To think Aldi were completely OTT with social distancing.

[Lhigg]

So I appreciate there are rules. I've been to several shops which have had the 2 metre rule and people have been very good with it.

However I went to Aldi 2 days ago.

There were couples in the que, a few people with kids.

There were markers on the floor and someone letting people in when other shoppers come out. Very normal upto now.

However the guy at the door was saying you aren't allowed to shop as a couple so only 1 person per shop.

People who had come together (for whatever reasons) were seperating and getting their own trollies.

This guy was then saying 'I saw you come here together /getn out of the same car/Talk to each other.. You're not both coming in'

He was making plolder people stand out in the absolutely blazing sun) a older couple got out of a taxi together... He tried to say he had dementia. Guy was having non of it.

Then when we got inside they had staff patrolling the aisles looking for people talking to each other and telling them off like school kids.

It was a really tense atmosphere.

Then on the way out I heard staff say something to security about a gentleman with a stick.

I was waiting for my taxi and there was an Asian woman who went in. This guy was behind her. I'd seen no interaction between them.
He stopped the old fella and asked if they were together. He didn't seem to speak English and was confused.
The staff member gestured to this bewildered woman and said 'are tou with her?'
He said no

The fella came right up to his face (great social distancing) and said 'if I see you talk to her, or put anything in her trolley YOU. ARE. OUT'

Punctuating each word loudly like an angry dad.

The customer looked so upset.

I saw this with several Asian families but funnily enough he didn't stop to say the same thing to consecutive with people going in

The whole thing just felt OTT and intimidating.

I won't be going back. I inface WAS there with a friend who brings me shopping because I have alMH problems and mild learning difficulties but I still like to get my own shopping. He didn't say anything to us. Even when he saw us packing up the taxi together.

I'm scared to go back now as people were being shouted at like school kids. One woman questioned back inside the shop if the security guard was the police as she had only asked a woman in the dairy section if she could see an item flavour for her as she left her glasses at home

My local farm shop does one person per household. It’s really clearly signposted all along the queueing area. Last week a couple queued up together all the way to the front and then really shouted at the employee who was letting people in and out.

I feel like if you don’t like it then you can shop elsewhere. I have a vulnerable person at home and it makes me feel safer.

@mondeolife

Hope you don't really leave your two year old at home alone?
I hope that's a typo!

@Harriett123

That's fucking discusting. I think when you give some people an ounce of "power" they take a mile. Also racist assholes will always show their true colours. I'm still shopping in my local aldi. They have markings on the floor and a guy at the door with a clicker but there the only differences I've noticed and there pretty common to all supermarkets at the moment.

I'm shopping at aldi too, mine is the same, markings and a clicker and it works very well except for entitled arseholes who think the rules don't apply and they can go in as a couple and block the aisles because they can't buy a loaf of bread without a discussion, it's so selfish.

The issue you have is with one spcific employee not with the whole aldi chain, take that up with the manager

(Not sure if you're being ironic, you know it's actually disgusting?)

I think the shops are right to enforce a one person policy. If we're honest about this most people do not have a reason to not go alone, with the exception perhaps of lone parents who don't drive. If an adult needs a carer then surely the carer goes. It might not be ideal but we are trying to control a pandemic.

Anybody who drives can do a click and collect, they're easy to come by now if you're willing to swap between supermarkets. Deliveries are harder to find but not impossible if you're persistent. There are lots of 3rd party delivery options popping up now too.

That said, staff shouldn't be aggressive but their job is probably pretty stressful atm.

That sounds very extreme and wrong. Complete opposite to my local Aldi, which isn't monitoring the numbers in store at all.

Most supermarkets have had rules saying one person per trolley since the lockdown started. Very few enforce it.

I often see couples shopping and they tend to walk on both sides of the aisle. You then are stuck behind them for ages. Ive also seen families walking around which is even worse.

Im not working in a supermarket but i imagine if i had been id get pretty sick of people day after day not sticking to the rules or processes in place to keep workers and workers in place.

