Speaking of grocery stores, does this bother you?

[Paper Roses]

Since my food budget had become very restricted, I shop more carefully and have eliminated a lot of meats and of course all of the junk food. I try to be creative with veggies and occasional chicken.

My grocery store and others in the area find it to their advantage to spray the veggies every few minutes with water.

It bugs me to reach for a head of lettuce and get an arm wash in the process.

Worse than that minor annoyance, I resent paying for water. Much of what I buy is sold by the pound. I am paying for water. When I place the item in my carriage, I upside-down the bag so some of the water will drip out. I know this is not a good idea but it is all I can think of the get rid of the water. I resent paying for this useless and self-serving procedure by the stores. It is meant to keep the greens looking greener(and fresher-ha) but they rot quicker in your refrig.

After shopping, I have to spread out my veggie purchases and pat them down before bagging them.

I use the 'green bags' and have been satisfied with them. they last forever with a quick wash after use. I do put a paper towel in the bag to absorb condensation.

Maybe I'm just getting cranky in in my old age but I feel strongly about this spraying procedure. It is an annoying waste.

[yellerpup]

1. I agree that the grocers who use the spray

cause a lot of spoilage and sometimes I think they do it on purpose. Our grocer used to do that constantly but because of many consumer complaints, I haven't seen it for several months. I complained of it every time I got a shower myself and would shake out and pour out excess water on the floor, then call for a clean up on the veggie aisle. (they get tired of that; they're liable if anyone slips and falls) Don't keep your complaints inside, speak up and make a mess if you have to. They'll learn.

[Warpy]

2. I love the sprayers here

but I live in NM, where the air is not just dry, it's extremely arid. An open bag of chips will stay crisp. Cookies that aren't in an air tight container will turn into hockey pucks overnight. Veggies in the market that aren't misted will dry up within hours.

They used to have a guy with a hose come around every half hour or so and spray them. The misters are a lot neater and do a better job.

I doubt the misters are necessary in more humid climates, especially in winter, but they do a great job here.

[The empressof all]

3. I don't mind the spray

They do it to make the veggies look all clean and fresh. I shake all the water off that I can before I bag it. You also can usually get paper towels from the produce guy or at the meat counter to dry them off before you bag them. I go a little nuts with the veggies like Cauliflower that are plastic wrapped at the factory level. I just don't think it's necessary. My veggie/fruit stand is closing soon for winter...so it's back to grocery store veggies for me....

[Warpy]

8. It dries in a flash here

so if it's spraying when I walk up, I just shift my attention to the unsprayed things like taters and onions and the stuff is nearly dry when I get to it.

[Denninmi]

4. Yes, it does bother me.

For all of the reasons you stated. And, I'm pretty sure these dumb things hate me, and go off intentionally when I'm reaching into the display.

You would think it would be pretty easy to at least put a heat detector or motion sensor on these systems so they don't spray the customers along with the produce.

I try to grow as much of my own food as is possible. Unfortunately, in a harsh climate, I still have to buy things like lettuce and cucumbers for at least part of the year.

Aside from the waste issue, I wonder if there are any health issues to this -- how clean is that water, and what kind of pathogens are being spread -- for one thing, if it weren't well maintained, such a system could easily become contaminated with Legionella, an organism which is known to live in poorly maintained water systems and is spread when it is put into the air by things like evaporators and misters.

[Jazzgirl]

7. I agree. It seems like whenever I do go to the grocery store

and get veggies the darn thing sees me coming and says "ooh, ooh, here comes Jazzgirl. It must be time to spray!" :mad:

[elleng]

5. Doesn't bother me, esp if keeps stuff fresher, BUT

try to NOT pay for the water, I also upside-down the bag/item.

Of course, 'dry' at home before storage, to avoid rot.

[tigereye]

6. they tell me it keeps the produce fresher, but it is annoying

Do you really feel like you are paying that much extra for water? I never thought about that cost. I'd be curious to know how much that costs compared to other grocery overhead costs...

[GoCubsGo]

9. I don't like them either.

And, for all the reasons you state--especially the one about adding water weight. That is the real reason they spray produce. The water doesn't really keep any of it fresher. Aldi doesn't have those sprayers, and their produce is just as fresh as that in the stores that have them. I will choose the produce from the back of the bin, where the water doesn't hit. And, if it's something that doesn't need a bag, like a head of broccoli, or a bunch of leeks that are banded together, I don't use a bag. Only two things annoy me more. One is seeing people waste bags on things that don't need a bag. I've seen people put a single onion in a bag, and I've seen them place an unseparated bunch of bananas in a bag. The other is that they blast the damn AC in the summer. I have to bring a sweater to shop, despite it being near 100 degrees outside. Part of that is the open refrigerators in the meat, dairy, and produce departments. They really should consider putting doors on them, like they do with the freezers. It would save a ton on the electric bill, and, therefore, on our groceries.

[madmax]

10. Most definately

Harris Teeter here does that and it's so damn annoying. Waste of a valuable resource and you brought up a point that hadn't occured to me. We are paying for water as added weight! Now, I'm really annoyed and to boot their prices are higher than Lowes.

There is a WalMart not 5 minutes from me which in the past I never, ever shopped. Times being what they are I've caved a little. They do have good produce which they clain is locally grown.

You're not cranky :)

[csziggy]

11. One of the local Publix used to spray the vegetables

But they had a thunder sound that played softly just before the spray went off. I guess they got too many complaints since they no longer do the spraying, but I thought the thunder was kinda neat.

[Phentex]

12. Kroger does this, too. They got rid of the cow and chicken sounds, lol...

they had chicken noises near the eggs and cow sounds when you bought milk. I have no idea who thought that up!

[csziggy]

13. I'm not sure I want farm noises in the supermarket

But maybe it would connect the product to the source for some people. And imagine the fun explaining to children about where eggs and milk come from while in the store.

Heck, take it farther - have steer, pig, chicken and turkey sounds over the meat bins!

[kestrel91316]

14. Our humidity here in SoCal can get down around 6% in hot weather.

If they didn't spray with water, things would shrivel up and be inedible (especially leafy greens) within hours, if not minutes.