Supermarket safety - get what you pay for?

[Pumpertrumper]

Just wondering if it’s my city is unique.

I’ve visited a few supermarkets over the course of covid, for one reason or another. There is a huge link between how ‘up market’ the supermarket is and how well organised/safe it was.

I very rarely shopped Waitrose pre covid but they are ace! Several staff on the door, all trolleys being wiped down religiously. Giant tenting and organised queuing system outside. Kept pretty quiet inside and everyone very careful.
M&S similar - little bit busier though.
Sainsbury’s- ok, good queuing system but bit too busy in some aisles. Good precautions at the tills.

Asda/Morrison’s - Total chaos! Asda doesn’t even have a queuing system and Morrison’s is obviously just for show. Both totally rammed, staff not caring. Shoppers elbow knocking distance of each other. No caution!

I can’t comment on Aldi/Lidl as haven’t been since covid (they are further away).

I know it makes sense an element of ‘you get what you pay for’ but I can’t help thinking it’s a bit crap that those who can afford to do their weekly shop at Waitrose get to be safer. I find myself going there more and accepting the extra £20-30 on our weekly shop as paying to feel safe.

Hoping it’s just my local city and not nationwide.

Been to Asda, Aldi, Lidel and Iceland recently. All were busy but all had staff counting customers and facilities to clean your trolley and basket.
Aldi has traffic lights over the door but loads of people ignore it. I was called an ignorant twat recently when I waited.

2020 I too only go first thing - reminds me of the now historic bank holiday urgings for the whole population to ‘stagger your journeys’ kind of surprised boris hasn’t buffooned a ‘stagger your shopping’ joke at one of his peer conferences !

My local (tiny) Waitrose decided to put 4 trolleys of yellow sticker reductions right by the door the other day which was a bit scary as everyone crowded round and it was hard to get past.
Today, the security guard said to me that they needed to clear the store a bit as there were too many people, which was fine but then a woman from further down the queue took it upon herself to question me about why I wasn't going in and what was the problem. I explained 3 times but she was having none of it and just kept saying 'well, I just don't understand this!'
Unfortunately the security guard was dealing with trolleys etc so I was just left doing crowd control with Mrs Pushy.
I had to take my mask off and have a firm word with her about being patient as she was whipping the queue up into a frenzy!
When we got in the shop, I was really moaning about her to my daughter and then we realised she was standing right next to us!

I'm not a natural Asda shopper but it's become my destination of choice.
whoever would have imagined anyone saying that a year ago?

We don't have a Waitrose close by - hell would freeze over before I would pay their inflated prices anyway - but our Aldi, Morrisons and Sainsburys have all been pretty good throughout.

Oh forgot to add, Asda have been equally good.

We don't have Tesco or Lidl!

Our local Waitrose and M&S are great with queuing system and disinfecting of trolley and baskets. There is also good PPE protection screens for the staff who all wear masks.

Both shops are well organised and there is a clear one way system around the store. I feel safe shopping there.

Our Waitrose has undercover queuing, not indoors just under cover. Once you're in no-one seems to make any room for anyone else. Mind you with the average age they probably need to stand back to read the labels. Tesco is more paid back getting in but the self distancing is pretty well adhered to

Our local Aldi were too of the leaderboard from the start, traffic lights, people in the door, cleaning stations etc.

Lidl were chaos. No queuing system, no-one on the door, no limits on numbers etc. Really out me off.

@lunalucie

It's pretty quiet inside because people can't afford to shop there. Other supermarkets are busier because they are cheaper, times are tough for a lot of people and shopping in Waitrose is out of reach.

Exactly what I was thinking !