Well I won't be shopping at Iceland again!

[Crymblecrumble]

Just perusing Facebook and I've seen that people are going mental over a policy on Iceland's website they says if an NHS worker picks up an item they can't put it back because of cross contamination, and that they have to buy it.

So I checked it was on their website however it appears to have been removed now but I found it last night.

www.iceland.co.uk/customer-support/help-articles#coronavirus

@stickerqueen My son and I both have severe allergies requiring an epi-pen and immediate hospital treatment if we are exposed to our allergen. If we can’t pick something up to read the ingredients then we can’t buy it.

Re touching things you then decide to put back - indignant frothers, how do you think the items got on the shelves in the first place? Going to the supermarket increases your risk of catching it. Wash your hands afterwards, partly for the reason of things being handled by other people. Presumably the cashier also handled your precious shopping?

Unless there has been a change to the law of contract overnight that's passed me by, of course they can't force you to buy something just because you have picked it up.

Further, whilst I personally make every effort not to mindlessly pick things up and put them back, as PP have stated they need to examine the ingredients etc.

Frankly, everyone should be ASSUMING that everything HAS been "manhandled" by someone with the virus and take action accordingly. Our shopping bags are brought into the hallway as close to the front door as possible and every item is wiped down before being brought further into the house. The shopping bags are then "isolated' for a few days in case any traces of virus remain on them. This is all followed by wiping down door handles etc and thorough hand washing.

At the moment I'm literally only buying stuff I know I need, therefore stuff I've used many times before, because I find being in the supermarket without doubt the most stressful part of lockdown.

Point being, I'm not picking up stuff I don't haven't used before to consider its merits, I'm just belting round flinging stuff in the trolley. If they haven't got something I thought I'd get, I get something else I know I have used previously.

I think it's wrong to say NHS staff, but I went to Tesco yesterday and a member of staff did a talk and said if we touch products then please don't put them back, we need to be sure we want to buy it. Fair enough I say!

I went to Tesco yesterday and a member of staff did a talk and said if we touch products then please don't put them back

How did the products get on the shelves in the first place? I assume several members of staff will have had to have touched them given that levitating baked beans aren't a thing. Similarly, how are the checkout staff putting stuff through the tills without touching them?

All kinds of bonkers.

That's all very well @TSSDNCOP and I take the same approach but not everyone will be in that position - perhaps things that people with allergies etc usually purchase are not available. Common sense needs to be applied.

In general I don’t see the problem with ‘if you touch it you buy it’ policy but the posters on here pointing out issues with allergies in particular have a point. Especially if their usual brands aren’t on offer.

I think those who adhere to dietary choices on that other hand may want to consider sucking it up for a bit though.

If you want to grope your fruit and veg use the bag you’re going to put it in as a glove at least.

@DumpedByText

You went to a talk in Tesco? How on earth is that essential. What a daft thing to do. Really don't think you're in a position to lecture others.

Don't you also sometimes have to pick up something to see a use-by date on it?

@Ellmau of course you do, particularly if you're being a good little citizen and adhering to The Rules and only shopping once a week. No point buying fresh stuff that'll be out of date in two days.

@TheWayOfTheWorld quite right, although you're presuming I don't have allergies.

What about googling to check the ingredients on a product using a phone. Don't need to pick up several products that way.

@TSSDNCOP fair point!

@Floatyboat of course I didn't go to a talk, are you for real! 🙄I went food shopping, you know that essential thing we all need.

Whilst we were queuing to get in, the staff were giving 'talks' explaining what we needed to do and how the set up was, in order to make things easier for us.

I'm not lecturing either, my comment is factual as this is exactly what Tesco said.