I wish Boris would enforce closure of supermarkets to customers on Sunday

[Ariela]

Or for a couple of days.

With a lecture on the ethics of stockpiling when you don't need it, and it is not necessary as it leads to further panic buying and FOMO. part of the problem is that so many people are not at work so have time to trawl round the supermarkets buying anything they can get their hands on.

Just a closure for one or two days, a relaxation on the rules for lorry deliveries (I know some stores it isn't permitted to have deliveries on Sundays) to allow the shelves to be re-stocked thoroughly, and to give the staff a break from the awful rude stockpiling customers. There is apparently plenty of food but it just needs distributing to the warehouses and to the stores. We keep seeing videos on FB of fully stocked shelves in Italy, in Spain and in other countries. So we know we don't need to do this.

I'm sure if there is plenty on the shelves it would discourage the panic buying. I do wonder how much fresh veg, fruit and meat will be chucked out as past sell by date. I happened to pop into a supermarket yesterday for a pack of (quilted) loo rolls for an elderly lady I shop for. This was 5pm and there was nothing on the fresh veg shelves other than carrots, parsnips, onions, garlic and a bit of salad. No fresh mince or sausages. No tins, and no loo rolls.

If anyone needs food, all the little shops round our way at least seem to have a wide range of stuff (but not quilted loo rolls, sadly being 94 she can't manage the thin stuff) , so anyone needing food / essentials on Sunday could probably find it.

Would be interested to see what everyone else thinks

[Lordamighty]

I agree, supermarkets always used to be closed on Sundays, give some of the staff a day off & use the time to restock.

[Bearbehind]

How is tha5 going to work?

If the shops close for a day or 2 the queues outside would be enormous when they reopen.

Supermarkets are in full on recruitment mode which is great for those who’ve lost jobs in entertainment and hospitality.

They can operate 24/7 with multiple shifts and spread the demand

[Mrsfussypants1]

I remember when shops had half day Wednesday and closed Sunday. Life was at a more chilled pace and Sunday was family time.

[scattercushion17]

I don't think it's practical unfortunately, those days are over.

Emergency, key and NHS workers might need that Sunday to get their shopping.

Not everyone works a Mon - Fri pattern.

As PP has said, those made redundant recently are likely to be grateful for the opportunity to earn.

[Wingedharpy]

I think that Sunday closure to public is an excellent idea OP.
No need for any supermarket employee to lose their job as behind locked doors, shelves could be deep cleaned and re-stocked, more capacity to fulfill click and collect orders for collection Monday, and on-line orders (for those key workers unable to get there otherwise).
Would give the supermarket staff a bit of breathing space from the mad onslaught next day/the week to follow and, it would demonstrate to people that they can actually survive for 1 day without visiting the shops.👍

[MythicalBiologicalFennel]

Oh sod off

Or what scattercushion said

[DianaT1969]

An even better idea would be strict entrance on Sunday for vulnerable and elderly only. Everyone else told to stay off the streets in those hours. Supermarkets can employ temp workers to cope with this extra demand.

[sassbott]

What utter nonsense. These companies are making so much money right now, they can all scale up their workforce’s and put people to work on shift basis.

If you close supermarkets to show people a lesson, then you stoke the very behaviour that is leading to this and increase fear. That in turn increases panic buying when they reopen.

The lesson is to reiterate stocks are available. And in time this will settle. People cannot keep panic buying ad finitum.

[Randomschoolworker19]

What they need to stop is people buying 2 of everything, paying, loading up their car and then going back in for rounds 2 and 3.

[VenusOfWillendorf]

In Germany the supermarks are normally closed on Sundays, but they are opening them now to try and reduce volume of people in the shops. More opening hours, less congestion.

[Willow2017]

Sunday is our normal busiest day! When people who work during the week do thier weekly shop. That's not going to stop in areas outside cities where most people cant work from home.

Deep cleaning the whole gigantic shop and restocking shelves is giving me a break? Gee thanks.

[feelingverylazytoday]

Life was at a more chilled pace and Sunday was family time
Sunday was boring as hell.

[Mrsfussypants1]

I often work Sundays, so the few I have off I cherish, I couldn't think of anything worse than spending a Sunday shopping.

[Petiolaris]

I think they should employ more pickers, close supermarkets completely and only allow click and collect. If you don’t have internet you can provide a handwritten list and wait for your order. Stops all the stockpiling and nasty behaviour plus safer for everyone.

[Glaceon]

No that will make things worse. Retail staff are doing such a gruelling job right now. I had to go to aldi and even at a quiet time with queues going through very quickly staff were taking abuse. They looked thoroughly knackered.

Over the next few days food production will catch up. Most companies are ramping it up. Delivery companies are working around the clock and people in every area involved in getting food to your stores are reporting conditions are like christmas on steroids. Coupled with limiting purchases this will be enough.

Shutting them will cause people to panic buy and get more imaginative on cheating the system.

Retail staff and their security guards should be given special temporary powers to identify and log repeat offenders (families splitting up to put multiple transactions, returning later again etc) and ban them from individual stores (obviously they're going to stop it if they risk being banned from every shop. People can only travel so far for goods). Staff need supporting I imagine many fear speaking up incase customers complain later.

[Smellbellina]

That’s a dumb idea, it will only encourage the ‘panic’

[CanIHaveThat]

I work for nhs. I’m out of the house from 7-7 everyday. Nothing on shelves by the time I get home.
When exactly are we supposed to buy food? Or are we just going to live off of junk?

[slipperywhensparticus]

People are already queuing and stripping the shops they need to stop people over buying

[Likefootball]

There was no Sunday trading at one time and people still managed to get their shopping done.

[DustyMaiden]

I went shopping today and every day this week. Today I got a jar of marmalade and 4 carrots. That’s all that was available. Surely it got to improve soon.

[Graphista]

“They can operate 24/7 with multiple shifts and spread the demand” I’m hearing from friends in retail that they’re sensibly closing for several hours overnight in the usually 24h ones not only to restock properly - but to CLEAN properly.

“I remember when shops had half day Wednesday and closed Sunday.” And closed early on a Saturday too! I’m old enough to remember that. Hell I’m old enough to have worked in a supermarket when that was the case!

“An even better idea would be strict entrance on Sunday for vulnerable and elderly only. Everyone else told to stay off the streets in those hours.” Was about to suggest same.

“I think they should employ more pickers, close supermarkets completely and only allow click and collect.” I’ve been thinking same but inc prioritising deliveries too. I’m housebound and I’m really struggling both to get delivery slots AND with unavailability of essential products.,

I’m afraid I think the best idea would be proper rationing rules & regs, with modern tech surely it should be possible to create a website or app to control purchasing? Maybe use our NI numbers which are unique numbers everyone over 16 already has?

[Popsandevie]

@CanIHaveThat - I work for the police, just wanted to day thank you for everything that you do and that I hope society takes care of you.

[Wingedharpy]

@DustyMaiden : I'm fascinated to hear what delicacy you russtled up with your purchases🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Willow2017 : Apologies. I meant giving staff a breather from dealing with the unwashed hoards.
I appreciate that cleaning and stocking is still hard work.
Many thanks to you and your colleagues for helping to keep us all fed, watered and clean.👍

[endofthelinefinally]

We should be doing far more to help nhs and other front line staff to get food. I felt so sorry for that poor nurse on the news, working 12 hour shifts in awful conditions and no food left on the shelves. It is disgraceful.

[barnabybenny]

What about people who work full time? Why would they open on a Sunday for vulnerable and/elderly customers? They could do that on a Tuesday or something while the rest of the population works?

I don’t know what world some people on here live in sometimes.