Supermarkets and Covid-19

[Llanigraham]

Seems to be working very well in the two small supermarkets here, and people are waiting patiently two metres apart

 

[Silver Cobra]

The supermarket I work in has adopted a sort of 'half-way house' approach to the one-way system. Each individual numbered aisle has one-way arrows on the floor, but the three main 'corridors' (by the checkouts, through the middle of the store and along the back wall) are operating as two-way due to being fairly wide. This means that customers no longer need to snake around the entire store to reach specific aisles, as they can use the three 'corridors' to reach the aisle they want (middle for odd-numbered aisles and back wall/checkouts for even-numbered aisles). Since making this change, the system has worked a lot better, though we still have the odd few customers who either don't notice or simply ignore the arrows in the numbered aisles.

 

[sheff1]

The two local supermarkets we use regularly have no one way systems. Similarly, despite assertions to the contrary on here, they have not banned shopping as a couple. Very few shoppers are wearing face coverings and, as far as I can tell, none of the staff are wearing them either.

All this suggests that, according to some, the 'unprotected' supermarket staff should be going down like ninepins with Covid-19 but, talking to one of the checkout operators today about how things were going, she was very upbeat and said things were going very well. I am 100% certain that if there had been problems with staff going sick she would have said so - she is, after all, a no-nonsense Yorkshire lass.

 

[johnnychips]

The two local supermarkets we use regularly have no one way systems. Similarly, despite assertions to the contrary on here, they have not banned shopping as a couple. Very few shoppers are wearing face coverings and, as far as I can tell, none of the staff are wearing them either.

All this suggests that, according to some, the 'unprotected' supermarket staff should be going down like ninepins with Covid-19 but, talking to one of the checkout operators today about how things were going, she was very upbeat and said things were going very well. I am 100% certain that if there had been problems with staff going sick she would have said so - she is, after all, a no-nonsense Yorkshire lass.

Same experience in Sheffield. Most supermarket staff are fine, not shouting at you for going the wrong way, and not becoming ill. It is impossible to maintain social distancing of 2m in a supermarket walking round, indeed on pavements etc. I do think the government have inadvertently built rod for their own back on this: I went into work with my tape measure today to do a risk assessment, and a classroom that could normally have 13 in it would have to be reduced to five. It would be a lot easier if it was the WHO recommendation of 1m - certainly this increases the risk (but by how much?), but handwashing and testing should be much more important.

 

[boyaloud]

Tesco pricing is all over the place. I use the the scan as you shop and noticed several items this week that were way more expensive than the shelf ticket said. Prunes £3 instead of £2, some biscuits and some other stuff I can't remember.
Wouldn't mind, but I got bawled at from the other end of the shop for taking 3 steps backwards. If only they put as much effort into making sure the prices were correct.

Double the difference when you take items to customer service desk with receipt after the shop. Been running for years, still applies.

 

[xc170]

Firstly, I've not been to a supermarket/large store since early April (My partner has been doing the food shop, everything else has been purchased online, I've also been using my local independent news agent a lot more), this isn't out of panic, I just don't wish to queue or deal with the ridiculous one way systems and restrictions shops insist upon.

Would it be worth starting a 'Normal' hour along side the NHS/Key worker hour for people who aren't scared of the virus to just shop as per pre-covid?

 

[66701GBRF]

I don't understand your logic in a "normal hour" to be honest. Its the shops that are determining accessibility and restrictions, not the customers, therefore queuing etc would remain in place.

 

[Enthusiast]

Would it be worth starting a 'Normal' hour along side the NHS/Key worker hour for people who aren't scared of the virus to just shop as per pre-covid?

It's a very good idea. I can't see it troubling the staff too much because those operating the checkouts have their screens for protection and those filling the shelves do so with scant regard for anybody around them anyway. My local Tesco is unfortunate in that it has its single queue for the checkouts in the bread aisle which is probably one of those needing the most replenishment in all the shop.

The only place where "social distancing" works on your trip to the supermarket is in the queue outside to get in. Everybody dutifully stands behind the hazard tape spaced at 2m intervals. Once in the shop it completely degenerates. People ignore the one way systems just to "pop back for a forgotten item." Near collisions occur at junctions in the aisles. Getting a newspaper one has to negotiate the usual one or two blokes reading all the papers whilst their wives do the shopping. Shoppers get fed up with waiting whilst others study the allergy information on a jar of peanut butter (I can tell them: "may contain nuts"). Frankly it's a farce. The only thing it does is limits the number of people in the store, making them queue outside instead. They may as well not bother.

