Inaccessible shopping

[MobilityCat]

Since I am a wheelchair user is it unreasonable expect assistance in the supermarket because stock is either too high or low for me to reach. Last time I went to the customer service counter and asked I was told no one was available right then.
I waited ages then gave up and had a go. Trying to get a milk bottle down it fell and split splashing milk everywhere. People popped up all over and trotted over asking if I needed help. It's awfully tempting to go in next time and drop something messy.

The shop like all businesses is legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments. Getting items you can't reach would undoubtedly qualify. The main supermarkets almost always have someone working on the shop floor who would be available.

Absolutely not unreasonable at all op. What supermarket chain was it?

Is it normally the case that they help?

You could ask other shoppers as you go around. Just about everyone will be happy to help. I always offer to help if I see a shorter person or someone in a wheelchair struggling with something out of reach.

I wouldn't have thought supermarkets would have assistants available like this. They'd probably assume you'd get your shopping delivered, have someone come with you or ask people around you to help as you go around, not have a store employee accompany you around the store. If this was a service they offered you'd probably have to book, in case they had more than one person needing help at the same time.

How awful. No it's not unreasonable to expect some help. They should cater for customers needs I'd call them up on social media or contact their head office/customer service.

Big Morrisons near me had a refurb and all the chillers which had been accessible were replaced with ones with doors and high shelves.

I never got a reply to my tweet, Facebook message, email, or written complaint.

So pretty much business as usual.

Say what you will about social distancing and reduced numbers in shops, but it's made access a lot easy immediately.

@barbara there aren't always other people around to ask - and the OP shouldnt be in the position of having to ask. Not everything can be in really easy reach but there are designs which are more accessible than others.

I think I’d stop shopping there. Which supermarket is it?
There’s usually assistants around shelf stacking etc to ask in most stores.

@MistySkiesAfterRain

Absolutely not unreasonable at all op. What supermarket chain was it?

Is it normally the case that they help?

It was one of the smaller Sainsburys supermarket. When they do they ask if I have a lot of shopping to do. I don't expect them to follow me around but it was old be nice if they looked at the list on my phone and zipped me through the awkward to reach items and left me to carry on

I can see in a small shop how they might not have enough staff to immediately assist.
Could you ask at the beginning of your shop, go and get what you can then they can try and help at the end?

Where I worked in a small supermarket there were 3 on shift. Two on busy tills, one shelf stacking, troubleshooting, answering phones, cleaning spills, doing returns, customer queries, overseeing deliveries and helping out.

They were not always immediately available to help, and it could be 20 min until they were if during a chilled/frozen items delivery where safety checks and paperwork had to be done.

Helping someone reach their shopping is important, but food safety, and health and safety of all customers are too.

Many years ago I worked in retail, in a small branch of a High Street chemist.
We had a customer who was blind, but how had not got a guide dog.
At the time, the customer used to phone on the day and say that they would be coming in around X time. Our manager would ensure that someone was on hand to assist with navigation of the shop.

Whilst OP should not have to do this, I wonder if it might be a workaround in the case of a small shop.

@BarbaraofSeville

You could ask other shoppers as you go around. Just about everyone will be happy to help. I always offer to help if I see a shorter person or someone in a wheelchair struggling with something out of reach.

I wouldn't have thought supermarkets would have assistants available like this. They'd probably assume you'd get your shopping delivered, have someone come with you or ask people around you to help as you go around, not have a store employee accompany you around the store. If this was a service they offered you'd probably have to book, in case they had more than one person needing help at the same time.

I do shop online but that raises other issues. There's a minimum of £40. When the items are delivered the driver sometimes refuses to unload the large baskets into the bags I provide, even though I have written confirmation that the driver will assist me by transferring the items from the "tote" to my own bags to help me.

This happened yesterday, the driver arrived at my flat door, refused to unload into my bags, or even read the written confirmation that they were required to.

My supermarket trips are for the few items that you can't keep for a month before next order. Or stuff that ran out, or was needed unexpectedly. With Lockdown most shoppers don't want to break social distancing but I have got help from some.

@faithfulbird20

How awful. No it's not unreasonable to expect some help. They should cater for customers needs I'd call them up on social media or contact their head office/customer service.

I did communicate with them through social media and they asked which shop and said they would attend to it.

@BeyondMyWits

Where I worked in a small supermarket there were 3 on shift. Two on busy tills, one shelf stacking, troubleshooting, answering phones, cleaning spills, doing returns, customer queries, overseeing deliveries and helping out.

They were not always immediately available to help, and it could be 20 min until they were if during a chilled/frozen items delivery where safety checks and paperwork had to be done.

Helping someone reach their shopping is important, but food safety, and health and safety of all customers are too.

When I said smaller supermarket it was a relative term. They have twelve tills and those awful self service checkout machines. It's not one of the huge ones covering a block.

Oh I thought it was like a Sainsbury’s Local or Tesco Express.
12 tills is a big store.

@DGRossetti

Big Morrisons near me had a refurb and all the chillers which had been accessible were replaced with ones with doors and high shelves.

I never got a reply to my tweet, Facebook message, email, or written complaint.

So pretty much business as usual.

Say what you will about social distancing and reduced numbers in shops, but it's made access a lot easy immediately.

Chiller doors are the worst, big doors with centre opening means a lot of manoeuvring with shoppers and trolleys to watch out for

Chiller doors are the worst, big doors with centre opening means a lot of manoeuvring with shoppers and trolleys to watch out for

When I complained at customer services, they were taken aback someone in a wheelchair had made it that far. But as I said, we'll never know what Morrisons management think about that since they never bothered to respond.

I’m a wheelchair user ive never asked for member of staff to help come around, no-ones ever offered it had no idea was a thing. I’ve seen if you are blind and no chance of doing it without support.

Generally ask fellow shoppers or wave down member of staff. Or sometimes in hurry just leave it to another time. You would only need help for certain thing though? Or did you want to do big shop and have them
Push the trolley, pack and possible help take to car. I never attempt more than basket on lap just makes things less stressful.