I'd probably get even more annoyed if someone then started having a go and complaining to my manager in defence of self entitled arseholes who have been greatly increasing exposure to risk for me, my colleagues and their families.

Im certainly not going to judge them for it when they have have been working harder than ever for three months rather than working from home or on furlough which i'd wager the majority of posters on this thread have been doing.

A lot of supermarkets round here are using agency security staff to supervise queueing and entry. I worked in security firms for years. They are not known for political correctness or giving proper training in how to deal sensitively with people.
In my experience many employees are essentially hired thugs or frustrated wannabe police officers.

Please report what you saw, send an email to head office. I have been shopping almost exclusively in Lidl and Aldi since lockdown started and I've seen nothing like that. They are discouraging couples and ask nicely if they both need to shop but if they say they do then they let them get on with it. I've seen whole families shop together and tbh it is a pain.

I've not seen this in our Aldi at all. On the whole people do seem to be following the rules around here though. I do go shopping with DP as we are shopping for 4 households between us. My parents, DPs parents and sometimes SIL whose DH is working long hours and she is pregnant with a little one.
In the first couple of weeks I tried to do all 4 in one shop alone: negotiating that with the added confusion of the one way system changing my 'normal' route around the store (normally shop in Tesco), it took ages and I forgot things and had to go back and forward, causing more chaos!
We now go together, DP has a trolley and does his family. I do our household and my parents. It means one trip, once a week between us. Safer all round.
I think I'm your case, I would raise my concerns to the store. They seem to have taken 'policing' people to the extreme. It must be really hard for the supermarket workers at the moment, but they are surely putting themselves more at risk by being that confrontational with customers.

Complete opposite to my local Aldi, which isn't monitoring the numbers in store at all.

I'm surprised at that

I'd complain to head office OP that's all completely ott

And I'd not go back there

Our local aldi has a queuing system and social distancing and that's more than enough. No need for the ridiculousness you describe

My local aldi has been pretty bad too. I emailed customer services about their heavy handed and aggressive approach and have heard that they've calmed down a bit now. I won't be going back, but it is worth reporting.

I go to Aldi because I like that they enforce the rules

The behaviour was poor and would put me off returning. I'd certainly let them know. You can email customer services and they are quick to respond.

Don’t shop in Aldi myself but sil said out local allows more than one person

Tesco/Lidl/Sainsbury’s all have one person policy although the other day Tesco had two queues, one for single shoppers and the other people with kids but unsure why whole families with both parents need to shop together making social distancing very difficult inside

I think the shops are right to enforce a one person policy. If we're honest about this most people do not have a reason to not go alone, with the exception perhaps of lone parents who don't drive. If an adult needs a carer then surely the carer goes. It might not be ideal but we are trying to control a pandemic.

This ^
and as several others have said.
From what you've said, it sounds like the individual in your store that day needs a bit of customer service training, but it certainly isn't the case in my Aldi, and I'm amazed how polite they remain with the continuous stream of people who think rules don't apply to them and who think they can talk down to the poor chap, no doubt on minimum wage and long hours, on the door, just trying to do their job.

If people need someone to help them shop, then why not just get that person to do the shopping ? We all understand you sometimes have to take children with you, but there aren't many reasons you need to take another adult with you.

He sounds proper horrible and I hope you do contact Aldi management, OP. I'm glad you were able to get your shop done.

I have a physical disability so my son has been coming with me on every shop. We have been challenged a few times but simply explaining "I need my son to help me lift and carry" has always been enough, along with waiting for 2 people to come out so we can go in. (My son can't drive so can't go alone.)

Some shops have recruited external security staff through an agency and these are the ones who seem to be relishing an opportunity to throw their weight around. Most are absolutely lovely but you do have a small minority of unpleasant bullies who have chosen a career in security because they enjoy making life difficult for others.

The guy was a dickhead but I totally agree with the one person shopping rule. Aldi has been a pleasure to shop in for me. Never too crowded, most are packing shopping at their car rather than in shop and people keeping out of your way.

Lidl on the other hand has been a total disgrace.