt sensor to function accurately.
The post has sparked an overwhelming response, with many expressing shock and surprise at the revelation that there was a ‘more effective’ way of using the dividers all along.
An illustration showing the improper (pictured above) and the proper (pictured below) position of the divider in the checkout according to the shopper. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.
One person wrote: ‘I didn’t know it was for the sensor - I thought it was literally to divide the groceries so the cashier knows what belongs to the first person and the second person.’
‘Wait that’s actually brilliant,’ another said.
A third chimed in: ‘I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time. It makes more sense to do it that way.’
‘Well, it actually does make more sense to put it the long way, now that I think about it. It just feels like it’s wrong,’ another added.
Others criticised the post, saying it was a ridiculous waste of space, doubting that it would actually do anything to help regular shoppers.
One person argued: ‘He literally proved himself wrong by calling it a “divider”.’
‘If you put it that way, it takes up half the conveyor,’ another pointed out.
A third said: ‘Are you kidding me? Put it at a small angle it does the same thing without wasting all that space.’
Another critic expressed frustration at the idea of having to wait for someone to move their groceries if the divider was placed lengthways.
‘The people that do this are the same people that park taking up two spaces,’ another claimed.
So, what is the truth behind this checkout divider debate?
While it’s true that placing the dividers lengthways can make it easier to manage the conveyor belt sensor, it’s ultimately up to each shopper to decide how they should use it.
Members, do you agree that the lengthways method is a more effective, hygienic and ‘safer’ way to shop? Or do you think it’s a nuisance? Better yet, have you seen shoppers using this method at the checkout? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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