Shitty experience on supermarket

[TinyStripe]

Went to supermarket today. First day out after 14 days at home. Shoppers we're all pretty vigilant about social distancing but a few staff members didn't bother. One walked past me from behind and actually brushed past me then stopped dead on front of me. I asked if she wouldn't mind moving 2 metres away. She apologised and smiled and didn't seem too bothered by my comment. I felt my frustration levels rising and ended up finishing my shop early. I was there with my son. Someone in the queue said 'cannot believe how many selfish fuckwits bring their kids to the supermarket' - clearly aimed at me. I ignored. WIBU, to feel frustrated by the lack of social distancing, and by the comment? WIBU to take my son to the supermarket, considering I am a single mother living on my own? I burst in to tears in the car (ok, a lot of this is also due to being at home with my son and feeling really low in general). Just not a great experience and feel nervous to go shopping again in a couple of weeks.

Tesco staff were so friendly this morning. So welcoming and and smiling, saying hello etc. Lots of people thanking the staff on the way round. Most people taking the distancing seriously. I was patiently waiting in an aisle for an elderly gentleman to finish gazing at the shelf in the middle of the aisle, tesco employee other side also waiting. Some women comes behind me and just barges through, getting too close. Tesco employee rolled his eyes at her towards me.

I went into a small shop on Mothers day that had lovely flowers on their Facebook page. 2 staff where standing chatting, I asked where the flowers where they both laughed said none left but we have chocolates. I said I cant leave chocolates on my mum's grave. The shop Assistant walked past me sniggering oh well you will need to be quicker next year. I was so raging wanted to complain but know shop assistants have a hard job too.

The irony of people telling the OP how rude she was, while picking at her and trying to make her feel like shit. Hypocrisy.

I’m sorry you’re feeling so crap at the minute, OP. During these stressful times, every worry and small encroachment on your space can cause your anxiety to spike. Try not to overthink it or let it play on your mind. It’s over with now.

I wonder how many of those berating the OP, were posting hypothetical crap on their telling people to be kind, just a few weeks ago. This is a young single mother who is probably missing friends and family, while in the middle of a lock down. Try to show some compassion.

I didn't tell her to move. I asked her politely if she wouldn't mind and grabbed 4 or 5 things off the shelf then walked around her. I smiled. I said thank you. She smiled and didn't appear to mind. I wasn't rude or patronising. Clearly this isn't ok and next time I go shopping I will genuinely keep in mind that if a staff member gets too close to me I will move. I didn't mean to offend anyone.

You have been socially isolated with a young toddler for two weeks

Miracle if you weren't a little fragile because of that!

@bucketgarni wow, thanks!

* I didn't tell her to move. I asked her politely if she wouldn't mind and grabbed 4 or 5 things off the shelf then walked around her. I smiled. I said thank you. She smiled and didn't appear to mind. I wasn't rude or patronising*

Well then I’m really struggling to see what the issue was?

^^Actually, whilst sorry you were unable to get flowers for your mother's grave, that was a kind of shitty thing to say to two shop workers. They offered you an alternative, they weren't to know.

I guess the issue was that most of the staff were the same. This one member of staff was just the only one I actually spoke to. In not slating the staff for the sake of slating them. It must be really shit working in a supermarket at the moment. I work in an airport, it's horrendous! To be honest the thing that upset me more was the loud comment about being called a fuckwit for having my son with me. It just upset me at the time that's all as everyone was looking at me and I hadn't even started loading up my shopping yet. It was very uncomfortable. I have nobody to help me and if I did I would've got them to do my shopping for me.

Can you use local shops who are delivering instead? On our town facebook page there are lots of businesses inc butcher, bakery, greengrocers. I'm vulnerable so not going to shops. I've got a morrisons box coming tomorrow (£35 feeds 2 people for a week) and they have slots available until 7/4. Managed to get an Asda delivery slot for 13/4, some more were released at midnight. I wouldn't go out unless absolutely desperate.

I went to the local Co op yesterday for one thing which I needed. The member of staff wasn't wearing gloves, so I expressed surprise. The response was 'I can't be bothered'. There is only a staff of one or two as it's a small shop. I was speechless.

Op, that staff member has probably come home and cried after her shift. She's trying to do her job and she has members of the public telling her to move 2m away from them.
I sobbed every day at my job, not only after work but also during the day in the toilets, because our company was doing less than NOTHING to protect us or even to thank us and also because customers were still coming in to buy just a packet of crisps or an ice cream or something equally non-essential and were also ignoring all the signs to please stay back as far as possible and were, in many cases, actually laughing or outright rude to us about it if we asked them to. Our manager actually told us that we had their permission to be rude back if anyone kicked off at us because it is an unprecedented crisis situation and just holding the place together is a mammoth task.

If you feel awkward/unsafe/stressed during a 30 minute shop imagine what it's like for people working there 5 days a week. I'm currently off for two weeks as I was displaying some mild symptoms and I could have cried with joy and relief at the prospect of getting away, it was truly that awful.

Dixie I'll definitely look in to it. I needed nappies, wipes, Calpol etc hence the trip to the supermarket.

@rowlett I truly do understand and every key worker has my sympathies. I am the same. I work in an airport and we have been given one bottle of hand sanitizer. It sucks.

I wish the customers where I work were like you. They’re not respecting the 2m distance well most of them aren’t 😔 sorry you had this experience people really are arseholes

There are two issues here: the supermarket staff are undoubtedly tired, irritable, and worried that they themselves are at risk. Probably worth your while trying to let it go.

Secondly, you can paper the walls with people who like to criticise women for having children, not having children; bringing their children out, keeping their children at home; buying this product, not buying that product; etc etc. I've never had it satisfactorily explained to me, in words of one syllable, why it is that Person A feels entitled to make a LOUD or PUBLIC judgement on the wholly reasonable behaviour of Person B. Suggest you stick your nose in the air and ignore!

We weren't given hand sanitizer or gloves or anything In fact a message was sent down from head office that we WEREN'T ALLOWED to wear gloves but we just ignored that and brought our own. People started refusing to come back after that email appeared. Really throws into sharp relief that the company you work for couldn't care less if you die.

Sorry, OP. People are scared and sometimes they get judgey. And confused, and forgetful. Hope you're okay.

@rowlett that's insane. Not allowed to wear gloves? Awful. So sorry :(

And rowlett, hope you feel better soon, and hope your work starts to prioritise the wellbeing of staff. I really do feel grateful for everyone putting their health on the line just to keep the country running. So many people not adequately respected or recompensed for their efforts.

@dizzygirl00 that sucks. So sorry. Stay safe, as best you can x