In fact I would make it the other way round. Shops may as well allow an hour for those who want to unnecessarily fanny around outside for twenty minutes before entering, leaving the rest of the day for those who want to shop normally, because once you're inside that's virtually what most people are doing.

 

[xc170]

I don't understand your logic in a "normal hour" to be honest. Its the shops that are determining accessibility and restrictions, not the customers, therefore queuing etc would remain in place.

You've not read my post properly then, have you.

My logic is, a normal hour, as in pre-covid normal, no queuing, no daft one way system, just in, get what you need, out...

Then the rest of the day can be for the hand gel and face mask brigade to queue and faff to their hearts content.

 

[66701GBRF]

I don't think you understand the point that its the shops that are making up these rules. Shoppers are not standing in line or walking down one-way systems because they want to are they. If the shop can take away the restriction for an hour then they can do it all the time which makes doing it for only an hour kind of pointless.

If the shops maintain their current rules but then relax them for an hour what do you think is going to happen? Do you think you will just waltz in get what you want and waltz out again? Or do you think perhaps that the "normal hour" will be hugely busy and you will end up standing longer in the queue for the checkout anyway?

All you will be doing is creating huge traffic in the store which will affect how staff can go about their business and moving the queue from one part of the store to another.

 

[mic]

i use my local Tesco and they have one way system in use which works well staff very polite to everyone waiting to go in everyone waits 2 metres apart

 

[greyman42]

I was shopping in my local supermarket today. It was busy, there was no queue to get in and everyone inside, including the staff, seemed to be back in 'normal' mode. I had no problem with that.

 

[3rd rail land]

I was shopping in my local supermarket today. It was busy, there was no queue to get in and everyone inside, including the staff, seemed to be back in 'normal' mode. I had no problem with that.

Seems to be the opposite in my area. Supermarkets seems to be letting fewer people at any one time meaning one has to queue for longer.

I wish we could do away with distancing in supermarkets, which lets face it doesn't happen, and queuing. I am more than happy to accept the risk that comes with doing so.

 

[WM Bus]

You've not read my post properly then, have you.

My logic is, a normal hour, as in pre-covid normal, no queuing, no daft one way system, just in, get what you need, out...

Then the rest of the day can be for the hand gel and face mask brigade to queue and faff to their hearts content.

If you go in the evening at about 8 or 9PM, from my experience there's never a queue outside so you can quickly just get what you need. The barriers are always moved so you can exit out of the entrance you come in, so don't have to follow the one way exit thing when leaving. The stores fairly quiet at that time of day and only a few others in it.
I'd assume its also extremely quiet very early in the morning (pre 9AM) as well.
So if that's your preference its best to go at those quiet time I'd think and then you won't need to be queing to come in.

As a lot of supermarkets do open early and close late.

 

[superjohn]

I would suggest not being there right at opening time, there is invariably a queue. You either have to queue for half an hour before opening to be in the first batch admitted or be further down the queue and wait half an hour for the first batch to start coming out. Either way you’re in for a wait.

It’s also worth shopping around. There are two large Sainsbury’s branches in Ipswich. Last Monday, around lunchtime, I went to one (Warren Heath) and there was a long queue. I drove ten minutes across town to the other (Hadleigh Road) and walked straight in. Both are in residential areas so I don’t know what caused the difference. I see it quite often with multiple supermarkets in the same town though.

 

[WM Bus]

I would suggest not being there right at opening time, there is invariably a queue. You either have to queue for half an hour before opening to be in the first batch admitted or be further down the queue and wait half an hour for the first batch to start coming out. Either way you’re in for a wait.

Would that depend on the opening time, as my local store opens at 06:00 I think. And i'd find it surprising if people are turning up at 05:30 in the morning to queue up at the shop?

 

[Enthusiast]

Or do you think perhaps that the "normal hour" will be hugely busy and you will end up standing longer in the queue for the checkout anyway?

Well if surveys are to believed it shouldn't be. Apparently >50% of the population are perfectly happy with the lockdown and want to see it extended.

