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AIBU?

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Original poster

Supermarket early closing

44 replies

notmrpootles · 14/04/2020 02:56

Just went out for the first time in 3 days to try and get some shopping in.

Went to my local Tesco Metro. Before CV+ this shop was open til 11pm. For the last few weeks it has been closing at 10pm (all 7 days of the week). The Tesco website is updated to tell you it’s now open til 10pm every day. Fine. I got there for 9.31pm.

On the door was a security guard who says no, you can’t come in. Why not, I asked. Because we’re closed to re-stock. Read the sign, he says, in an arrogant and patronising voice.

To one side of the door was a hastily erected sign saying “Closed for re-stocking”. And on the other side of the door was a more permanent sign saying “Opening times: Monday 6am to 10pm; Tuesday 6am to 10pm... etc etc”.

I’ve checked and this isn’t some pre-announced early closing time for Easter Monday. The shop wasn’t meant to shut til 10pm. It being closed to me at 9.31pm meant I had to go to another shop and presumably either spread any germs I had to others, or picked up germs from other people.

WIBU to complain to Tesco? If they need to re-stock they should do it when they’re scheduled to be closed. Or at least their staff should be apologetic, rather than act as if it’s your fault for coming outside their arbitrary opening times.

OP posts:
Blondie1984 · 14/04/2020 03:14

They’re all doing the best they can right now...

MrsRaab · 14/04/2020 03:19

Yes you'd be unreasonable to complain - it won't change what happened and they've got enough going on without someone taking time out of their day to read your shitty complaint and reply.

Thepigeonsarecoming · 14/04/2020 03:22

You don’t know their situation, they could be suddenly short staffed due to people isolating. Please don’t judge in this situation

NorthernLass75 · 14/04/2020 03:22

If they didn’t restock, you’d be seeing empty shelves at 21.31 when you arrived.

YABU

browzingss · 14/04/2020 03:23

Pretty much every supermarket has restricted their opening hours due to covid unfortunately. Massive supermarkets in my city are open 8am-8pm, with nhs/vulnerable restricted hours too which further curtails the usual 24/7 opening. You’re lucky to have a store that opens later because they could have easily closed at 8 too. They’re doing you a favour by staying open late.

Times have changed. Tesco won’t apologise because the store staff are allowed to use their discretion as to when to close the store for the safety of their staff/customers. If they close 30 minutes early, it has the least impact to the majority of their customers but ensures that staff can safely restock the store whilst ensuring social distancing etc so reducing virus transmission. It’s not like they skived the last half hour to go to the club, restocking is important.

SD1978 · 14/04/2020 03:24

I'm afraid that yes, you would. Given the queuing system- there wasn't any guarantee going that close to closing you would have been allowed in anyway. Whilst I agree that during all this I have been coming across some quite nippy security guards who seem to be enjoying the elevation of status, the store had to adjust its hours and he told you that. Would try and get there for about 20.00 next time to ensure you have time for entry.'

LoveIsLovely · 14/04/2020 03:38

God, please don't complain, they have enough on their plates right now.

user1473878824 · 14/04/2020 03:43

They are all doing the best the can. Their staff are putting themselves at risk every day. Don’t be that dick.

TeaForTara · 14/04/2020 03:43

I arrived at a supermarket around 11.30 am last week to find a security guard barring entry and a notice saying closed for re-stocking; reopening at 12.30. I didn't complain, I just assumed they had good reason. No supermarket wants to close when they could be taking money.

Round here they have all started closing at 8pm in the last couple of weeks.

Rosebel · 14/04/2020 03:59

Also if they are shutting at 10 they won't want people going in less than 30 minutes before they close. Some people take ages/do a big shop and it would make them late closing giving them less time to restock.
Yes he could have been more polite but doesn't sound overly rude and suspect he'd been taking shut from customers all day and had just had enough.

LellyMcKelly · 14/04/2020 04:14

They didn’t have enough stuff on their shelves. They probably don’t have enough staff, and the ones they do are hideously overworked. Don’t be a dick.

