I was a supervisor for a very large retail chain. I oversaw all of the "front end" employees, including cashiers. I would often jump onto a register to compensate for staffing shortages or just to remind myself what cashiers go through. Those basket drove me nuts. Unloading a few in a short period of time usually ended in a backache and scrapes on my arms. They also slowed my checkout time enough to show on the daily report.
The cashiers' checkout times play a huge role when it comes to evaluating their performance. They receive much a smaller annual raise in pay if they appear slow regardless of the reason. This information is also reviewed when the corporate office decides it is time to cut employees. There really is nothing they can do though. The cashiers can face disciplinary action if they ask a customer to unload the baskets and a complaint is filed.
As a customer, I always make sure everything is unloaded on the belt in an organized way to make it easier for the cashier. The job is not as easy as it looks. I do file a complaint if the cashier is rude though.
