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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Sainsbury's and Morrisons

113 replies

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 11/01/2021 21:05

I feel sorry for the staff enforcing it, will probably get lots of aggravation, but great news that Sainsburys and Morrisons are banning entry to shoppers without masks unless they are medically exempt - and Sainsburys getting tougher on shopping in groups.

Great news, will be switching where I shop unless the others follow suit.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55618408

OP posts:

Haffiana · 11/01/2021 22:53

Try shopping in Waitrose. I haven't seen a single person not wearing a mask in my local Waitrose, whereas Sainsbury's always has several without masks.

I don't have any other supermarkets local to me, but I know Costco won't let you in without a mask. If you have an exemption they will bring your shopping out to you.

Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum · 11/01/2021 22:58

Poor staff having to enforce this. I remember them getting hit, spat on and verbally abused in the first lockdown. All for asking people to queue up and socially distance.

One of my adult sons had to tell a bloke off last week in sainsburys. He was at the till and a mask less customer was shouting abuse into the cashiers face.

My son pointed out he needed to stop shouting as it was rude. Also it was dangerous for the cashier as he wasn't wearing a mask.

Yes customers should socially distance and wear masks but trying to manage that is horrendous for the staff.

Chanjer · 11/01/2021 22:59

Disagree that everyone not doing it says they're exempt, certainly isn't the case in our store. Most people have "forgotten it" "left it in the car" "don't believe in them" IME, certainly amongst people who will kick off about it

We're a small independent shop, in a very nice part of London. we've been enforcing masks or no entry since march

When you don't let someone in and then 5 minutes later they come back and shout at you "oh yeah really concerned about your health aren't you I've seen you smoking"

Mumofsend · 11/01/2021 23:00

Supermarkets are also making staff work with symptoms or if they are identified very close contacts, including sainsburys. Funny how that has been ignored.

Its a PR stunt.

Outdoorsywithgin · 11/01/2021 23:04

What really boils my piss is the people who have got a sunflower lanyard purely to avoid wearing a mask. My teen DS has a "proper" hidden disability (Tourette's Syndrome) and the sunflower scheme pre-covid was a real blessing when out and about, with people giving him time to tic and being understanding.

At one of our local supermarkets last week I saw both a security guard and a guy on the till with a sunflower lanyard and mask exempt card. Neither has had one on display before, and were wearing masks every week since March!

Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum · 11/01/2021 23:09

@Mumofsend

Supermarkets are also making staff work with symptoms or if they are identified very close contacts, including sainsburys. Funny how that has been ignored.

Its a PR stunt.

At the beginning of the pandemic Tesco staff could get full pay if off work sick or isolating.

Now they get half pay. That really doesn't help.

Iceroadtruckingextremefishing · 11/01/2021 23:10

DD has a lanyard from the Autism day Centre she attends, but she feels safer wearing a mask - safer because she’s scared of someone challenging her as to why she isn’t wearing a mask. She has speech difficulties and wouldn’t be able to explain herself. She is so anxious over it all that she simply refuses to go out now, and as an adult who is bigger and stronger than me, I can’t force her.

I do agree that there needs to be something official to certify exemption rather than just a lanyard

Iceroadtruckingextremefishing · 11/01/2021 23:14

Oh and Sainsbury’s. I tweeted them last month about the juxtaposition of receiving frequent emails about how they are keeping staff and customers safe whilst at the same time visiting a shop where the assistant had her mask under her chin!’ I got a standard “staff are working hard to keep everyone safe” reply - err, not all of them they aren’t. She wasn’t keeping me safe, or the fully masked and visor wearing colleague stood next to her.

QualityRoads · 11/01/2021 23:16

I don't get why you can still go in a shop not wearing a mask. Being "exempt" doesn't stop you spreading it, or maybe I'm missing something. My Asda driver says he is exempt as he has breathing problems. Not sure he is in the right job!

RedMarauder · 11/01/2021 23:23

@Becca19962014

Sorry, regarding benefit claim letters I meant for appeals. They obviously do the short certificates when asked to do so by the dwp for free, but they are useless if a person has multiple needs.

Not everyone who is exempt from wearing a mask is on benefits.

Bathroom12345 · 11/01/2021 23:24

Quality- these threads go round and round. People saying they shouldn’t have to/don’t see they have to explain they are exempt.

In normal circumstances of course they don’t but we are not in normal circumstances. That is what I don’t get.

They are putting what they feel is right at the forefront of this discussion and nothing else is really relevant.

Lovely1a2b3c · 11/01/2021 23:24

I think GPs and consultants should have been advised to put anyone who they know genuinely cannot wear a mask, on the list for online supermarket shopping (the same as the 'extremely vulnerable').

