A local shop is refusing entry to single parents

[Throwaway667]

I feel completely enraged by this. With delivery and collection slots now going to the vulnerable (as they should) it’s becoming more difficult to buy essential shopping as it is.
To remove access to essential goods based on the person having a dependant they can’t leave at home is upsetting imo.
Surely this is discrimination?

[LotsaDo]

uhm in this situation the solution is pretty bloody simple, allow children to enter a store when accompanied by an adult...

Oh no...I completely agree, sorry. When I said there was no solution I meant to the issue of how to square the many problems caused by lockdown with the lives saved by it. I meant there's no good way for all of this to happen. I completely agree the solution raised in the OP is to continue letting children in to shops.

[doghairismyglitter]

People over 70 will die and people who cannot organise themselves to buy food will starve. It’s a harsh world but you have to get used to it

It’s not people that can’t organise themselves to buy food?! I can organise myself and my two young children to walk to the shops and buy food, but if supermarkets don’t allow it, what do myself and other single parents do?

Perhaps you could explain to my 2 & 3 year old that they might not be able to eat because it’s a ‘harsh world we live in’

Children being able to eat is a NECESSITY, not a luxury!!!

[amispeakingenglish]

In the uk a shop can refuse to serve anyone. It is their right. They will have their reasons I am sure.

[amispeakingenglish]

I think single parents are more likely to be women so it is potentially indirect sex discrimination.
This is a stretch......!!!! Ridiculous. Don't make this about other issues there is only one and its
because children on the whole are not that affected and are asymptomatic. That means the people in the shop are at risk as your child could have covid and you wouldn't even know.
Could you phone up the shop and ask them to get what you want in a bag ready, then you could leave child outside for a moment run in and pay.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

amis
It isn’t a stretch at all. It is exactly what Indirect Discrimination is designed to catch. I checked the ONS figures and the vast majority of Lone Parent households have a female head. Therefore, a measure that disproportionately impacts Lone Parents also disproportionately affects women. Additionally, a child or adult with a disability may not be safe to leave unattended so it potentially impacts parents who have children with disabilities.
If home delivery or click and collect slots were actually available it would be less of an issue.

[lonelylou09]

I work in my local village shop and we are now only allowing 2 people in at a time. So if a mother and child came in no one else would be allowed in at that time. Meaning other people have to wait outside. I went there myself for some groceries over the weekend on my day off and had to queue for 20 minutes with others waiting to get in. However we are taking phone orders and picking and packing them, also delivering to those who are self isolating or don't want to risk being in the shop. I would suggest to the op that they call the shop and explain situation, ask if the shop would be willing to pick and pack for her and then maybe all she needs is a minute or so to enter the shop with her child to collect and pay. We are all having to adjust and make changes but there is a good reason for that. Many people and especially children look with their hands and not their eyes while shopping and constantly pick up items and then put them back... Possibly contaminating them for others to pick up.
I'm sure the ops local shop is doing all they can and also spare a thought to the shop staff who are perhaps like me... Having to still go to work and put themselves at risk when they would love to being getting paid, like everyone else will be, to stay home safe with their own families.

[Localocal]

I agree with you, OP. It's not right. But please check with local groups or your local council and you should be able to find a volunteer to assist you. NextDoor is good for that sort of thing.

[PeterWeg]

"It’s not people that can’t organise themselves to buy food?! I can organise myself and my two young children to walk to the shops and buy food, but if supermarkets don’t allow it, what do myself and other single parents do?

Perhaps you could explain to my 2 & 3 year old that they might not be able to eat because it’s a ‘harsh world we live in’

Children being able to eat is a NECESSITY, not a luxury!!!"

Supermarkets are only allowing one adult in for each shop.You are going to have to find another way of getting food. Its your responsibility.

Yes its harsh, but so is dying.