I'd assume its also extremely quiet very early in the morning (pre 9AM) as well.

You'd assume wrong (well at least where I live). Queues form from 30mins before opening time (8am) and remain lengthy until well into the afternoon.

 

[Busaholic]

Would that depend on the opening time, as my local store opens at 06:00 I think. And i'd find it surprising if people are turning up at 05:30 in the morning to queue up at the shop?

I'd suggest that store no longer opens at 6 a.m. Most stores nationwide seem to be 8 a.m., usually an hour earlier for NHS workers or high risk categories. In my area the formerly 24 hour Tesco now closes for ten hours.

 

[WM Bus]

I'd suggest that store no longer opens at 6 a.m. Most stores nationwide seem to be 8 a.m., usually an hour earlier for NHS workers or high risk categories. In my area the formerly 24 hour Tesco now closes for ten hours.

The website and signs on the store itself still say Tesco at Birmingham, Fox and Goose still open at 6 and closes at 10 (used to close at midnight)
According to the signs NHS workers and high risk cattegories time slot is 9AM till 10AM, not the first hour of opening. So i'd expect if anyone arrives after 08:59 they can't come in till 10:00 then? And looking at the link below, that only applies for 6 days a week, not Saturdays.

https://www.tesco.com/store-locator/uk/?bid=5854

Sunday hours have changed from 11-5 to 10-4.


According to the website, the stores at Yardley and Witton, in Birmingham also have the same 6AM - 10PM hours. The City Centre one says 6 till Midnight.

 

[superjohn]

Would that depend on the opening time, as my local store opens at 06:00 I think.

Indeed it is. All those near me that used to open at 6am or were open 24h had changed to 8am opening and still are. Hopefully this is a sign that hours are being extended again, it would help spread the customer numbers. I would gladly go at unsocial hours if it meant no queue for entry or the tills.

I always thought that the limited opening hours were more driven by the panic buying spell anyway. That seems to be well behind us now.

Locally to me, Morrisons seem to be the exception as they open at 7am (and many have a 6-7am OAP hour too). They aren’t too busy at opening time as a result. Another vote for them.

 

[Bantamzen]

I think what is entirely obvious from this thread is that there is basically no hard and fast rules for supermarkets, and that policies have varied not only between companies, but between branches, and sometimes even changing as the crisis has rolled on. For example my local Co-op started out with very strict queuing outside with only about a dozen shoppers inside at a time, staff wearing masks & gloves, some ensuring the one way system was strictly adhered to. Now there can be quite long queues at the checkouts but none outside, staff have all but ditched masks & gloves although checkout staff have hand sanitisers, and the one way system is ignored. And a local Tesco Express was similarly stringent with the additional of the rather bizarre 2m blocks along the isles, a system that rapidly fell out of use as policies seemed to relax.

One thing that does occur to me though, and that is the issue of the plastic screens at checkouts. Many seem just to be directly in front of the staff, but most people have to move past in order to pack and often inside of 2m. In fact the screens are in the place where customers interact with staff the least as one checkout lady pointed out to me the other day. All this feels like a gigantic effort to give the illusion of doing something, whilst actually creating a whole raft of new problems. A bit like the entire government policy.

What a time to be alive...

 

[66701GBRF]

Well if surveys are to believed it shouldn't be. Apparently >50% of the population are perfectly happy with the lockdown and want to see it extended.

You'd assume wrong (well at least where I live). Queues form from 30mins before opening time (8am) and remain lengthy until well into the afternoon.

A survey or public opinion poll showing over 50% of people want lockdown extended doesn't necessarily correlate with wanting to stand in queues. I bet if you were to ask all those standing in line they would be more than happy to be let straight in.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I always thought that the limited opening hours were more driven by the panic buying spell anyway. That seems to be well behind us now.

I think there were a few reasons. It was partly due to low staff availability, but also partly to give staff the chance to restock without the baying mob descending. However, that still makes sense as restocking staff and trolleys get in the way of social distancing.

 

[Hadders]

I think there were a few reasons. It was partly due to low staff availability, but also partly to give staff the chance to restock without the baying mob descending. However, that still makes sense as restocking staff and trolleys get in the way of social distancing.

