• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Supermarkets and Covid-19

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Mag_seven

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
1 Sep 2014
Messages
9,994
Location
here to eternity
Sainsbury's refused me entry because I'm an NHS worker. I was told 7.30 to 8am was "my time". Wasn't trying to queue jump or anything, the rent a thug on the door recognised me from a previous 7.30am visit.


Is it not about time that the "NHS Hour" or "Pensioners Hour" or whatever was done away with now - it was only really necessary during that silly panic buying phase at the beginning of March.
 

stuartl

Member
Joined
10 Aug 2014
Messages
161
There was a hilarious discussion on a local town‘s Facebook chat page last week. The OP was asking if the local Waitrose was accepting cash. Cue numerous clueless replies about legal tender and how you could take them to court if they refused cash etc. It’s easy to see how these myths get spread.

On the matter of self service tills, I firmly believe there should be a minimum age limit to use them. Anyone over 59 just can’t do it and it is painful to watch. Let them queue and grumble about not doing the shop’s work for free while I zip through on the super till.
Excuse me, I am well over 59 and am quite capable of using self service tills. Also ,shock horror, I often use the self service app on my phone.
 

Baxenden Bank

Established Member
Joined
23 Oct 2013
Messages
4,003
Is it not about time that the "NHS Hour" or "Pensioners Hour" or whatever was done away with now - it was only really necessary during that silly panic buying phase at the beginning of March.

I agree, it has outlived it's original purpose - which was to ensure that the elderly / NHS had access to stock between the shelves being re-stocked and the locusts stripping them bare again

But, see #626

Imagine the explosion on twitface if you got rid of the NHS hour. It's like they are wanting our NHS heroes to STARVE TO DEATH!!!!!!

I suspect that no chain wants to be the first to remove it, in the same way that they all felt the need to introduce it once one chain offered it. Once one falls, they will all follow pretty sharpish. I wonder if it results in a net gain or loss of business? I always used to shop in that hour, on the one hand I still use the same shop, but on the other, because I shop in the evening I don't buy the same stuff. I don't need a fresh breakfast roll at 1900, nor my occasional afternoon cake.
 

Baxenden Bank

Established Member
Joined
23 Oct 2013
Messages
4,003
Excuse me, I am well over 59 and am quite capable of using self service tills. Also ,shock horror, I often use the self service app on my phone.
Turn it round, just imagine all those bewildered youngsters, standing open mouthed and clueless, if asked to pay with real cash!
 

YorksDMU

Member
Joined
5 Jul 2019
Messages
216
Location
Beverley
I agree, it has outlived it's original purpose - which was to ensure that the elderly / NHS had access to stock between the shelves being re-stocked and the locusts stripping them bare again

But, see #626

Imagine the explosion on twitface if you got rid of the NHS hour. It's like they are wanting our NHS heroes to STARVE TO DEATH!!!!!!

I suspect that no chain wants to be the first to remove it, in the same way that they all felt the need to introduce it once one chain offered it. Once one falls, they will all follow pretty sharpish. I wonder if it results in a net gain or loss of business? I always used to shop in that hour, on the one hand I still use the same shop, but on the other, because I shop in the evening I don't buy the same stuff. I don't need a fresh breakfast roll at 1900, nor my occasional afternoon cake.

I am pleased to say that Tesco, in Beverley, no longer, from this week, have no such hour anymore. You can now go at anytime within ordinary opening hours.
 

Baxenden Bank

Established Member
Joined
23 Oct 2013
Messages
4,003
I am pleased to say that Tesco, in Beverley, no longer, from this week, have no such hour anymore. You can now go at anytime within ordinary opening hours.
Just checked my Tesco local superstore. Opening hours extended a bit further (0600 to 2400), NHS hour removed, elderly and vulnerable hour reduced to two days: Sunday and Wednesday 0900 to 1000.
 

YorksDMU

Member
Joined
5 Jul 2019
Messages
216
Location
Beverley
Ours don’t even have any days devoted to NHS workers and the vulnerable either. Just back to exactly how it was before the lockdown began.
 

scotrail158713

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2019
Messages
1,797
Location
Dundee
Just had a look on twitter and many are complaining about Tesco removing the one way systems, so not everyone feels the same as people do here.
Give them a few days and they’ll get used to it. They’ll then go on to whoever next removes them, as I suspect will happen now one chain have done it.
Is it not about time that the "NHS Hour" or "Pensioners Hour" or whatever was done away with now - it was only really necessary during that silly panic buying phase at the beginning of March.
Agreed. I’m sure social media would probably thinking I’m a granny-killing, NHS-hater though. :)
 

sheff1

Established Member
Joined
24 Dec 2009
Messages
5,461
Location
Sheffield
They might have to seek out that alternative career soon, given the potential closure of stores. Hey, lets discourage people from visiting our stores, oh we aren't making any money, where have all the customers gone?

