Where's the Grocery Bag?

When I studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence I quickly learned an invaluable European lesson, or a few actually, about grocery shopping.

The Bag: For reasons unbeknownst to me, perhaps being 'green' or forced economic frugality, when you shop in France you must bring your own bag. In America, stores softly encourage shoppers to 'be green' and use their own tote of some sort. However, most Americans shop once a week or once a month, and bringing fifteen of our own bags to the store just seems silly. They provide the bags while we provide revenue. Here in France you either bring your own bag or you pay about 15 cents, and receive an ugly look from the cashier, for each bag needed to carry what you've purchased. They are really thin bags by the way. And don't dare to think that it's worth the money or the annoyance when you are trying to carry ten plastic bags of groceries, your purse, your fragile eggs and bread on and off the metro and through intersections and then the cheap baggie breaks on the sidewalk. Do yourself a favor if you are visiting Europe and you plan on purchasing groceries - bring or buy two good sized, but inexpensive, tote bags with thick straps/handles. They'll weigh nothing in your luggage and provide such a service when you are here.

The Line: No matter what day it is or what time it is expect a line at the grocery store. I've been wondering for weeks why everyone here seems to own an MP3 player (I haven't seen many iPods)....I know now that it is for the constant waiting you will endure in France. Every appointment you have will be running behind, there will always be a line at the grocery store, and each metro ride includes loud talkers or crying babies, but I digress. So, even if you are only getting a couple of things in the store, go ahead and put them in the bag we talked about so your groceries are easier to hold for time spent waiting in line.

Bag it Yourself: In the States some grocery stores still have kind teenagers who bag your groceries and carry them to the car for you. Even if the store lacks such a helpful person it's expected that the cashier is trained in how to organize your bags for optimum efficiency: double bagged sharp items because they tend to break the first layer of bagging, meats with meats so they stay cold, dry goods with dry goods. When you leave America say goodbye to lazy grocery shopping. At checkout here in France you must bag your own items. The cashier is not going to send them down the line in an organized fashion or give you time to get one bag finished before she scans more things you've purchased. She's going to tell you your total and annoyingly hold her open hand in mid-air while you are trying to figure out where to put your eggs. Quick hands is all I can suggest for this situation....and patience. OH! And don't give her the money with the idea that you can just keep bagging once you've been given your change. Once you hand over those euros and the change is handed back your turn is officially over. The cashiers will begin to scan the items of the next person in line. It's a ....delicate, intricate, and trying system in my opinion.

Of course it goes without saying (although I'm saying it) that the store is going to make no sense in how things are organized; bread will be in the sugar aisle and tuna in the vegetable aisle for example. The prices are going to be outrageous (cereal starts at 2.50 euros for a little non-name-brand box of corn flakes and gets more expensive from there). Oh and keep up with how much your items cost and have the money already out, because when you are bagging your own groceries, there is no time to have to dig in your wallet while the other fifteen people in line glare and grumble at your rudeness (how dare you make them wait). Good luck. Shop often and with good humor.

-Tam in Toulouse