Types at the Supermarket
The supermarket brings out the worst in people. Or the best. Either way, you can easily categorize the types of people you encounter. And that is exactly what we’re going to do. What kind of shopper are you?
The Label Reader
Picks up a product, reads the label and puts it back with a shake of the head. A serious frown on their face says, ‘What a load of rubbish they put in our food.’ Actually, these people don’t belong in the supermarket, but in an organic shop or artisanal specialty store.
The Student
They show up at the most random times. Sometimes even several times a day. Dressed in sweatpants or another casual loungewear outfit, they shuffle through the store at their leisure. Their basket contains trivial products, because students simply buy whatever they feel like at that moment. Generally, they’re no trouble, unless they’re in a group. Then they loudly discuss how much they’re going to drink and which pasta dish they’ll make that evening.
The Hard Worker
Out of breath, the hard worker charges into the supermarket. Phone in one hand and basket in the other. They take the corners so quickly that the basket swings into the shins of unsuspecting shoppers. But the hard worker doesn’t care. It’s late, dinner needs to be put on the table, it’s too busy and everyone is moving too slowly.
The Deal Hunter
Armed with the weekly flyer, the deal hunter storms the supermarket. Not Christmas, but the stock-up weeks are the best time of year. The deal hunter buys in bulk: you can recognize them by the large quantities of toilet paper, toothpaste and food that keeps for a long time. Although they are speedy shoppers, they can still cause delays at the checkout. Because heaven forbid a product is scanned incorrectly or a promotional item isn’t processed. Then they pull out all the stops, because the deal hunter stands up for themselves. Spot one in the wild? Join another queue to avoid delays and frustration.
The Happy-Go-Lucky Shopper
Humming, the happy-go-lucky shopper floats through the store. Chiller doors are politely held open and impulse purchases disappear into the basket. The happy-go-lucky shopper wouldn’t hurt a fly, but can seriously irritate the hard worker with their leisurely shopping pace.
The One Who Was Sent
‘The one who was sent’ enters the supermarket with a somewhat confused look. They make frantic calls and send messages to the people at home, and ask the store staff lots of questions. The one who was sent doesn’t pay much attention to others, which can cause collisions and blockages.
The Hungover Shopper
These aren’t just students, because on Saturday mornings there’s a haze in the supermarket from all the hard workers who went out partying on Friday. What’s in the basket is completely random. A bag of gummy candies, cervelat, frozen pizza, a can of cola and a cheese pastry. Those kinds of combinations.
The Single
A bottle of wine or craft beer, a bag of chips or a chocolate bar, and small packages. That’s what you’ll find in the single’s basket. On the conveyor belt, everyone can see exactly what this person is going to eat tonight. Lovely, right?
The Reheater
The reheater doesn’t cook. Their best friend is the microwave. You’ll invariably find the reheater by the two-compartment meals (babi pangang or mashed potatoes with sausage). The freezer aisle is also a good place to spot the reheater. Frozen meals last a very long time, so you can never have too many of them at home.
The Household Provider
Value packs are essential for the person who has to feed a family. They don’t necessarily buy a lot, but they always buy large packages. Think half a kilo of ground meat and large cartons of milk. Oh, and at the weekend, of course, small bottles of soda (Sisi without carbonation) and a party-size bag of chips.
The DIY Cook
The basket contains all kinds of separate components for a meal. What that meal will be, you won’t know. A bag of sugar, canned tomatoes, pastry flour. Those sorts of basics. This is an enthusiastic cook who gathers everything they need in the supermarket to get behind the stove at home. Know people like this? Keep them close, because you’ll want to be invited over for dinner.
The Weekly Shopper
You’ll find the weekly shopper in large supermarkets, preferably with a handheld scanner. With a shopping list in hand, they push their cart along. They buy ingredients for at least four meals. Rolls of paper towels and bottles of drinks also go into the cart. Their mood starts out excellent, but as the cart gets heavier and time passes, you can see the weekly shopper’s expression darken. Best to keep your distance then.
The Organic Shopper
With a jute bag over their shoulder, the organic shopper searches for organic products. Here and there, they add conventional cleaning products, drinks and cookies. The organic shopper doesn’t shop exclusively organic, but they are always conscious of what they buy. You won’t find the true die-hard at the local supermarket, because they go to Ekoplaza or other health-food stores.
The Boutique Shopper
This true foodie ‘doesn’t eat supermarket bread’. They do their shopping at specialty stores. Almost everything is already at home, and the remaining odds and ends can be picked up at the supermarket. So the boutique shopper’s basket contains no meat, cheese or bread, but toilet paper, chocolate, flour and sugar.
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