Is this normal behaviour in supermarkets now?

[Makeitgoaway]

Until now we've been making do with what we had plus deliveries from small local firms but had to bite the bullet and DH did a big supermarket trip yesterday.

There's a particular nut he's very fond of which appeared to be out of stock, but he was pleased to find the last two packets at the back of the shelf, just as he realised a couple nearby were looking for the same thing, so he offered them one of the packs. Apparently they declined in horror at the idea of taking something he'd handled.

He was happy, he got his 2 packs, but how do they think they got onto the shelf without anyone touching them? Were they particularly cautious or is everyone thinking like this now?. He thought he was being polite/helpful but they obviously didn't see it that way. The new rules are one thing but how long until we all get used to the new etiquette? Or even agree on what it is?!

[Puddlepop]

@Makeitgoaway He’s a good egg your DH. I know what it’s like to find the last two packs of a favourite snack so the fact that he instinctively offers to share, in a time like this where trips to the supermarket are stressful and infrequent, really impresses me. I hope he enjoys his nuts!

[TabbyMumz]

"So you touch your keyfob (previously touched with dirty gloves), then your door, then your steering wheel, then your gear stick, then your handbrake, then your indicators...

Gloves for shopping are a false sense of security."
Not sure if this is at me, but, no, I dont. As I explained, the gloves come off once shopping in the boot, hands, keys and everything are sanitised before I get in drivers seat and drive home. Sometimes, once shopping is in the house and away, I go out again and settle up steering wheel, door handles etc. I dont even want to think about shoes!!!

[TabbyMumz]

"Then spray my key fob with dettol, take my gloves offYou spray your keys with sanitizer WHILE wearing your gloves? so your key still has your gloved hand on it while spraying..."
No, my key is lying in the boot when I spray it, then I pick it up in an ungloved hand, whilst holding a wipe and wipe it over. Put it down, knowing its safely sanitised, then gel my hands. So I am safely sanitised actually.

[differentnameforthis]

stuff in boot, return trolley, gloves off, clean hands and keyfob and anything else you touched with gloved hand

[differentnameforthis]

Then spray my key fob with dettol, take my gloves off You spray your keys with sanitizer WHILE wearing your gloves? so your key still has your gloved hand on it while spraying...

[Wannabangbang]

I would have taken them as i sanitize all shopping when it gets into my home anyway but tbf i think people are entitled to not want to do so. It's not that they are rude or ungrateful but scared I guess x

[differentnameforthis]

So you touch your keyfob (previously touched with dirty gloves), then your door, then your steering wheel, then your gear stick, then your handbrake, then your indicators...

Gloves for shopping are a false sense of security.

[TabbyMumz]

"In the mean time you have unlocked your car with your keyfob with gloves ON, taken your gloves OFF and started your car with your keyfob."
I open my car with the fob, open the boot, put shopping in the boot. Then spray my key fob with dettol, take my gloves off, use sanitizer on my hands. Get into car. Job done .

[TabbyMumz]

"In between that, they're doing as you do - in the shop they're handling their purse/wallet, bank cards, handbags, car keys, etc."
Yes, and I wipe these down when I get home, then wash hands again. I really dont see the problem here. By wearing the gloves, as I cant wash my hands between paying and leaving, I've kept my car germ free.

[differentnameforthis]

@TabbyMumz Im wearing gloves in the supermarket, using them to push the trolley, handle goods and use the pay point, put the shopping in the boot, then take them off.

In the mean time you have unlocked your car with your keyfob with gloves ON, taken your gloves OFF and started your car with your keyfob.

THERE is your cross contamination. Plus when you lift your bags out of the car, and touch your purse. Gloves DO NOT make everything you touch sterile...they carry bacteria and germs from one surface to another, just as you hands do

[paul20]

I myself am a nut lover, I eat a mixture of nuts daily.
I would have taken them gladly.
I put my nuts in sealable containers.
when I open the bag I pour into container and discard packaging then was my hands, but I have always done this.

[Watertorture]

If you think of someone who can't use gloves properly, I'm not sure why you would imagine they would wash their hands and avoid contact with face properly.

