Do you feel that the Retail Industry gives you a very poor deal as both a customer and a parent?

Do you enjoy filling a shopping cart, join a long queue, empty it at the checkout, put it into bags, empty the cart into your vehicle, take it out again and fill up your fridge and cupboards?

Is shopping at a Supermarket or Shopping Mall with a child a very stressful experience for you? Do many of the following little points combine to make you a Happy Shopper or a Resentful Shopper?

1. Is it Difficult to Park - as so many child friendly places taken by either childless customers or those who claim to have a physical impairment but can drive 4x4s, Trucks & SUVs?

2. Is the Cash Machine out in the open - so you are caught in the rain before you enter the store?

3. Is the shopping cart faulty?

4. Is there an electric child machine right beside the entrance - so that your child is already causing you stress before you enter the store

5. Do you ever see BOGOFs on Fruit, Salad, Vegetables or other Healthy Products? I have never seen "Buy One carrot & Get One Free” - have you?

6. Do you see countless products offered for sale in Big Economical Family Packages that are more expensive than two smaller ones?

7. Is there a long queue at the checkout? - having witnessed my local store - the two checkout captains had let the few checkout lanes become swamped with customers wishing to pay & go. Instead of minimizing the waiting time they had wittingly through a total lack of ability allowed the shopping experience to deteriorate before calling for extra staff (all on minimum pay) to deal with customers who had at one point or other enjoyed the shopping experience and considered that the object of the store was to shop & go as quickly as possible.

8. Is there a huge selection of small impulse items at the checkout - do you ever see a child friendly checkout - NEVER?

9. Are the carrier bags made from biodegradable material that takes less than a hundred years to breakdown into harmless matter?

10. Do you have your loyalty store card, the one that allows you to save a million points to give you offers on products that you don't want?

11. Did you enjoy the experience - Do you want to come back?

Now these are just some of the many reasons why shopping in the 21st Century is such a horrible experience for parents. If you have any further reasons why you hate shopping at major supermarkets or shopping malls please email me. They will be content for further articles which may or may not help the Retail Industry put the Customer First and not the CEOs bonus!