To wonder what the point is of wearing gloves to handle food when you take the customers money with them on?

[NappyGallor]

Dp and i were at a local food market and i wanted to buy some fudge. The man handled all the fudge with plastic gloves on, then took my money, still wearing the gloves I mean what is the point in that?

My personal view is that those gloves are a waste of time and are more unhygienic because to my mind, if you have been wearing the same gloves all day or have only changed them once, god knows what's lurking on them. Yuck.

But i suppose gloves "look good" for the customer don't they?

I agree - should be gloves on, handle food, gloves off, take money. A bakery near me don't even wear gloves - just bread and coins in the same hand - urgh

I agree NappyGallor. This happened to me in the Butchers and after he had handled the raw meat. I was grateful i had the right money or goodness knows what germs would have been lurking on my change!

I think you're right, they do it just to 'look good' rather than for the benefit of the customer's health. Our local sweet shop is the same. If they were really doing it for the public, they should use new gloves each time!

I agree - have never worked out why they take ages to get the gloves on, handle the food and then keep the gloves on to tske your money....unless they change gloves after handling the money

I don't have a problem with bread and coins in the same hand tbh. I really do think it's health and safety gone mad.

At my dps bakery they don't wear gloves either, they use tongs and do regular hand washing. If you wear gloves, you are less likely to wash your hands all day! Plus you have to touch the outside of the gloves with your hands to take them on/off so what's the point?

At my dps bakery they have been handling bread with their hands for over 40 years. No one has died so far!

Gloves actually give a false sense of security, people assume that by wearing gloves they are being more hygienic but actually it's not necessarily the case, as these examples show!

I'd rather they ditched their glove wearing policy and just washed their hands regularly!

I think the only way gloves would be truely effective is if they were changed for each customer.

Coins are filthy though! I'd rather they used tongs and the tongs were washed twice a day.
As for touching the outside of the glove to get them on and off, it's one step removed from touching the food with your ungloved hand. I agree though it shouldn't replace regular hand washing.

They don't wear gloves at our bakery either and i also agree they are a waste of time. Our staff just do hand washing and use tongs.

I had a customer walk out once because i picked up the bread with my hands. I said to him that bread is made by hand so what's the difference? Now if i had scratched my ass then handled the bread, i would see cause for concern...

People really have gone mad these days!

StealthPolarBear have you ever tried to pick up a loaf of bread with a pair of tongs? It really isn't going to kill you if the assistant picks up the bread with their hands.

I would rather my bread is picked up with an ungloved hand that has been washed throughout the day rather than a gloved hand where the glove has touched just as many things as an ungloved hand but hasn't been washed.

Gloves are just to look good for the customer, they are not for hygiene reasons.

Many chefs in resturants don't use gloves to handle the food. In fact i think most would be shocked to know what actually goes on behind closed doors in a kitchen. But the difference is, the customer doesn't see it.

Yeah I hadn't thought of a loaf

I think that when they are handling certain goods that gloves are good, but only if they are changed after each customer. I don't want someone elses sticky fingerprints on my cheese or chocolate.

Not at all bothered with stuff like bread or fruit/veg

I'm not bothered if it's washable, which bread isn't

Apparently there are special gloves one has to use due to latex intolerance - all pushing overheads up as these are much pricier.

Some shops are quite good at training their staff to use one hand for the food (gloved) then the other for money (ungloved). Way too dextrous for my ineptitude but impressive to watch.

YANBU

I have seen this too and it baffles me. I have also seen the scenario where the person serving wears one glove and does everything with that hand including taking the money. The thery behind that is actually that you handle the food with gloved hand and take money with the ungloved hand.

You can't beat regular handwashing. Gloves are okay if there are inadequete handwashing facilities and or if they are changed frequently.