[DogInATent]

Quite a lot actually. I dont understand why so many people seem to think other people arent that intelligent to know how to do this

Observation. Just watch in your local supermarket, and particularly in the car park. Most glove-wearers I see are arriving with bare hands, putting on gloves, doing the shopping, putting the shopping in the car, then driving home whilst wearing the gloves they were shopping with.

In between that, they're doing as you do - in the shop they're handling their purse/wallet, bank cards, handbags, car keys, etc.

[Alsohuman]

For those saying - Pointless Gloves ?
Just was your hands afterwards?
That's like saying Pointless Condoms. Just wash your bits afterwards

I had no idea basic biology education was so poor.

[TabbyMumz]

"But how many people use gloves or masks properly"

Quite a lot actually. I dont understand why so many people seem to think other people arent that intelligent to know how to do this. I've seen so many stupid posters saying "if you wear them from shop to shop you are cross contaminating". I'm not being funny but who gets to go from shop to shop these days, as they are all shut. Most people are driving to one shop, and then home. Im wearing gloves in the supermarket, using them to push the trolley, handle goods and use the pay point, put the shopping in the boot, then take them off. Most people I've seen wearing them are doing the same thing. In fact, I've seen lots of gloves disposed of on the supermarket car park floor, so that's evidence to me that they are wearing them in the shop, then disposing.

[squirrelsbizaar]

There was a picture in the press yesterday of someone standing in a supermarket queue eating snacks wearing them.
Some people obviously think wearing them offers magical protection against the virus. Unless you have gaping wounds on your hands, just wash your hands when you get home and don't touch your face.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

But how many people use gloves or masks properly

[Varmak]

@JudyCoolibar @Oliversmumsarmy
If you use gloves properly, avoiding cross contamination and then dispose of them after shop, then your risk of picking up the infection is greatly minimised due to a physical barrier method. In the same way a condom is a physical barrier helping to prevent STDs being transmitted.

[MRex]

I expect they were just startled by him moving as though he would pass then something, so well within 2m because most people's arms aren't 1m long, more like 60cm, so even a stretched pass would be 1.2m. It isn't instinctive yet for most people to keep a distance, but starting to be, which means breaches of the distance set off an inner alert that we aren't yet able to unconsciously and politely manage by saying "thank you, that's kind, we'll pick them up from the shelf".

[JudyCoolibar]

Varmak, your comparison doesn't work on any level. If you don't wear a condom during sex then obviously you stand the risk of getting pregnant whatever you do afterwards. If you don't wear gloves whilst shopping and don't touch your face, washing your hands properly afterwards will take away all the risk of infection from that source.

[adambooth19]

I certainly don’t think it’s back to normal in supermarkets yet in any shape or form. There’s still shelves in Tescos that regularly get wiped clean of stock regularly by customers and though they’ve got a grip on the loo roll thing by the looks of it there still seems to be several things which they still aren’t stocking enough of , like spaghetti or anti bacterial wipes. Other types of pasta seem to be available but Spaghetti particularly gets 99% wiped out . Fresh vegetables also, which is sort of good to see because I had started to think no one could be bothered with preparing fresh vegetables anymore . Looks like I’m wrong .

[divafever99]

Absolute madness. What do they think will happen at the checkout? The cashier has touched everyone else's shopping then yours. I would have accepted them and have thought your husband was kind.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Varmak

You do know what a condom is for?

[adambooth19]

I honestly don’t know whether there’s anything in this touching and cross contamination thing. I work at Tesco Purley and though I gotta wear gloves at work anyway, I’m not sure that this makes any difference. If I have touched anything and transmitted the Virus from one place to another who’s to say I would or wouldn’t have done it with my bare hands just the same? I feel as though we’re all thrashing about in the dark at the moment a bit as it is and we don’t know anything about what we’re dealing with yet as it is.

[Varmak]

For those saying - Pointless Gloves ?
Just was your hands afterwards?
That's like saying Pointless Condoms. Just wash your bits afterwards