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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

No children allowed in supermarket

678 replies

flashbac · 25/03/2020 11:52

My sister went to Tesco with her toddler and was told no children allowed from next week. Understand this is wise for infection control but what if you're a single parent with tiny kids and can't do online shopping?

OP posts:
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Abccba88Sarah · 26/03/2020 17:56

Unfortunately this seems to be legislation from the government. Many stores, many companies, are taking this approach.

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 17:57

They aren't exempt from the Tesco this has been enacted in, in IOM.

manager specifically said he knew it would make it hard for single parents but they'd have to find another way.

withlotsoflove · 26/03/2020 17:58

And obviously. Single parents should respect the obvious. Don’t bring kids that can safely be left at home!
Luckily my area is pretty small and we are aware of those that need to shop differently.
Last night l had a Mum a Dad and a teen . Why?
They were lovely... but really didn’t get it!

Fivefourthree · 26/03/2020 17:58

I volunteered for the NHS thing which includes shopping for people who can get out, and the latest email said it will start after 31st March, so hopefully that will help as there over 500k volunteers x

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 17:58

'Unfortunately this seems to be legislation from the government. Many stores, many companies, are taking this approach.'

Link please. I can't believe the government has legislated to ban under 18s (under 16s?) from all shops.

Single parent families will literally have nowhere to buy food.

Link to the law you are talking about or apology for scaremongering please.

JessieP1991 · 26/03/2020 17:59

Well maybe ask a friend if they can go for them and pick some stuff up for them it’s the same situation as the most vulnerable they have that new scheme with people signing up to help so that could be an option

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 17:59

That was to abbcca.

MyWitzEnd · 26/03/2020 17:59

They arent thinking things through are they? I can understand over 13 but what are peiole meant to do?

beatasthmamum · 26/03/2020 18:02

This is so difficult. I have a friend who cannot get out to shop as she is on her own. My partner is a key worker so I also cannot get out until he gets home, by that time there is no food left on the shelves.
Lone parents need to be a priority, we all know how much children eat when they are not at school, it's hard to keep the cupboards full.
Parents with no support are suffering and going hungry so their children can eat.
I do understand the no children rule 100% but surely there is a way to help those who cannot get out.
We are living through a very scary time and it seems that as much as we try we cannot help those who need it.
I would be happy to collect from click and collect for my friends and family but we are restricted to the amount of time we are allowed to be out.

Sandinyourshoes · 26/03/2020 18:02

I got the email from Tesco which said try to shop with no more than one other person. Did my shopping there this morning, it was one person per trolley. I'm not on the IOM.

Donnajohnson · 26/03/2020 18:02

Yes, their is a restriction coming across to every one due to the coronavirus, that parents and children are not allowed to all go into the superstores accept if theirs 1 adult.

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 18:04

Sandin so they have changed their stance from yesterday when we had Tesco workers on the thread?

They are turning away women with a baby in a pram etc?

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 18:05

"Yes, their is a restriction coming across to every one due to the coronavirus, that parents and children are not allowed to all go into the superstores accept if theirs 1 adult.".
Yes that's fine. You don't need two adults to go shopping. The other adult should stay at home with the kids.

This thread is about banning children entirely so single parents and those in other situations can't use the shop at all.

Papoy · 26/03/2020 18:06

I get the single parent argument and the key worker argument .... But it is easier to implement "no children" rule rather than "can you please control your children and make sure they also maintain social distancing and apply basic no touching rule" ....

It is easy to blame the supermarkets and I am trying to use emphathy here but only few days ago I saw a kid in a supermarket and he was licking a watermelon?!

Donnajohnson · 26/03/2020 18:09

Yep, myself and husband and my 4 year old managed to get into tescos yesterday with no problems, but having heard a situation from a neighbour of mine, a mum and dad and 2 children in Grantham went to their store and was confronted by the police and told them that it's doesn't take 4 of them to do the shopping and so on.

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 18:12

No that's rubbish sorry. And it's not an 'argument' it's about the ability of single parent households who are at higher risk than average of living in poverty to access the cheaper food supplies.

If they are capable of turning away all families with kids then they are capable of saying ok you can come in but you can't.

The blanket ban excludes all children. So, babies in slings. Little ones in pushchairs. Older ones with disabilities.

There will be more and more single parent families as the virus takes hold and the willingness of so many to bar them from accessing something as basic as a supermarket is blowing my mind a bit tbh

BlondieJ · 26/03/2020 18:12

Could you and a friend who is in the same situation drive to your local supermarket, park next to each other and take it in turns to do your shop whilst the other one looks out for the children who will stay in the car?

allanaw929 · 26/03/2020 18:13

I'm a single parent with absolutely no family. I also can't do big loads of shopping in one go as I have neither money, transport, and more importantly, no freezer, a tiny fridge and almost no kitchen space. This post has terrified me, I'm already at my wits end tbh but if all the supermarkets do this then we'd starve. I'm happy to keep toddler in a buggy but there simply isn't anything else I can do.

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 18:13

'Yep, myself and husband and my 4 year old managed to get into tescos yesterday with no problems'

???
Are you joking. This is a serious thread.

Sandinyourshoes · 26/03/2020 18:14

Beet, I don’t know, but I thought the email didn’t cover the situation at my local Tesco superstore - maybe its up to the individual stores? I didn’t see anyone turned away but I was in there quite a long time due to being unprepared as I thought we would both get in, and didn’t see any children either. The youngest I saw must have been late teens at least and pushing a trolley on their own.

mummytraveller · 26/03/2020 18:14

I'm a single mum.. I have a 6 year old that cant be left at home and has to come with me 🤦‍♀️ she behaves in shops and understands to stick by me due to social distancing Sad

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 18:14

Blondie that is the exact suggestion from earlier.

The faults in it were answered at length.

mummytraveller · 26/03/2020 18:18

@Malvinaa81 if kids cant go into supermarkets, myself and all my friends will die from starvation.. we currently can't look after each others kids due to isolating and cant leave them home as they're under 13 with no older siblings.. so how would this work?!

Queeftastic · 26/03/2020 18:19

Publicity stunt. They took their cue from Sports Direct.

Oscarsdaddy · 26/03/2020 18:20

Good, about time