I'm a supermarket worker, AMA

[gandalf456]

I work on the shop floor and check out. It's all a bit weird right now

Are your bosses being understanding/following the rules about isolation if you have symptoms & if anyone you work with has had symptoms do you feel you’ve been exposed?

Also are customers generally social distancing & have you had any negative experiences (such as seeing people who are ill shopping or rudeness) - I hope not but having worked in a supermarket as a teenager I remember some awful customers who seemed to forget we were human beings too!

Lastly do you think shoplifters are taking advantage of the situation, is there a rise in this?

I think/hope finally people might appreciate shop workers for doing their jobs - especially as pay traditionally isn’t great and you are all putting yourselves at risk for the greater good, which you should feel incredibly proud of IMO.

are the suppliers coping better than say 3-4 weeks ago?

Just one more! How necessary do you think disinfecting shopping is personally? There is obviously a risk outside your control from baskets/trollies & people touching handles then food or people unknowingly touching things whilst infectious during the incubation period then others picking up those items/baskets etc.

However, prior to that are there any processes in place to avoid contamination of items when storing or shelf stacking/packaging baked goods etc within the supermarket?

What’s the toilet paper situation now?

Chipsandgin, not all of them are. Some are a bit blase about isolation and social distancing measures - eg, saying it's ok to come in with a sore throat or letting too many in. Others are better and more understanding of staff anxiety.

Some customers are ignoring social distancing measures and reaching over, barging past but the majority are ok.

I have actually bee pleasantly surprised and seen a drop in rudeness and increase of kindness, with some thanking us for being here. We do have a security guard on the door now, which deters the troublemakers including the shoplifters .

I have seen/ heard the odd person coughing. To be fair, so am I due to allergies. My strategy is to try not to overthink things. I am surprised I haven't got it, though.

Regarding the shopping, it would do no harm to clean it though I haven't done mine as I feel it would increase anxiety.

The majority of supplies are recovering well but deliveries are still smaller and we're still short of pasta and flour but not loo roll.

All in all, the period before lockdown with the panic buying was the worst. The biggest pain in the arse are the queues to get in

Do you wish you had a different job at the moment? Does it make you nervous going to work?

Sometimes I do, yes. Mostly, I try to put it out of my head as it's the only way. Some of my colleagues are really struggling, though as some have vulnerable family members or underlying conditions themselves

That must be stressful if you live with vulnerable people. You’d have to just go home and shower immediately