Wow! I think you've been shopping with my kid. I guess it has never occurred to me to explain the actual rule of sharing space in the grocery store. I am going to have to try this! I am totally with you re: trying to shop when he's busy doing other things. It's just so much easier that way.

BTW- I am realizing all the time that many of these "quirks" that we've seen in him forever are the very same things that are "common" attributes of AS. A lot of things make sense now through that lens.