[doghairismyglitter]

Could you phone up the shop and ask them to get what you want in a bag ready, then you could leave child outside for a moment run in and pay

Yeah I’ll leave my just turned two year old and three year old outside in a car park and expect them to stand still and not get in the way of moving cars

On the positive: I have just telephoned my local co op and spoken to the manager and he was extremely accommodating and said as I am a single parent and only shopping fortnightly, I would be allowed in with my children.

Thank goodness some people have an understanding and a caring nature and this shop is not managed by some of the posters above!
Other Mums in same position; perhaps try this also?

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

Instead of explaining why the ban should not apply to yourself, the best thing to do here is to find how to avoid having to take children to the supermarket,

AHhh! So thats the best thing to do? Well didn’t anyone just say so? Such an easy solution.



Can you spell condescending?

[PeterWeg]

"AHhh! So thats the best thing to do? Well didn’t anyone just say so? Such an easy solution.

hmm

Can you spell condescending?"
S-t-a-r-v-i-n-g

[PeterWeg]

"Thank goodness some people have an understanding and a caring nature and this shop is not managed by some of the posters above!"
Turns out there is a solution, what a shocker.

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

In the uk a shop can refuse to serve anyone. It is their right. They will have their reasons I am sure.

Wow that’s deep. Great insight. Must be poetry or some shit.

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

That means the people in the shop are at risk as your child could have covid and you wouldn't even know.

ANYONE could have covid and you wouldn’t know! My children are more at risk from the shop staff than the shop staff are from my children. We’ve been in the house for 15 days.

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

So if a mother and child came in no one else would be allowed in at that time. Meaning other people have to wait outside.

So just the same as if any other 2 people were in the shop then?

[Chiyo666]

I’ve just been to my local Tesco with all 3 of mine and it was fine.

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

You are going to have to find another way of getting food. Its your responsibility.

Yes stupid single parents, haven’t you taught your toddlers to forage for berries? How remiss of you.

[LotsaDo]

ANYONE could have covid and you wouldn’t know!

Exactly. If we have got to the point where the potential, however vague (we don't even know if OP lives in an area where more than a few people have coronavirus, don't really know if children are more likely to transmit etc etc) of transmitting this virus is more important than the rights of children to eat then frankly we're all fucked and might as well give up now.

[doghairismyglitter]

@PeterWeg wow. Your response to @JuanSheetIsPlenty is beyond disgusting. What a vile vile thing to say. Shame on you.

[PeterWeg]

"@PeterWeg wow. Your response to @JuanSheetIsPlenty is beyond disgusting. What a vile vile thing to say. Shame on you."

I'm going to have to look after two children by myself. Am I going to whine about it not being fair or find someone (the many volunteers) to help me to do the shopping?
I guess I'll ask for help, rather than starve.

[Waxonwaxoff0]

@PeterWeg they're not actually, I think it's just this particular supermarket. All the ones in my area are allowing single parents with kids in.

[PeterWeg]

I think it's just this particular supermarket
For the moment, they will soon apply this everywhere. After that, no one will be allowed in the shops and you will have to collect it outside (this is how China suppressed it).

[PrincessConsueIaBananaHammock]

this is how China suppressed it)

Sure, the only thing that worked and that China did was to ban people from the shops.

No other measures necessary.

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

Am I going to whine about it not being fair or find someone (the many volunteers) to help me to do the shopping?
I guess I'll ask for help, rather than starve.

You will do what you can. Not what you can’t. If you have volunteers who can help then you’re not in the same position as those who don’t. I wouldn’t have thought that needed pointed out. Do you really think anyone would let their child starve if they had another option?

Do you say the same about the elderly people who have starved in their homes? That they were just whining and it was their own responsibility to feed themselves? That they hadn’t options but just didn’t use them?

People don’t starve out of stubbornness. Educate yourself.

[Vampyress]

I think this thread has killed all of my hopes for humanity. People are literally willing to let children starve to death so that they have less chance of catching a virus which any other human being in the store could transmit to them. I really hope none of you who condone this kind of thing are parents because your contempt for babies is nothing short of evil in this case.