SAINSBURYS PRIORITY SHOPPING FOR VULNERABLE

[soupforbrains]

Hi all just wanted to give a heads up that Sainsbury’s are prioritising shopping for the elderly and vulnerable.

As per the extract from the email in the image. The first hour of normal opening times, at ALL Sainsburys store on Thursday 19th March will be reserved for elderly and vulnerable shoppers to help ensure that they have access to necessary supplies.

They will also be prioritising delivery slots for the elderly and vulnerable.

Additionally for ‘ordinary’ shoppers they will be increasing their click and collect capacity but for ALL groceries there will be a max of 3 of any item per person and 2 of high demand items like loo roll and soap/sanitisers etc.

Hope this will help!

Thank you for sharing. I managed to set my grandfather up with Sainsbury's the other day. He's 84 and is self isolating now.

I hope he is able to get the priority slots etc that they are promising.

Oh that is good - let’s hope the pushy non elderly respect the slot

One thing we've been worried about is getting stuff for my grandparents, who were housebound even before this all kicked off.

Will they allow carers (with proof) into the early slots to buy for elderly who cannot make it there on their own? Otherwise they are on the same footing as everyone else, and disadvantaged compared to their peers.

Can the carers order online and help receive and unpack as the drivers can no longer do that?

I think I shall be transferring to Sainsbury

Well done!!

how do they know if a customer is in the vulnerable group? If a registered online customer is over 70 yes they likely have the birthday but the heart conditions, obesity, immunosupressed etc. I call bullshit.

How will they know which customers are disabled? I've never mentioned it to them.

@neeting exactly

It's great that they are doing something, but the store here opens at 7am, they would have to get the 0615 bus (even though it's only a 10 minute drive) which wouldn't be covered by their bus pass; far too early for most. Especially those suffering with arthritis etc. If they can drive then great, but again it's those who either aren't able to or can't afford to who miss out; if a family member can drive them then it's probably safer they do the shopping too. A bit uncomfortable about the delivery slots saying that they will contact those over 70 and are disabled, a) how do they have this data? Also, how do they decide who is disabled enough to be worthy? I don't disagree that the elderly are very vulnerable, but there are a whole other set of people who are also vulnerable, and once again as in everyday life they will be looked over and left out.

Basically, virtue signalling of no real value, except to the obvious many who are thankfully already a target of support, offers of help and family or social support; many of whom will not be able to take advantage of it.

They say they will be using 'customer data and working with the Government, and retail industry' to identify disabled and elderly people

mobile.twitter.com/sainsburys/with_replies

For gods sake. Every little helps. If this helps 1 fucking person in the whole country then it’s worth it.
For Christ’s sake.

^^ I am sceptical about this going smoothly.

This started earlier this week in Australia. To gain entry to the shop during the designated hour, you must show a Government Pension Card or Seniors Card, or a Disability Pension Card, etc. If they had stock for the shelves, it would work well - unfortunately many stores don’t have stock.

@NervousInYorkshire okay so lets hope people consent to their data being shared that way. You don't give an age when signing up which means it will likely be from a Nectar card, fair enough there's probably some small print saying they can use that for this and that; not everyone over 70 will have one. The data on disability makes me a bit uncomfortable, and it doesn't even cover everyone who is vulnerable and needs support. I'm not saying it's bad what they are doing, it's something, but there are plenty of vulnerable people who will once again get left behind. Here there are plenty of volunteers to help the elderly with groceries etc which is fantastic, lets not forget about others.

I would imagine If someone rocked up and said they were in the group. Even in they aren’t. Then they will let them in. Much like phoning up and asking for a priority slot. They will simply take people on their word.

It’s more to stop the very able coming in to the store early.

Do you think heavily pregnant women will fit into that? I'm 8 and a half months and am starting to run seriously low on toilet roll.

Supermarkets here (AUS) started doing this a couple of days ago. People have to show senior or health care cards or disabled parking passes to get in at the designated time.

This is a good idea in principle .However the early slot 7.00/8.00 is early for public transport ,and also even if people drive if elderly /disabled will be difficult for them to get ready and get somewhere at this time? Still its a start and even if it helps a few people its worth it !

My parents, like a lot of elderly people, are awake from about 5am @dottiedodah so it won't be a stretch for them to get there so early!

I think this is a great initiative. Let's face it, the people who are clearing the shelves are the neediest, they're just the greediest

Are not the neediest!

I do see people's concerns but surely it's better that they are at least TRYING to help the most vulnerable. I also think that although this is just a 1 hour slot on 1 day they will listen to the feedback and I'm sure that going forward they might try other time slots. I believ the thinking for doing it in the first opening hour was to allow them to access the best range of stock before anyone else could get in and start buying it all up.

I don't work for sainsbury's so I have no idea how they are extrapolating data but given the databases in existence I'm sure they will be able to.

I for one applaud them at least trying.

Yes it is very good that they are doing something. But it means that some people who rely and need the slots will have absolutely zero chance. I am going to have to get 2 buses with my immunosuppressed DS to get my brother some shopping, he does a small monthly shop. He can't leave his house for a variety of complex mental health and physical reasons, he gets the full rate of PIP, but as he is fairly young and not technically disabled, him and many others will be extremely vulnerable as well. Lots of his local support groups as well are just offering for the elderly.

Great idea to give vulnerable people priority at Sainsbury's. But it will not work because you cannot get a reply on the one and only phone number to register. No wonder people are stocking up. Half my on line delivery arrived with all the daily essentials missing. Waitrose are no better. My daughters family have no food despite having a regular weekly delivery. Nothing much came. If the kids want to eat she and her husband have to join the queues. The supermarkets have let us all down and are responsible for the panic buying. If the shelves were kept full and the deliveries made in full, there would be no need to go out and risk spreading this terrible illness. The government need to send the army trucks to back up the supermarket delivery system and keep the shelves stocked. The supply chain has failed and its no use pretending otherwise.