Has anyone been to Aldi or Lidl lately?

[yarncakes]

I don't know why I went aldi in the afternoon instead of first thing when it opens as I am a key worker because it was absolutely heaving. The first aisle was fine but as I went through the next one it was absolutely packed out. There was no space between anyone it was impossible to social distance. I never felt so worried in all my life, considering I work in a care home (we are tested weekly) so I have to be careful not to catch coronavirus. I'm worried about spreading it as well as having it. Has anyone else been to places where it was heaving and came out fine? It has only been 3 days and I'm scared I am going to start showing covid symptoms :( ps health anxiety is honestly no joke.

I’ve been going to Lidl most weeks and am fine.

I went to Aldi today, first time in months, and it was relatively quiet.

I’ve been going to Lidl which was fine. But for the last two weeks they have dispensed with the queues so anyone can enter and numbers aren’t restricted.

Have been to Lidl once a fortnight or so. Sometimes there's a queue outside, sometimes no. Sometimes there is stuff to clean the trolley, sometimes not. Some people are more respectful of keeping distance, some not. The aisles are smaller than Tesco/Asda etc so it's more difficult.

I have been to both recently and it wasn't busy. I chose to go later in the evening though.

The thing I have noticed in all
supermarkets (Sainsbury's and Tesco too) is the lack of social distancing from staff. Between themselves and with customers.
Gives me the rage!! They need to set the standard in store.

I've just got back. Pretty quiet. Chilled. I usually go late when the kids are in bed but managed to sneak away from them early today. If you want the shop pretty much to yourself I recommend going between 9 and 10pm.

My local large supermarket is Lidl, I always try to go before 10am when it's quiet

I'd rather take a slightly higher risk and go to Lidl than go to Sainsburys and pay double for my shopping

I've been to both and in my area they are back to normal or if anything quieter than they used to be, no queues to get in now but obviously yours isn't like that so my experience isn't relevant.

I have been to a sort of crowded are and didn't catch the virus but I'm sure you know that's not how it works. The crowd could be 3000 strong but if no-one has the virus there's no risk and similarly you could go to the pub and sit with 1 friend for half an hour and catch it.

I'm not sure what anyone can say to reassure you tbh

I go to Aldi once every 2 weeks.

It's been ok, but I tend to go in the early evening so as to avoid any crowds.

I went to Lidls on Saturday morning. There was a security man outside counting people in & out. I had to wait to go in. There was hand gel if needed. The aisles are wide in here & it felt as safe as it could be. Lots of tills open, short queues.

Whereas B&M was a free for all. Not going in there again on a Saturday. No social distancing, nobody caring at all.

Asda was having today and since the last time I was there last week, they've done away with the arrows on the floor/one way system. As a result the aisles were all packed with people going in opposite directions and it was absolutely impossible to be even a few inches away from others. It was the worst supermarket experience I've had since just before lockdown when everything was going bananas and the shops were packed.

Out of interest, does lidl restock throughout the evening, so if went at 9pm would be likely to get everything? Though I presume not the bakery goods.

Ask in store. The Aldi I go to has a fresh delivery in the morning (fruit, veg, meat etc) and a non fresh delivery in the evening, toilet roll, packets, middle aisle of wonderment. Lidl may be similar.

And they restock all through the day, meant to add.

I’ve been a few time’s to shops that are packed like that. I’ve come away thinking I’ve put myself at risk but I’ve been fine. The worst was B&M and the Range. The Range was in May and my dh actually walked out he was so angry.
I went to Aldi yesterday and it was packed and hardly anyone wearing masks and no social distancing, despite the regular reminders.
It’s very unlikely i think, that you’d catch it from someone in a shop as interaction is so brief.
I’m not too pleased with the shop worker in my local co op though! She had a terrible cough and had a coughing fit so bad that she stood up and faced away from who she was serving so she could really let it all out. I had no choice but to go to her to pay. She coughed all the way through serving me. She shouldn’t have been there. No mask either!

Just a reminder that there is nothing wrong with not wearing a mask currently, it is not mandatory until the 24th. The shop worker with the cough should have been at home, not at work wearing a mask + coughing.

I've been to Aldi a few times (only on weekdays) and have never had to queue to get in or anything, the aisles were fine, the shelves were packed, the checkouts were fine and, most importantly, the Oz Chardonnay was in plentiful supply.

I have not had to queue at aldi or lidl recently and they haven't been busy either. I'm in Scotland so mask wearing is compulsory already and the majority are complying with it

@SirSamuelVimesBlackboardMonito

Just a reminder that there is nothing wrong with not wearing a mask currently, it is not mandatory until the 24th. The shop worker with the cough should have been at home, not at work wearing a mask + coughing.

Perhaps you don't realise that people cough for many reasons other than Covid and that none of those reasons require people to isolate.

Cool - if it's back to normal I'll go there then. Plus there's a well-cute cat likes to sit outside our Aldi for fusses and cuddles.

Tesco is full of bewildered people not knowing where they can go now they've taken the one way arrows out. The "you can go anywhere" reply was close to making brains explode.

Good point, @BamboozledandBefuddled. I meant more that it's not simply a matter of saying "put a mask on!".

I shop at Tesco's and Lidl which are very close. I wouldn't say they're busier, but SD has gone out of the window the last ten days. I went to Lidl today and at least 50% were wearing masks. I have to say as S D has gone out of the window around here, then I'm relieved masks are coming in as much as I hate them

My local aldi has traffic lights on the door. It turns green when the next person can go in and then red to wait. This is to enable only a certain amount of people in the shop. I did find it hard to distance inside though, people seem to forget. I'll be glad when everyone is wearing masks.

I went to Lidl about 3 weeks ago. Wouldn't go again, no social distancing what so ever. It's deliveries or Waitrose for us now on. Tesco also really bad today, and I've shopped there for years.

What time of day seems to be the quietest in the supermarkets nowadays? I was thinking evening 8pm onwards but then does everyone have the same idea?!