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General => The Stay Safe Board => Topic started by: arthurk on Tuesday 31 March 20 16:03 BST (UK)
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My wife and I have invisible health conditions, but do not come into any of the categories for which supermarkets have set aside priority times. Each of us, on our own, finds shopping difficult, but together we get by, and we try hard not to be a burden on other people or resources. We have therefore followed the supermarkets' advice to leave home delivery for those who can't visit their stores, and have avoided visiting the stores when particular groups are given priority.
We were considerably shocked this morning to be confronted by a supermarket employee who said they now only allowed one member of a household into their store at once, and pointed to a rather scrappy and not very official-looking notice which said the same. She said it was "government policy", which I disputed, and in the end she reluctantly let us in, but said we had to keep 2 metres apart - even though I pointed out that members of the same household were not required to do this.
We had looked at the store's website before setting out to re-check that we would be avoiding their priority times, and there was nothing about this new policy. Doing a search for the phrase/terms I have used as title to this thread brings up a number of stories which suggest it is now fairly widespread, and in more than one supermarket chain. However, there are several reports that single parents have been told they have to go in by themselves and leave young children waiting alone outside.
I can understand that they want to reduce the number of people in their store (though this morning there was no queue and the woman at the door told the customer ahead of us that it was very quiet), but can anyone suggest a way in which my wife and I would be able to continue shopping together, please. I am still very upset at the way we were treated this morning (we were made to feel like criminals), and the only options I can see are (a) further arguments at the door, (b) disclosing personal medical history to the staff and/or in front of other customers, or (c) not eating.
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We had a similar experience today at Sainsburys. They said they were only letting in one person per household. Whilst we are in our late sixties and husband has a heart condition we are quite fit so it wasn't a problem. However there must be many people who need a bit of support when shopping and this arrangement won't work for them. Looking at the various supermarket websites most talk of encouraging people to shop alone when they can . There doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule and it's certainly not "government policy ". Perhaps a call to the shop manager might help ?
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I haven't really got any suggestions as to what to do and I can understand how you feel - since retirement my husband and I have always shopped together.
However, it is worth bearing in mind what happened in China under full lockdown. One person from a family allowed out shopping every 3 days, I think (willing to be corrected).
If people continue to flout the sprit of the latest guidance, whilst acknowledging that they are sticking to the law as it stands, the law may change soon to enforce a stricter lockdown.
We both have health problems and are over 70 (me by a mere 33 days!) and are avoiding the shops as far as possible. We were able to get a food delivery today, another one booked in 10 days time, but after that no more slots, we'll have to brave the shops. I fear that may be separately, by law, in 10 days time.
Regards Margaret
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Would this be the same for Click and collect (Sainsburys), does anyone know?
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I don't know if Click and Collect is restricted but I have not seem any availability of slots in my area for weeks.
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I suppose if only one person from a couple goes into a shop, the risk is halved or perhaps more than halved.
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Can’t speak for Sainsbury’s but Tesco were enforcing it strictly today, one out one in with barriers and several marshals.
We were told before we entered the car park, it is a limit to the number of people in the store at any one time, so unless click and collect has a separate entrance I imagine it applies to everyone.
I very bravely volunteered to sit and read te paper in the car.
Even with the small queue to get in one person can shop for the goods twice as fast as two ;D ;D
Mike
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Both Tesco and Sainsburys near me have their click & collect in separate buildings in the car park away from the main entrance to the shop and you can get your car parked almost next to them. Tesco's is more like a drive through, I have not seen Sainsburys
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I don't know if Click and Collect is restricted but I have not seem any availability of slots in my area for weeks.
I think they gave us a C&C slot because we're both in our mid-70s and there were no deliveries available.
I'll go check the help pages.
Rosie - the C &C at our local Sainsburys is in the car park
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Thanks for the replies. I get all the reasons why they're limiting the numbers going in, but it doesn't change the fact that there are some people for whom shopping alone is impossible - either because of their own health conditions or because they are the sole carer for an adult or child(ren) who cannot be left alone.
Since today there was no advance warning of the new policy, it would have helped if we'd at least been treated with some courtesy and understanding, rather than like criminals for something that we can't help.
Moreover, once inside the store, there were other customers blatantly ignoring social distancing, and the staff did nothing about it. One man persisted in coming down the centre of an aisle in the opposite direction to my wife, and when she politely asked him to move to one side, he rudely told her she should stay at home if she was that worried.
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I can understand that they want to reduce the number of people in their store (though this morning there was no queue and the woman at the door told the customer ahead of us that it was very quiet), but can anyone suggest a way in which my wife and I would be able to continue shopping together, please. I am still very upset at the way we were treated this morning (we were made to feel like criminals), and the only options I can see are (a) further arguments at the door, (b) disclosing personal medical history to the staff and/or in front of other customers, or (c) not eating.