Exactly. The Boots announcement today did not surprise me at all. During 'lockdown' Boots was by far the most unwelcoming store in the local shopping area. No doubt people tried elsewhere, found they could get what they wanted (probably cheaper) in a more friendly place (or online) and, when the 'gestapo' were removed from the Boots entrance, had no reason or inclination to shop there again.
 
Last edited:

AdamWW

Established Member
Joined
6 Nov 2012
Messages
3,602
Exactly. The Boots announcement today did not surprise me at all. During 'lockdown' Boots was by far the most unwelcoming store in the local shopping area. No doubt people tried elsewhere, found they could get what they wanted (probably cheaper) in a more friendly place and, when the 'gestapo' were removed from the Boots entrance, had no reason or inclination to shop there again.

Seems very odd doesn't it?

The supermarkets didn't rush to close off all the aisles of 'non-essential' goods. Why would they?
 

Mcr Warrior

Veteran Member
Joined
8 Jan 2009
Messages
11,648
Wonder what discretion local store managers have had in implementing in-store COVID-19 social distancing measures, or whether they've had to follow directives from their respective Head Office(s)?
 

sheff1

Established Member
Joined
24 Dec 2009
Messages
5,461
Location
Sheffield
Excuse me, I am well over 59 and am quite capable of using self service tills. Also ,shock horror, I often use the self service app on my phone.
Well he wanted a minimum age limit, so if you are well over 59 you meet his user requirement.
On the matter of self service tills, I firmly believe there should be a minimum age limit to use them.
 

CrispyUK

Member
Joined
19 Jan 2019
Messages
181
Is it not about time that the "NHS Hour" or "Pensioners Hour" or whatever was done away with now - it was only really necessary during that silly panic buying phase at the beginning of March.
Costco are reverting to their normal opening hours from Monday 13th July, they have over the last few months been opening an hour earlier for members employed by the NHS or emergency services.
 

Andyh82

Established Member
Joined
19 May 2014
Messages
3,489
Seems very odd doesn't it?

The supermarkets didn't rush to close off all the aisles of 'non-essential' goods. Why would they?
Well technically they did. At least Tesco and Sainsbury’s closed all their counters

Regarding Boots, it doesn’t surprise me. You were told to shop as little as possible, so if you needed anything Boots sell you would have got them from the supermarket along with your weekly shop, even if the price wasn’t right, or the product wasn’t exactly what you usually buy. They will also missed out on selling ‘meal deals’ and no leisure shoppers buying from the counters and higher end fragrance.
 

Hadders

Veteran Member
Associate Staff
Senior Fares Advisor
Joined
27 Apr 2011
Messages
12,981
Wonder what discretion local store managers have had in implementing in-store COVID-19 social distancing measures, or whether they've had to follow directives from their respective Head Office(s)?

Details instructions were issued to store managers for shop floor and back areas. These had to be implemented by store managers although given the differing shape and size of every store a certain amount of interpretation was required.
 

Class 33

Established Member
Joined
14 Aug 2009
Messages
2,362
Whilst in Poundland today I was pleasantly surprised to find that in the queue for the checkouts, that the floor markings for social distancing have been reduced to 1 metre apart! So that's another store along with Tesco which are easing social distancing in their stores. However I noticed the PA system still says to stay 2 metres apart. So they need to update to say to stay 1 metre apart!
 
Last edited:

al78

Established Member
Joined
7 Jan 2013
Messages
2,400
Tesco Horsham (the out of town one) has removed the one way arrows on the floor and just has symbols reminding people to keep the advised distance from each other. The staff don't seem to be on the entrance limiting access any more, at least not in the evening when I have shopped there, but the one way in/out is still there. They have also extended the opening hours to midnight (was 10 pm). I think it will only be a matter of time before they revert back to 24 hour weekday opening.
 

HSTEd

Veteran Member
Joined
14 Jul 2011
Messages
16,635
Sainsburys in fallowfield still has people monitoring the entrances but they dissapear well before close.
 

Bantamzen

Established Member
Joined
4 Dec 2013
Messages
9,669
Location
Baildon, West Yorkshire
Just had a look on twitter and many are complaining about Tesco removing the one way systems, so not everyone feels the same as people do here.