Very few people genuinely cannot wear a mask but for those who cannot they should not be entering shops during the Pandemic for the safety of themselves and others and should be provided with medicine, food etc. via online shops or click and collect.

Lockdownshmockdown · 11/01/2021 23:25

@Norwayreally

People just claim to be exempt to get away with it. No idea why they don’t want to wear one, uncomfortable maybe? Can’t be arsed? No clue but that’s the way many people get around it.

Some people are conspiracy nuts who don't believe there is a virus at all.

Others simply think that masks do not help stop transmission and are purely performative. They do not want to take part in performance politics and so they don't wear masks. They wash their hands and give people space and they quietly go about their business.

These boards are full of people who think you either abide by every single regulation or you are a bad and selfish person. Life is more complicated than that.

RedMarauder · 11/01/2021 23:27

@QualityRoads

As long as he properly socially distances at all times with all customers and all colleagues he's fine. I suspect he doesn't.

Also plenty of exempt people have intermittent conditions. So in your worse case you can't wear a mask but in your best case you can.

Bathroom12345 · 11/01/2021 23:28

I actually think now that some people will try and shop singly rather than thinking that they can do what suits their own personal circumstances. I see the word prefer a lot on threads now. I think that sort of sums it up really.

Becca19962014 · 11/01/2021 23:28

redmaurauder sorry, I wasn't clear, the point I was making was that my surgery charges people for letters to appeal benefits. They won't give them for free. Most surgeries/consultants provide such letters for free and don't see them as "private" work. My point being any letters must be paid for privately they aren't free. Except for the ones required by the NHS e.g. Fit notes. Even letters for social services are now charged for at private rates.

I hope that makes more sense.

I'm well aware not being able to wear a mask doesn't mean someone is on benefits!

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

LindaEllen · 11/01/2021 23:29

Good. My next door neighbour hasn't been wearing a mask to 'prove a point' during this whole thing, so hopefully he will be challenged.

JaceLancs · 11/01/2021 23:37

I love that you all know that a couple aren’t mask exempt
I’m deaf so need help from DS or DP not wearing a mask as I lip read - I suffer with severe claustrophobia and PTSD so can’t wear a mask myself (I do try if it’s for an extremely short period of time eg I run in and out of local chemist who know me to collect a prescription)
My other disabilities aren’t obvious but I would struggle to do a full food shop alone

Gingerkittykat · 11/01/2021 23:44

I was told it is illegal to ask for proof of illness or disability which makes you exempt. As PP have said the NHS doesn't provide proof (and they shouldn't be spending staff time doing this either) and you can buy exemption cards online for a couple of quid.

There's a fine line between making places inaccessible for people with genuine reasons for not wearing a mask and stopping the idiots getting into the shop.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 12/01/2021 00:01

@JaceLancs

I love that you all know that a couple aren’t mask exempt I’m deaf so need help from DS or DP not wearing a mask as I lip read - I suffer with severe claustrophobia and PTSD so can’t wear a mask myself (I do try if it’s for an extremely short period of time eg I run in and out of local chemist who know me to collect a prescription) My other disabilities aren’t obvious but I would struggle to do a full food shop alone

A couple, or few logically absolutely can be. As many couples I've seen last week? Highly doubt it. It's pisstakers who are just making life harder for everyone.

MercyBooth · 12/01/2021 00:23

Not everyone who is exempt from wearing a mask is on benefits

I dont think thats what @Becca19962014 was saying. She was merely pointing out its hard to get a letter for anything now including mask exemption and for benefit purposes.

MercyBooth · 12/01/2021 00:28

Yeah the spread is nothing to do with the Gov. buggering up Test and Trace, people not being able to self isolate because they wont get paid, overcrowded cramped housing and bedsits. On Channel 4 news last year they interviewed a care worker who lived in a room in a shared house and had to share a kitchen with several other families. I would have LOVED to have seen the reactions on here had second homes been taken over for self isolation purposes. Which could well have happened had they used the Civil Contingencies Act instead. Then the altruism and the "doing this to protect others" rhetoric would have disappeared in a puff of smoke.

PieInTheSky71 · 12/01/2021 01:06

I popped into ASDA the other day. It's been a while since I've been there but there were lots of couples shopping and one family with 3 adults, a teen and a younger child if about 10. Taking up the whole width if the aisle too so I couldn't even keep any form of distance from them. Don't tell me that family all needed to be in the shop together.

I accept that some people need to have someone with them but there seemed too many of them to me.

Justa47 · 12/01/2021 04:28

@Lovely1a2b3c

Agree.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 12/01/2021 05:28

What about those with disabilities that can't shop alone have you or these supermarkets given any thought to that. Too many bosses

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