God, some people are LOVING this, aren't they?...

[Miljea]

They're, for example, the local Tesco queue 'managers' who are actually doing this ✋ in people's faces, well within 2m of them, eyes ablazing, missionary zeal within their hearts- who are using zero common sense, when everyone is already doing the best they can in a Tesco Local, to stay apart.

You invaded my space (and that of the 'one out' I was about to replace by being 'one in') in dashing out 🤚 and stopping me entering your store because I stepped forward to wipe the handles of my basket. A good 2m from anyone, except you. As invited to do so, by your big sign.

You stood in 4 people's space. Me, you, the couple exiting the shop.

Use your intelligence. Like stand outside the store door, like your colleague suggested to you, under a balcony, on a beautiful day. And like the usual security guard manages.

We're all under pressure. We're all stressed. And in classic MN fashion, I PPE up close to actual Covid patients, every day.

So don't be a dick, Tesco assistant.

Meant to say, she came down the aisle not following the one way system.

Ok Karen

Please know this -supermarkets don’t give a shit about customers hurty feels at the moment. You’ll give everyone who reads your complaint a laugh though.

Agree, Tesco complaints dept will roll their eyes and laugh. You may get some platitude of an answer but they won’t actually do anything. Guess, maybe you will feel better though. You certainly seem extremely enraged about what’s a minor incident, having to type it,out in such detail.....your rage is jumping off the screen. Not healthy to be so wound up.

I totally agree she sounds “untrained”. My friend who does this at Waitrose has had no training. That’s not the fault of any individual though and doesn’t make them a tyrant. Some employees may work their own system out better than others? From what my friend tells me it sounds like it needs two people to do the job......one to concentrate on telling the customers about where/when to stand and move and another to do wiping of baskets, etc. One person is trying to keep an eye on the queue, monitor people leaving and do the trolley/basket handing out and it’s too much. But surprise, the supermarkets aren’t doing that.

Op, what is your contribution to helping people's well-being during* this difficult time ?

Let.It.Go

I never liked Tesco anyway.

I was in a particularly orderly shopping line yesterday - one in, one out - and I know you could be shocked by this, but it didn’t require management. No-one was needed to control it; everybody simply knew the rules and waited for their turn. *Not Tescos’, not even in Britain

Everyone is scared, stressed and in a totally unfamiliar and weird new way of life. I can see why you felt upset but that’s probably more to do with the upping of general fear and stress there is around what until a few weeks ago was something we never had to think about. Now, getting hold of everyday items while trying not to catch a massively infectious and sometimes lethal virus, is an every day reality for all of us. It’s hard to be tolerant when we are stressed out but very important. I can only imagine what it must be like working in a supermarket right now.

I’m sure it’s pretty crap to work in a supermarket right now, I wouldn’t want to so perhaps some consideration wouldn’t go amiss.

@hyacinthbouquetsbucket the op seems to be saying that she is an ICH nurse. This seems unlikely though, given her stunning lack of ability to empathise with others.

Maybe she is the ICH nurse who told me I was only upset after a bereavement and major life saving surgery because they had given me morphine. She was a bitch of the highest order. And she ate the sandwich that had been kept for me despite me not having eaten for two days.

Some people are getting off on the “power.” Most staff are being very pleasant and they do a difficult job.

I was in my local small Co-Op and the cashier loudly said to her colleague “why are these people such fucking idiots, you need to stand on the yellow markers!”

For reference I was standing on the yellow lines and I politely said thank you to the cashier.

I'd probably just get over myself if I were you, OP. You sound like a dick tbf so I have no sympathy for your public humiliation. Give your head a very Mumsnet wobble and go about your business.

don't be a dick

This.

But probably not how you meant it.

Seems weird that apparently everyone else was fine with the queueing system except the OP.

Jesus, I'm not going into Tesco - one way system - whaaat?

I got told off in Tesco for looking at my mobile phone as I "should be shopping not messing around".

I was looking at an email from my vulnerable neighbour with his shopping list.

I got told off in Tesco for looking at my mobile phone as I "should be shopping not messing around"

That is unreasonable of Tesco and I would be telling them so. If I am using a shopping list then it is saved on my phone. Also, people have payment facilities on their phones to use at the checkout, or the clubcard app. So it is bollocks to say that customers can't use their phones.

Yes, of course they are loving it! Wouldn't you? Let them have their moment, but also remember that after all of this we will be able to make decisions about where we shop going forward. I'm certainly going to be foregoing Sainsburys and Tesco, based on the behaviour I've witnessed over the last couple of weeks. Just this afternoon I saw an older gentleman shopping who was a little bit bewildered by it all and asked a staff member for help, but she was so brusque and officious with him, it really infuriated me. Yes we are in unprecedented times, but we need to be mutually respectful imo.

Well. Update.

You know how local Tesco's have the 2m stickers on the ground outside to manage their queue? Today, they now have a (handmade) sticker on the pavers with 'Staff' on it, where previously the 'more attuned' queue monitor stood, be they store staff or security staff. It's outside the shop, opposite the queue side in relation to the in/out door. Where that person can see the outdoors queue, and the outgoing shoppers, but, most importantly, can be seen by both.

Well done, Tesco, for finding a practical solution to the issue, where allowing individual staff to interpret their queue minding role lead to the conflict, and compromised safety.

These are difficult times. Not everyone is as adaptable as their 'new role' requires. Guidance was needed.

And now provided.

So glad, OP, you were there to provide the appropriate guidance.

Maybe you should try working in a supermarket currently. The level of abuse they get is shocking.

Hopefully you’ve also taken the time to reflect and realised the fault was with tesco for not providing better guidance rather than one individual with No guidance being a “petit tyrant”.

The mechanics and social dynamics of supermarket queues are best only handled by those qualified to do so: Russell university preferred. OP is obviously one of these. She demonstrates a clear understanding of the practical in/out structure, and yet shows a tendency for free thought in the interpretation of established queue dogma.
Sorry, OP. You were still being somewhat arrogant.

You area keyworker so you get priority shopping at Sainsbury's every day 7.30-8.00. Try putting on your mask when you go in and don't talk because you can pass the virus on by talking crap.

The staff at supermarkets I have visited here are brilliant, always cheerful and willing to talk. Some of them have been getting moaned at because people are having to pack their own groceries!!! I'm thankful that they are putting themselves at risk so the rest of us are able to buy food and would never complain about them.