l work on a checkout in a very large supermarket.
This past few days has really opened my eyes to how people behave under pressure.
We've been told to restrict certain items - loo rolls, handwash, sanitiser gel (no point, we don't have any) tinned veg, dry pasta, rice, bottled water, bleach, anti bac spray and wipes, etc.
Most people are understanding. However....
On Friday, l had a couple at my till doing a big weekly shop. They had a huge amount of fresh and frozen vegetables - fine, you're allowed those. Until l said that they could only have five tins of veg. They had a variety, tinned tomatoes, sweetcorn, beans, etc. The man actually kicked off that he couldn't have more than five tins of beans. A grown man, throwing a tantrum over tins of beans.
l don't think it occurs to people that it tends to be (in my experience, this may depend on the location) older people who buy tinned veg - it not perishable, and most older people don't have the large fridge freezer facilities that younger people tend to.
Also, the restrictions on tinned veg, pasta, etc are impacting on the foodbank donations.
Yesterday l told a man he couldn't have two multipacks of bottled water (he had 2 x 6 2litre bottles). Our current 'rule' is one multipack, or 5 large bottles. l scanned one and put it in the trolley our supervisor was using for 'confiscated' items, leaving him with the one he had in his own trolley. He paid for his shopping, l started serving the customer behind him. Whereupon as he walked past the 'contraband' (as we've been jokingly calling it) trolley, took out the pack l'd taken from him, and put it in his own trolley!. He hadn't paid for the water! l went over to him, took it out of his trolley, and said "You haven't paid for this, l told you, you're only allowed one." He got quite aggressive and shouted "Why?!" in my face.
Fortunately the lady who was behind him backed me up, and also told my supervisor what had happened. What l should have said to him was "You can either put that back, or we can call the police" but l didn't think of that at the time.
One of my colleagues is a young (19) Asian girl. She's very personable and professional, working her way through university. She's very good with customers. One man actually called her a 'Paki'. Another was abusing her when she told him he couldn't have all of his items as they were restricted. Fortunately the young lad on the till next to her (who is also a student), a big rugby player type lad, turned and said to the man "Listen, mate, pack it in. You wouldn't talk to me like that." The customer didn't respond, but stopped shouting at her.
We got a small delivery of toilet rolls on Friday. One of our managers noticed one woman had six multipacks in her trolley, and took the 'extras' from her.
Yesterday l served a lovely older couple who told me that they're running short on loo roll, the lady has bowel cancer and is waiting for surgery. As she put it, "When l need to go, l need to go, and l need toilet roll."
l don't know if the people who are stockpiling (or trying to) actually think about the implications of what they're doing, or whether they genuinely believe they're more entitled than others.
l'm prepared to get flamed for posting this, but it's really made me realise how this is making some people behave. Maybe it's how they normally behave, and this situation is just making it more obvious.
Time will tell, no doubt.