PhilCornwall1 · 14/04/2020 04:29

I can understand with a supermarket. My son has a part time job with ASDA and as it's pretty big, they can replace as the store is open, although he has said nobody is keeping their distance. It depends on how big the store is I'd say. If it's not possible to safely stock it with customers in, they will close early if the shelves are bare.

The one that did piss me off the other day is my Chemist. They open at 10am, close at 12pm, then re-open at 2pm to 4pm. I asked if the 2 hour closing was to restock? The assistant said no, we aren't selling anything, just doing prescriptions. We close for 2 hours because we are too busy with customers. Hmmmmm 🤔

JudyCoolibar · 14/04/2020 04:31

It being closed to me at 9.31pm meant I had to go to another shop and presumably either spread any germs I had to others, or picked up germs from other people

I don't understand this. Surely the risk of spreading or picking up germs is the same in Tesco's as elsewhere?

mathanxiety · 14/04/2020 04:52

They open at 10am, close at 12pm, then re-open at 2pm to 4pm. I asked if the 2 hour closing was to restock? The assistant said no, we aren't selling anything, just doing prescriptions. We close for 2 hours because we are too busy with customers. Hmmmmm

I can't see the problem here - it's much easier to attend to the processing and filling of prescriptions when they are not constantly interrupted.

Doctors can phone in a prescription any time. Customers can come and drop off or pick up their prescriptions during opening hours. Customers who need non-prescription items can shop during opening hours too.

Sennetti · 14/04/2020 04:56

No you don’t ‘complain’...... don’t you think they are trying their best right now on a skeleton staff??

Complain? You’d be a fool to do that and a nasty one at that!!

Monty27 · 14/04/2020 05:00

FFS OP give the guys a break Angry

Sonichu · 14/04/2020 05:06

"They open at 10am, close at 12pm, then re-open at 2pm to 4pm. I asked if the 2 hour closing was to restock? The assistant said no, we aren't selling anything, just doing prescriptions. We close for 2 hours because we are too busy with customers. Hmmmmm"

Makes sense to me, they need to have the prescriptions ready for people to collect so they're not hanging around the shop. They're probably too busy to do this just now when the shop is actually open 🤷‍♀️

Cherrysherbet · 14/04/2020 06:06

Oh, you’re one of THOSE customers 🙄...yes, complain if it makes you feel good.

CJsGoldfish · 14/04/2020 06:07

The one that did piss me off the other day is my Chemist. They open at 10am, close at 12pm, then re-open at 2pm to 4pm. I asked if the 2 hour closing was to restock? The assistant said no, we aren't selling anything, just doing prescriptions. We close for 2 hours because we are too busy with customers. Hmmmmm

Seems perfectly resonable to me. Confused

CJsGoldfish · 14/04/2020 06:08

Reasonable even Smile

SpiritEssence · 14/04/2020 06:15

Here we go another entitled customer who thinks shops should be open to suit themselves. How about you get yourself there earlier then

underneaththeash · 14/04/2020 06:19

I'd have been annoyed too - but maybe they just didn't have any stock on the shelves, then you'd have wasted time in there anyway and would have had to go elsewhere.

Oysterbabe · 14/04/2020 06:23

Yabu.
The earlier closing is a bit annoying though, our local ones now close at 8 rather than 10. I read that Aldi is changing back to 10 next week though. I prefer to go late once the kids are in bed.

TheTeenageYears · 14/04/2020 06:23

In normal times I would say you would be absolutely within your rights to complain but these are not normal times. Minimum wage workers are going above and beyond to keep the supply chain moving so I think everyone just has to accept that not everything will be as we would like at all times. The security guard may have just have had someone screaming and shouting at him before you arrived so might not have been quite as apologetic as he would have been at other times.

AmelieTaylor · 14/04/2020 06:31

YABU & frankly ridiculous. Go at a reasonable time & get enough food to last more than a couple of days.

Your point about picking up/spreading 'germs' in the other shop is ridiculous. You'd have done that in Tesco if you'd been allowed in - it doesn't have special immunity.

I don't blame the staff for being fed up of people challenging them.

@PhilCornwall1. Our chemist is shut in the muddle if the day too. They need some customer free time to sort prescriptions out so they can dispense them more quickly when people come for them. I don't see what your issue is with that?