@YourWinter
This. 100%. l'm a checkout operator, and every word you've said is true.
One of my young colleagues was called a "fucking Paki" recently for following store guidelines and refusing to let a man have two multipacks of water.
l 'confiscated' one from a man who then paid for his shopping, walked past our 'contraband' (items that have been taken from customers who had over the limit items) trolley, who then proceeded to take the (unpaid for) multipack of water and put it in his own trolley. l had to go and confront him, and take it from him. When l said "l'm sorry, l told you, you're only allowed one" he got right in my face and shouted "WHY?!"
l'm ex police. l'm also over 60 and l can stand up for myself. Not everyone can. One of my colleagues, who is a lovely girl, but quite quiet and shy, texted me last week and said she was scared to go into work in case she was "bullied" (by customers).
We're working in a potentially dangerous environment, no matter how many measures our employers put in place. We've got gloves, wipes and antibac spray, checkouts are cleaned regularly, and we're having screens put up. But some people seem totally oblivious to their own, or anyone else's, safety. Not observing social distancing (glued to their phones, not looking where they're going, bumping into people) - last night l had to ask a father and grown up son to move back from the 'line' at the checkout which is the safe line from the customer in front. We shouldn't need to have to do this.
And yes, it's lovely when someone is appreciative of you actually being there, and says so. l've had NHS staff thank me for doing my job, which seems incongruous to me - it should be the other way round, and l say that. They're the ones really at the sharp end, as it were. As you say, we've had weeks of exposure to people and whatever they bring with them. ls it really too much to ask for a bit of common sense and personal responsibility?