Why not contact the store and seek advice especially as the staff made you feel uncomfortable. No one should be treated like that.
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Not yet actually gone shopping since before all this hoo-ha started, but will have to do so before too long. Amazing what you find in your freezer when you have a proper look. OH will drive me - that'll get him out for a bit, and means I don't have to bother - and he'll sit in the car whilst I battle round with the trolley, however long that takes. Just hope I can get most of our normal "weekly" shop, as we didn't manage to get out at all last week for one reason or another.
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Would it help you at all to split your shopping between the two of you and go in separately with your own trolley ?
I do feel for you - especially as item limits sometimes mean you can't buy enough in one visit .
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Would it help you at all to split your shopping between the two of you and go in separately with your own trolley ?
I do feel for you - especially as item limits sometimes mean you can't buy enough in one visit .
Sounds like a good idea, but what happens when you get to the checkout. Limiting numbers was also done to stop the multi family members each taking a trolly during the stockpiling fiasco. I think a word with the manager is the way to go here, it must be obvious that in some cases people need assistance from their partner....but hey ho, common sense seems to have gone out the window.
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To the OP
I think it is a good policy instituted for very good reasons as has already been mentioned.
Specifically addressing why couples can't go in where one or both have health or other issues and why can't an exception be made for them. If an exception was made people would see couples together in the store and then demand the same, some people are just like that and in the long run everyone would lose out.
The stores are doing things to help people who have difficulty shopping on their own and indeed just now I saw on the Tesco website that they have introduced sunflower lanyards for anyone who may need a little extra help. Apparently you get them from customer service, wear them when in the store and the staff then look out for you and of course you can always approach the staff whether you have a lanyard or not. I just looked on the site again and can't find it now to link to but if you shop at Tesco you could always ask next time you are in.
Anyway good luck with your next shop.
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Thanks for all the suggestions - we could see if we can get through to the supermarket tomorrow, but some places are only dealing with emergency phone calls and emails at the moment.
Hopefully once we've recovered from the shock of the way we were treated we'll be able to think more rationally about how to manage the next shopping trip if the same policy is still in force.
Meanwhile we've realised that with all the stress this morning we overlooked getting a few vital items. The temptation is to make an extra trip to get them, but we don't intend to be pushed by this into breaching the guidelines of going as infrequently as possible. These things will just have to wait until the next planned trip.
As for the lanyards etc, we were told this morning that one of the reasons for the new policy was to protect their staff. So if one of us goes in alone and needs help, surely that puts the staff more at risk than if we were to help each other.
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I hate to say it arthurk but I suspect you are one of those people who will always find fault if they can not get their own way.
These policies are introduced to try and save lives and help us all. Alas there are always those who want to be exceptions and think the rules are for everyone else except them.
My initial post was intended to be helpful but it seems to have had the opposite effect sadly.
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Have you looked into voluntary groups in your area, who will shop for you.
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I hate to say it arthurk but I suspect you are one of those people who will always find fault if they can not get their own way.
That is a very unkind and unhelpful thing to say. I have already explained that I understand the reasons for the policy, and we have been very careful to stick diligently to all the social distancing requirements because we know how important it is.
We cannot help the medical conditions which make shopping alone very difficult for us, and this is definitely not about selfishly demanding our own way.
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I hate to say it arthurk but I suspect you are one of those people who will always find fault if they can not get their own way.
These policies are introduced to try and save lives and help us all. Alas there are always those who want to be exceptions and think the rules are for everyone else except them.
My initial post was intended to be helpful but it seems to have had the opposite effect sadly.
That's very unfair. We don't know what the OP's difficulties are and that's a private matter but I'm sure he wouldn't be so upset if they were trivial. Attacking others in these difficult times is not helpful.
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Have you looked into voluntary groups in your area, who will shop for you.
I haven't, but I suspect that even if we met their criteria for support, they are already pretty overwhelmed helping those who are unable to go out at all, and it doesn't feel right to me to even ask.
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Have you looked into voluntary groups in your area, who will shop for you.
I haven't, but I suspect that even if we met their criteria for support, they are already pretty overwhelmed helping those who are unable to go out at all, and it doesn't feel right to me to even ask.
Arthur, you should definitely ask :)
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Yes Arthur you should ask there are lots of groups and folk trying to help.
In our town we have a "hub" set up by the council, the local co-op is doing delivery slots of upto 15 items. The scouts are doing shopping, local independent shops are doing deliveries. Once you make a few phone calls I am sure you find some assistance :)
Take care
Sarah