Is it 10 items or less or fewer?

[Black Rose]

Tesco checks out wording change

 

Tesco is to change the wording of signs on its fast-track checkouts to avoid any linguistic dispute.

 

The supermarket giant is to replace its current "10 items or less" notices with signs saying "Up to 10 items".

 

Tesco's move follows uncertainty over whether the current notices should use "fewer" instead of "less".

 

The new wording was suggested to Tesco by language watchdog The Plain English Campaign. Tesco said the change would be phased in across its stores.

 

"Saying up to 10 items is easy to understand and avoids any debate," said a spokesman for The Plain English Campaign.

 

"Fewer" should be used when you are talking about items that can be counted individually, for example, "fewer than 10 apples".

 

"Less" is correct when quantities cannot be individually counted in that case, e.g. "I would like less water".

 

Tesco is the UK's largest supermarket group with 2,106 outlets across the country.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/business/7590440.stm

 

Nice to see some hard work was used in that :shocked2:

[Jenjie]

don't see that it matters, coz no-one stick to it anyway

[Fixed]

I laughed when I heard about this.

[Black Rose]

Who here prefers the self-service checkouts?

[Petit Prince]

I don't like them, they just don't seem to work. It always says there's an unexpected item in the bagging area even if there's none.

 

It doesn't matter. I think fewer is correct but it sounds kinda weird.

[Space Cadet]

Technically fewer is right. But really it depends on whether you're using formal language or not. In a store, either would work as well, whatever the grammar nazis say, and if you're trying to fit it on a sign, less is certainly easier. (And sounds better.)

[Black Rose]

I don't like them, they just don't seem to work. It always says there's an unexpected item in the bagging area even if there's none.

 

It doesn't matter. I think fewer is correct but it sounds kinda weird.

 

You don't have the correct technique, although I prefer the self-service tills where you don't have to keep the stuff in the area, like the old-school checkouts with a large area for the shopping post scanning

[a_face_of_light]

Who here prefers the self-service checkouts?

 

 

Me, you don't have to talk to anyone or get asked for a clubcard.

[crazyduckette]

^Exactement!

 

I prefer self service, although scanning items myself does take me back to those dark days when I worked in Tescos as a cashier *shudder*

[Petit Prince]

You don't have the correct technique, although I prefer the self-service tills where you don't have to keep the stuff in the area, like the old-school checkouts with a large area for the shopping post scanning

 

I see. No idea what I'm doing wrong though.

[Black Rose]

There is a course in "operating a self-service till" in the coldplaying school ;)

[Petit Prince]

*subscribes to the course*

[Black Rose]

Item 1: If you have a few items which will throw up errors (alcohol or products which security tags) it's best to use the standard checkouts

Item 2: If you have vouchers to use, it's best to use the standard checkouts.

Item 3: If you see your friend on the checkouts looking not busy, it's best to use the standard checkouts to pester your friend :lol:

[Petit Prince]

I always do that. I use the standard checkouts when I buy vegetables/ fruits too. Still I can't deal with them.

 

I guess the fact that most supermarkets have a person, who sorts out customer's problems with the self service checkouts kinda tells you that they aren't working too well.

[Black Rose]

They need to have a person to make sure kiddies ain't buying booze or when you buy cds/dvds which need taking out of the boxes etc.

 

In practise it's a cost cutting exercise, instead of having 4 checkout workers working, you can have the 1 worker working.

[Petit Prince]

Fair point. Still they seem to be running around constantly to sort out people's problems.

[Black Rose]

Yep, some people just can't get the self-service tills.