Post CoronaVirus supermarkets

[sospan]

Well it has been my first visit to one of the giant supermarkets for a long time and oh dear ....

Like most of us, I find the giant supermarkets are intolerable for a number of reasons; the bright lights, loud music, the people etc. Now they have added a new dimension one way barriers, arrows and distance markers on the floor !

And of course to make it "safer" they rearranged the aisles into a new logical order. Hmmm, years of sales profiling, people tracking, basket analysis but no, in my particular store they have put the gardening equipment where you key for the tills. Obviously that last minute impulse buy is going to be a 220L compost bin or paddling pool.

So if I want something I have forget where it was before, then look at the overhead signs above each aisle, remembering to follow the arrows on the floor whilst not trying to fall over my own feet by looking down let alone cross the 2m "neutral zone" or worse still bump into somebody. I am sure I did accidently bump into somebody, I would be taken outside and stoned to death in the car park!

Then when you get to the aisle you go down to get the product - but you can't because the aisle you want, the arrows face the other way. So you have to go down the next Aisle and go up the one you want. Then you get to the end of the aisle and realise you wanted something else on that aisle but can't go backwards and round you go again. And of course, you daren't commit the mortal sin of walking slowly, pausing to find something or dare to read a lable.

At one point I felt like I was a mouse being observed as it navigates around a maze to find the cheese.

[Marnie22]

I get everything you have written about.

Also, my local supermarkets have removed all seats, benches etc. to make the spaces wider for people to stay socially distant, but as I have terrible fatigue, it really affects me - there is nowhere at all to take a rest.🙁🌸

[cat3]

I honestly find my local Tesco great, possibly as I've been shopping there an hour before closing when there are only a few stragglers. ...and there's no music !

And I'm one of those shoppers who constantly changes direction and back-tracks for items I forgot, but no one cares at that time so long as distancing is observed.

The staff have been consistently cheerful and helpful and there's always plenty of hand sanitiser and antibac spray for trollies. I don't enjoy the visits though as I have difficulty breathing (since the AF) and wearing a mask is further inhibiting.

But I'm SO impressed with Tesco, whether it's my local or the hypermarket in the next town. Can't honestly find fault since day one. 🤔

Maybe on a second trip you'd be more familiar with all the barriers and regulations …..I hope so Sos. x

[sospan in reply to cat3]

Hmmm personal experience of late with Tesco hasn't been the best - it was one of their delivery vehicles that ran into the wife's car at Christmas meaning she hasn't left the house since, so i have had to do the shopping.

When the Covid thing started, I asked them for a regular home delivery slot to ease the issues shopping especially due to their negligence. Their answer ............... no

[cat3 in reply to sospan]

Did you speak to the manager ? They should have made you a priority case ! x

[Amber-11 in reply to cat3]

I could not get home delivery scope has page about it. Someone who is over 70 said the wait is 6 weeks for a delivery from a supermarket in my area. I thought of going in person to ask for a home delivery, from the supermarket but not sure it would work. Could you get signposted to a volunteer who could help and get you shopping when they get theirs, you could ask the elected Councillor or the council and they might put you in touch with a volunteer.Good luck.

[sospan in reply to Amber-11]

There isn't / wasn't anything in my area and with needing shopping trips every few days it would be too fiddly plus there is the man issue - don't mind a company delivering but asking a stranger to do something for me, feels like admitting defeat.

[sospan in reply to cat3]

Yes, we wrote a letter to the local store manager and they replied by letter - delivered by a home delivery driver !

The response was - ring the contact centre !

[cat3 in reply to sospan]

Typical ! Try going to your local store after 8.30pm. I never have to queue and it's about 75% quieter. x

[sospan in reply to cat3]

A Tesco and twilight - down here that is when all the creatures of the night come out!

You know the ones baseball cap wearing, trainer wearing "trakkie bottom" with their modified cars that are ever so cool until they come to a speed bump which they can get over.

It is shame they don't have an "open season" on them like grouse. They would be so easy to track down. Either follow the tyre marks over the tarmac, the tapity, tap of the facebook messaging or just follow the scent of either the local markets finest knock off perfume or a can of Lynx applied in one go.

Not that I am grumpy old man.

BTW. I thought you would have a Waitrose gold shopper card with a reserved parking place

[cat3 in reply to sospan]

Creatures of the night.....we have those too. But some are good humoured. The first time I ventured out at night, just before lockdown, I didn't have a loo roll to my name so I walked down with trolley at 11pm (closed then at 12).

Coming home I was met by a group of revellers all pointing and shouting 'Panic buying ! Panic buying ! ……...(loo rolls were visible). I was apprehensive but just stood still, smiled & said "Absolutely" and they walked on laughing & shouting "Absolutely ! Ha-Ha! Absolutely !" 😆 …..quite cheered me up actually.

We also have a Sainsbury, M&S, Aldi and a Co-Op within walking distance but I prefer Tesco's bread & fresh veg and I'm not one for shopping around ! There's a Waitrose about a 15min drive away but I like to walk whenever possible.

Gold shopper card ? Reserved parking ? Really ?? 🥴