I must admit I had to put my phone down quite quickly after reading through some of the comments on Twitter, the temptation to respond with sarcastic remarks was almost too great. There really are some horrifically joyless and terrified people out there. I think for the sake of their own mental wellbeing they should have their internet access curtailed for a bit! ;)
 

Skimpot flyer

Established Member
Joined
16 Nov 2012
Messages
1,610
I also had an unpleasant experience in April, at Boots. Very few people allowed inside at any one time. One person in, one person out. The cosmetics counters by the entrance shrouded in black plastic, very uninviting atmosphere.
Now buy most things I’d once buy in Boots in somewhere like Superdrug or the parent company’s other shops, under the Savers brand.
I think Boots are using the pandemic as convenient cover for job losses they were almost certainly looking at making anyway. We’ve seen massive growth in online shopping, with parcels bearing the Boots logo one of the biggest growths in volume in the Royal Mail unit i work in.
 

trebor79

Established Member
Joined
8 Mar 2018
Messages
4,435
Boots shops have been downbeat for years. They still use the same decor and fittings as I remember from the late 80s, early 90s. I always find it difficult to find what I'm looking for and the shops just look messy compared to other places.
It seems they have done bizarre things to make them even less inviting. And the staff were downright rude when I last went in one.
 

Busaholic

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Jun 2014
Messages
14,029
Boots shops have been downbeat for years. They still use the same decor and fittings as I remember from the late 80s, early 90s. I always find it difficult to find what I'm looking for and the shops just look messy compared to other places.
It seems they have done bizarre things to make them even less inviting. And the staff were downright rude when I last went in one.
You managed to find some staff? Last time I went in I had to ask a harassed chemist to serve me, as all other staff appeared to have been furloughed.
 

trebor79

Established Member
Joined
8 Mar 2018
Messages
4,435
You managed to find some staff? Last time I went in I had to ask a harassed chemist to serve me, as all other staff appeared to have been furloughed.
Ha! Yes I took my sun cream to the chemist to pay, as that's where the one way 'system' led me. She berated me, apparently I was meant to go to another till that wasn't visible behind all the shelving. She deigned to serve me "just this time" (there were no other customers in the shop).
I then went to leave, following the one way. She berated me again, apparently from the particular counter I'm meant to go backwards the way I came.
The guy on the door who'd questioned the reason for my visit when I arrived then glared at me, as that reversal meant I had to exit through the entrance only door. Fortunately he was to busy interrogating another hapless customer for me to be berated due a third time.
 

Busaholic

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Jun 2014
Messages
14,029
Ha! Yes I took my sun cream to the chemist to pay, as that's where the one way 'system' led me. She berated me, apparently I was meant to go to another till that wasn't visible behind all the shelving. She deigned to serve me "just this time" (there were no other customers in the shop).
I then went to leave, following the one way. She berated me again, apparently from the particular counter I'm meant to go backwards the way I came.
The guy on the door who'd questioned the reason for my visit when I arrived then glared at me, as that reversal meant I had to exit through the entrance only door. Fortunately he was to busy interrogating another hapless customer for me to be berated due a third time.
You remind me, I too was informed that I was incredibly lucky that he had deigned to serve me 'just this once': I should have rejoined that there wouldn't be a second time, but all three chemists in my town at the time (one has now closed) bear the Boots name over their doors.
 

YorksDMU

Member
Joined
5 Jul 2019
Messages
216
Location
Beverley
Confusion in our local Asda today. There is a big sign outside saying that from today the social distancing rules have changed. It does not specify to what, but it does say all the old two metre signs and arrows are left in place to help people out. That is such nonsense. I’m just left totally bewildered and will now be using Tesco who are clearly leading the way in commonsense as two metres becomes one metre plus.
 

DelayRepay

Established Member
Joined
21 May 2011
Messages
2,929
In my experience, Boots and Waitrose were the two least welcoming stores of those open during lockdown.

Tesco and Morrisons seemed to be the best organised.

Sainsburys randomly seem to be using the fresh fish counter as a mini Argos click and collect point.
 

Mojo

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
7 Aug 2005
Messages
20,382
Location
0035
Confusion in our local Asda today. There is a big sign outside saying that from today the social distancing rules have changed. It does not specify to what, but it does say all the old two metre signs and arrows are left in place to help people out. That is such nonsense. I’m just left totally bewildered and will now be using Tesco who are clearly leading the way in commonsense as two metres becomes one metre plus.
From what I can tell, Asda’s have adopted a similar policy to Tesco’s in that routine queueing outside shops will no longer be happening any more because they have increased the number of customers allowed inside the shop.

Hopefully in order to keep competitive other shops will do the same as these.
 

Enthusiast

Member
Joined
18 Mar 2019
Messages
1,045
Tesco who are clearly leading the way in commonsense as two metres becomes one metre plus.
In my Tescos (Tesco Extra) it has become "please do your best to give other customers and our staff some space where you can." No queues outside; no limit on customer numbers; no stickers on the floor; no single queue to get out (you can use any checkout); no one-way systems. Perfectly sensible. Perfectly reasonable.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top