Mask compliance highest in Waitrose, lowest in Asda, why?!

[Retrore]

I shop at five main shops, depending on my mood/what I’m buying/how far I can be bothered to drive. For months now I have noticed that I am yet to see someone without a mask in Waitrose, then from there it seems to get less compliant > Sainsbury’s > Tesco > co op > Morrison’s > Asda.

Has anyone else noticed this? It’s the same with social distancing and not just because Waitrose tends to be quieter than Asda...i shop late in the evening sometimes as well as in the peak times and it’s the same...absolutely fuck all social distancing in Asda and then near perfect in Waitrose.

Why do you think this is? Does it say something deeper about social background and compliance perhaps? Just an interesting thought and not one meant to cause any conflict before I am attacked on that front...I like all these shops and often go to Asda!

I hate to say it but I’ve stopped shopping in Asda, Aldi etc because of this issue.

It’s costing me more, but I’m only shopping at M&S Simply Food and Booths because people seem to have more respect for social distancing, mask compliance and wearing them correctly, covering mouth when coughing or sneezing etc, sanitising hands and trolleys.

It does seem to be a lack of understanding/education. Whenever I did brave Asda, Aldi etc, it was like the last weekend before Christmas, heaving, everyone on top of each other, huge families out together, kids running riot touching everything, including other people,
lots of coughs and colds and no attempt to contain the spread. Totally unsafe and I really feel for the poor shop assistants who have to be put at risk.

The part that I never can fathom is why can’t people stand on the markers? What is that about? Surely that doesn’t require much education? It’s like some people go out of their way not to stand on the dot. I’ve also noticed that a lot of the times it’s the people who don’t wear masks that also refuse to attempt social distancing. I completely sympathise that some people cannot wear masks but surely if you can’t and you know that you therefore represent a much higher risk than those who can, you should go out of your way to be careful with social distancing?

Just yesterday I was remarking, after a very rare trip into the place, that Aldi had by far the best mask compliance that I've seen. 100% of customers all with masks, all distancing and all being friendly to each other. My most positive Covid shopping experience by far!

The worst compliance around here seems to be in the small independent shops, especially our little village shop. I feel sorry for the staff.

If I’m totally honest, I find mask compliance excellent in all of the shops I go in (Tesco, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Asda).

I had one bad experience recently in quality save where someone (wearing a mask) was quite intimidating and stood practically on top of me at the till, when I couldn’t move forward any further otherwise would have been too close to the person in front paying. The person paying took ages too. She was one of those very loud, aggressive, intimidating people and I didn’t feel I could say anything as she may have given me a volley of abuse. I tried a death stare but it didn’t work. The shop worker who was directing everyone to their tills was right there as well and didn’t say anything either.

I think this was just a one off though as I’ve been there since and it was fine.

@CuckooCuckooClock

I’m probably going to upset a lot of people with this and I wouldn’t dare say this to anyone in RL. I choose to shop at Waitrose because I believe it to be more ethical and less exploitative than other supermarkets. I’m not rich but I am middle class and comfortable. Most people in our village have much more money than we do but choose to shop at Tesco and Asda because they’re cheaper. I do occasionally use these shops but I try to avoid them because they are so unethical. I would rather pay more for a slightly clearer conscience. Obviously there are lots of people who are going to claim that they couldn’t possibly afford to shop at Waitrose and I’m somehow shaming poor people. I’m not. I’m also not saying that poor people don’t care about others. I’m saying that wealthy people who chose to shop at Asda are choosing to save money at other people’s expense whereas some people who shop at Waitrose are prepared to pay more to ‘do the right thing’. Bracing myself...

Maybe those people are choosing to be “ethical” in different ways....?

You are getting a bit of a pasting, but I noticed this too.

Hardly anyone without a mask in my usual supermarkets.

I popped into a different, cheaper supermarket in the next town and there were a lot of people not wearing masks.

Why that is could be lots of reasons, I know this. But I did notice it.

Yes of course watermelon there are so many choices to make about how we live our lives and where we shop is just one of them you are absolutely correct.

I do think the supermarkets could be doing more. Have a member staff at the entrance encouraging shoppers to use the hand sanitiser, cleaning the trolleys. That all seems to be left to the customer now. More encouragement to use the track & trace log in. All of that would be preferable to another lockdown.

No, I haven’t. Only seen two people not wearing masks, one in Boots and one in Tesco and both had the sunflower lanyard.

Our local Waitrose has a higher demographic of older customers than other supermarkets, and an excellent rate of compliance.

As a PP said, perhaps they do perceive a trip to the supermarket as inherently more risky than someone who leaves the house to work every day?

I've seen more masks being worn in Morrisons than any other supermarket. Don't think it really means anything.

Waitrose is lovely.

My nerves can barely handle asda and Poundland at the moment.

@RosieLemonade

Us poor folks just don’t get it ma’am. We’re a bit thick see!

😂😂😂😂

Where I am mask compliance is very, very high in all supermarkets. I’ve almost never seen anyone without one. Social distancing is obviously easier in Waitrose as it’s not as busy as the other shops.

We shop predominantly in Aldi and I've yet to see anyone without a mask.

I shop in Waitrose and the only two people I've seen there without masks were a young couple - probably both late 20s.

The trolleys are cleaned between each customer by a staff member and there is a foot operated hand sanitiser dispenser at the entrance. There are also individual hand sanitisers by the handset self scan checkouts which are separated by perspex screens.

I did venture into my local Tesco once, few wearing masks, clean your own trolley and no self distancing. I actually didn't feel safe so won't be going back.

In what way is waitrose more ethical and less exploitative than Asda? What data are you using to draw this conclusion?

I have noticed exactly the same thing, OP. I can’t remember the last time I saw someone not wearing a mask in my local Waitrose, and everyone is very careful about social distancing yet every time I go to Asda, a significant minority are not wearing masks and many people are ignoring social distancing despite it being an enormous store.

I have also noticed that while mask compliance is good in M&S food hall, the small size of the store means it is frequently overcrowded making social distancing very difficult.

@ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings

In what way is waitrose more ethical and less exploitative than Asda? What data are you using to draw this conclusion?

Presumably the basics of it being a workers co-operative?

Ditto the co-op

During the pandemic I have used Waitrose as far as possible as they are easily the best (in my area) at cleaning trolleys and baskets and monitoring numbers. So, people who prioritise compliance and safety are perhaps more likely to shop there at the moment?

I live in a working class area and am working class and everyone at the local Tesco and Aldi clean their trolley and use hand sanitiser. People are masking wearing and queuing to get into local shops as well.

I was coming on to say blimey someone actually did a study?

But no, anecdata!

The lowest compliance I've seen was in a Lidl. I don't think it was because it was a Lidl, however. It's in a town that I don't usually stop in, that has a much higher level of deprivation than the areas I usually shop (including a different Lidl)

well in my ASDA everyone had masks on. so maybe its just you op.

I need to go into the west end one day a week. I have been in F&M six or seven times since August. Mask wearing in there is pretty dire. Sometimes it's ok but the last two occasions have been hopeless, either no mask at all or just over the mouth. Staff very good though.