This is correct, although generally things are getting back to normal opening hours now.

 

[111-111-1]

If you go in the evening at about 8 or 9PM, from my experience there's never a queue outside so you can quickly just get what you need. The barriers are always moved so you can exit out of the entrance you come in, so don't have to follow the one way exit thing when leaving. The stores fairly quiet at that time of day and only a few others in it.
I'd assume its also extremely quiet very early in the morning (pre 9AM) as well.
So if that's your preference its best to go at those quiet time I'd think and then you won't need to be queing to come in.

As a lot of supermarkets do open early and close late.

Not been in morning. Early and mid afternoon queues, from 18.30 no queue.

In and out ways still being done to wipe basket and trolly. Only had to queue one time picking order from in store argos 4 oclock.

 

[Mojo]

I think what is entirely obvious from this thread is that there is basically no hard and fast rules for supermarkets, and that policies have varied not only between companies, but between branches, and sometimes even changing as the crisis has rolled on.

Agreed, although I think some shops seem to be more awkward than others. Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury’s and Asda’s seem to always have a queue outside even when the shops don’t look very busy inside. Our local Waitrose always used to be the quietest shop but they have the longest queues now, except if you go in the afternoon when there’s no queue. Aldi’s and Lidl’s only seem to have queues during the daytime, I went there at the weekend at about 6p.m. and it was like it always used to be in terms of people in the shop but didn’t have to wait. It’s almost as if the extra security guard they took on to manage entry and exits finishes at 5pm...

 

[Mojo]

One thing that does occur to me though, and that is the issue of the plastic screens at checkouts. Many seem just to be directly in front of the staff, but most people have to move past in order to pack and often inside of 2m. In fact the screens are in the place where customers interact with staff the least as one checkout lady pointed out to me the other day. All this feels like a gigantic effort to give the illusion of doing something, whilst actually creating a whole raft of new problems.

I don’t quite get the purpose of these screens. Went to Pret the other day, and there was a huge hole in the screen from the top of the counter right to head level, obviously created so it’s easy to get a hot drink cup through whilst making it safe to pick up from either side.

The best was a garden centre I went to last week. The screen runs along the full length of the desk that you would normally put produce on for the checkout staff to scan. However the hole in the screen was only just enough to fit the credit card machine through. Accordingly as most products in garden centres are quite large and not suited to being contorted to fit through tiny gaps, they had to put another member of staff on the “public” side of the screen to read out the products and prices to the people operating the checkout!

 

[Bantamzen]

I don’t quite get the purpose of these screens. Went to Pret the other day, and there was a huge hole in the screen from the top of the counter right to head level, obviously created so it’s easy to get a hot drink cup through whilst making it safe to pick up from either side.

The best was a garden centre I went to last week. The screen runs along the full length of the desk that you would normally put produce on for the checkout staff to scan. However the hole in the screen was only just enough to fit the credit card machine through. Accordingly as most products in garden centres are quite large and not suited to being contorted to fit through tiny gaps, they had to put another member of staff on the “public” side of the screen to read out the products and prices to the people operating the checkout!

I can't help thinking that some of these solutions needed a bit more thought!

 

[Enthusiast]

A survey or public opinion poll showing over 50% of people want lockdown extended doesn't necessarily correlate with wanting to stand in queues. I bet if you were to ask all those standing in line they would be more than happy to be let straight in.

Then they will have to decide what they want. Part of the lockdown entails restrictions on the numbers of customers allowed to be in shops at any one time. If you want no queues you must have no lockdown.

I can't help thinking that some of these solutions needed a bit more thought!

A prize to that man for the understatement of the crisis

 

[Ostrich]

I think what is entirely obvious from this thread is that there is basically no hard and fast rules for supermarkets, and that policies have varied not only between companies, but between branches, and sometimes even changing as the crisis has rolled on …..

Indeed! On my first lockdown visit to our local supermarket, I was told off at the checkout for starting to load my items onto the conveyor while the previous punter was finishing off paying for his. I apologised .

On my next visit, 10 days later, I propped myself up at the start on the conveyor belt, waiting for the guy in front of me to finish packing and paying. And I got told off for not getting on with it! I did mention the contradiction to the checkout lady as I packed my stuff; she just rolled her eyes and said, "The guidelines change every week …."