Supermarket Request

[Stellaris22]

I'm hoping not to get shouted at for this, but .....

As someone who works in a local version of a larger supermarket, we are still maintaining social distancing through limited customers, especially important when we have deliveries.

Please don't shout at us for doing this, please don't come in groups or pairs (unless absolutely necessary). Please don't take forever browsing as it causes queues to form (not nice in cold weather).

We are trying our best as staff, but being on an empty checkout watching customers dawdle and a queue getting bigger outside is no fun for anyone.

I need half an hour to shop for my family of four every week. I could do 15 minutes if it were just me and a small supermarket.

I live in a massive city so sometimes I go to a different supermarket on my way back from work/school as I have limited time. I might not know the layout. I go shopping alone.

On the other hand I have an aunt who doesn't work. She goes to the supermarket every day for an hour as a hobby, to chat, to browse. She goes on a Saturday when many workers might go. She doesn't need to go. On the one hand it's frustrating (especially as she wears a mask under her nose and insists on talking to everyone, not bothered by social distancing). On the flip side, it's her only social interaction.

I was in a massive queue the other day. My first day off in ages, but this was for Dunhelm. I spent more than 15 minutes by two large families in the queue who did not distance. I was more at risk there than in the store. It was raining and chaotic getting in with it all bottle necking for the hand gel. I decided then that I can't do queues again unless I have to, and will shop online or at anti social hours when I can.

I always go to the supermarket late in the evening when there is almost nobody there.
It's much less stressful than feeling I have to rush round because others want to get in.

@Stellaris22

15 mins is plenty for a convenience store I admit. We don't have any near me, the smaller supermarket is Aldi and it takes 30-40 mins to shop and pay for 2 peoples shopping because they never have enough people on the tills (given up buying frozen stuff as it defrosts queuing time pay but no queues to get in!)

@Stellaris22

Based on the terminology you use, I'm fairly certain we work for the same company. I wholeheartedly agree.

I’d rather stick needles in my eyes than spend 15 minutes in a supermarket.

I can see both sides of it, dawdlers are a pain in the arse but having to wait outside shops due to limited capacity isn't a new thing, its been going on for months and if people come unprepared for having to wait outside in the cold or rain with no warm coat or umbrella then they only have themselves to blame and shouldn't be taking their frustration out on staff.

@Inthemuckheap

Did people actually read the OP? It's a local shop part of a big supermarket so a Tesco Express/Sainsbury Local type of shop. Who actually does their weekly shop in one of those? Nobody in their right mind. It's to pick up bits you may have forgotten so 15 mins is more than enough. You are not being unreasonable and women popping into local shops with restricted numbers of shoppers allowed with their whole brood in tow also drives me mad.

People who wish to avoid the superstores because they'd involve a) being around significantly more people staying there for much longer to buy it all b) public transport to get to and from the superstore?

They've decided to go to the one round the corner that sells enough to get through a week - as long as you can find what they've put on the stupidly high top shelves, on the sides, in the corners, shoved at the back of tall fridges with no signage to see where the things should be and in front of the space for queuing for the tills - after work. Or, of course, they don't drive - or can't because they can't afford it on their reduced incomes.

Since lockdown, we rely upon the express/local shops. It reduces time in contact with other people to travelling to/from work and at work. And seeing as there hasn't been a delivery slot available at times we're not at work or the weekend every time I've tried for the last month, that's not changing in the foreseeable future.

Nice quick dig at women who don't have childcare for shopping trips, though, even though with this little business of a pandemic going round, they're not going to be able to ask the neighbour to look after them for a couple of hours whilst they get a bus to the big supermarkets.