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Original poster

Supermarkets stopping one way systems?

56 replies

NotARealAvery · 09/07/2020 13:58

I’ve just been to my local supermarket and they’ve taken away the one way system. There were people walking everywhere, not able to keep 2 metres apart anymore because people are walking both ways down the same aisle. They’ve also stopped the one queue filter system so people are stood at the end of most aisles waiting in queues for the tills.

Are other shops starting to do this? Seems a bit soon to me to be stopping having these measures in place, not sure if I’m just being over cautious still though?

OP posts:
Mooserp · 09/07/2020 14:01

The Tesco I go to has taken them away. They've also got rid of the organised checkout queue.

MzHz · 09/07/2020 14:03

You are being over cautious

Just give people as much space as you can, ask people to step back if they’re too close etc

Infection rates are low, 1 in hundreds as long as you’re responsible, wash hands etc and try to pick quieter times.

2 of the stores I use have no one way system and it’s actually a lot less stressful as there is the space to shop calmly and with consideration

The nearest supermarket to me has the one way and is actually the worst for people who had lost their minds with fear. I hate it in there.

PippinMeriadoc · 09/07/2020 14:04

Thank goodness! About time too! I always passed far too many people when using a one way system. Far better to use your common sense and go down empty aisles. Also I spent far longer in the shop having to do a one way system and an “organised” queuing for the tills system.

MzHz · 09/07/2020 14:05

I’ve found the scan and shop things really useful in getting my shopping done.

For the first time since before lockdown I Did my first shop without it in Morrisons This week, it felt weird to go through the checkout again, but I do find the returning to normal really comforting.

Original poster
NotARealAvery · 09/07/2020 14:05

Yes this was Tesco, they must have changed their policy. I liked the one way system , made me feel a bit safer somehow but probably just as safe not having it.

OP posts:
RedskyAtnight · 09/07/2020 14:06

The big supermarket near me has done the same. To be honest so few people were following the one way system, that I think it's actually better - I can walk the way round the shop I think is best/most away from others rather than having to walk too close to other people who are blocking the aisle.

megletthesecond · 09/07/2020 14:06

Oh I hope not. I was considering going back into supermarkets soon.

JacobReesMogadishu · 09/07/2020 14:07

Morrisons have never had one near me - I've only been in a couple of times and people probably weren't 2m away from me and vice versa all the time. I guess this is where mask wearing could help especially if you feel nervous about it,

Dollywilde · 09/07/2020 14:09

I hate the one way system at ours. The booze aisle is always rammed but I have to go down it to get to the checkouts, there’s no other way (pregnant and not buying alcohol atm so I wouldn’t be going near it if it weren’t for that!) Its totally illogical as I could distance much more efficiently if I could go down one of the other, quieter aisles to the till.

Basically, common sense is better than one way systems. I don’t disagree there are plenty of people not using their common sense atm but the one way system doesn’t help with that IMO.

BogRollBOGOF · 09/07/2020 14:11

I'm glad my supermarkets never bothered. I want to go in, get what I need and go, Covid or not.

What on earth is the point getting stuck in store for double the time having to wind through unnecessary aisles (to me) such as beer, crisps, nappies and pet food???
Why wind past twice as many people as you need? Stupid concept.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 09/07/2020 14:25

You are being over cautious. I wish my supermarket would do this, the one way system is a pain.

PuppyMonkey · 09/07/2020 14:29

I’ve only been to Aldi and Morrison’s and neither bothered doing one-way - although TBF I have only been doing the shopping for about the last month, before that DP did it all.

I quite like Morrison’s directing me to a particular till tbh. Saves me getting all irate about joining the slowest queue.Grin

Teacher12345 · 09/07/2020 14:36

Near me there has never been a one way system in the stores I visited (sainsbury's Aldi & Waitrose).

SophieB100 · 09/07/2020 14:38

I hope our Tesco has done the same, I hated their one way system, it wasn't well thought out at all, and you had to do laps of the store to get into the next lane.

Topseyt · 09/07/2020 14:41

Thank fuck for that.

Our local Tesco has just removed their one-way system. They had stopped enforcing it most of the time anyway and it was a total pain in the arse if you had accidentally gone past something you needed. I hated having to go round again, and sometimes didn't when I could get away with just nipping a few feet back for it.

The queueing system to get in from outside still remains for now.

Littleposh · 09/07/2020 14:42

I was hoping it would stay forever, I've been dreaming of one way supermarkets all my adult life

DevilsSpawn · 09/07/2020 14:46

People stand and walk too close anyway.

imsooverthisdrama · 09/07/2020 14:56

The one way system is a pain in the arse , I don't want to walk up and down the aisle it takes twice as long .
I remember being told off once for going the wrong way , I didn't realise but it made no sense to me to go all the way down to go back up , then when I went back everyone else was doing the same it's just I got caught.
Limiting the amount of people in encouraging social distancing should be enough .

Paranoidmarvin · 09/07/2020 16:02

The other day I had to walk down a really busy aisle to follow the arrows to get down an aisle that was completely empty. That’s more of a risk surely. My husband didn’t agree with me.
Our arrows have gone as well and I’m very happy about it.

user1497207191 · 09/07/2020 16:06

Now the 2 metre rule has gone and we're in the new 1m+ era, one way systems are no longer needed.

As more shops have opened, the likes of Tesco etc aren't as busy anymore either, another reason there's no longer a need for the one way systems.

Nicknacky · 09/07/2020 16:07

It made no sense anyway. You ended up walking past more people trying to get to the aisle you were looking for. Thank god they are going.

reluctantbrit · 09/07/2020 16:10

Our Waitrose never did it. I had to pop into a Tesco and it took double the time due to the way they herd you around and standing in the till queue was worse than any queue outside.

I think if everyone is sensible and wears a mask you are in not more danger than trying to bypass people in a narrow aisle you don’t want to be in the first place.

walksen · 09/07/2020 16:14

Most places I've been going to put one way markings on, including Aldi. Most people ignored them throughout anyway and now that figures are dropping people are making less effort to keep 1m away.

To be fair no one bothered when all the panic buying was going on before lockdown and you were more likely to catch it then than now. I just tell myself 3 months of social distancing is the cause of any anxiety rather than Corona virus itself

FluffyKittensinabasket · 09/07/2020 16:14

A sign we are returning to some sort of normality.

Poutintrout · 09/07/2020 16:44

I've also noticed the last couple of weeks that our Lidl has stopped putting their bakery products in paper bags. I am so bummed about that because I can't buy food that isn't wrapped, I get all freaked out about the thought of germs, never mind CoronaVirus. I really can't understand why they think it's suddenly okay to do that.

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