OT:Clueless Asda Tesco the Supermarket you can Trust (if you don't want onions)

[michael adams]

Checking the web and Asda are the only ones of the major players who open their sheds at 6.a.m. 6 - 10 every day except Sunday. Tesco Metros do but they're smaller. Choosing an Asda shed was a tossup but I chose Hounslow a good few miles away so it was time to put the van back in commission and clear all the cobwebs from the inside of the windscreen and prepare for an early start. Anyway got to Asda. There's an underground car park at Asda. Park up around 5 to 6. There are about ten of us waiting.

6'0 clock comes and nothing happens.If it wasn't for two guys further along, loading up a delivery van nobody would have known that opening had been put back to 8'0 oclock. And to cap it all, the only information on show was a notice "To help more vulnerable customers Asda asks you not to start shopping until 9.0'clock". IOW as far as Asda are concerned anyone over the age of 70 in incapable of driving or getting up at 5'O clock in the morning in order to miss rush. These clowns don't seem to realise that social distancing requires shops to open for more hours not less. Apparently the OAP hours is largely disregarded as it is. And then There was the faff of getting back out of the car park without having to pay anything . Fortunately an the way back there's a big Tesco shed at Osterley which opens at 7. As I didn't know if it had a pay car park I parked in a side road for half an hour. Which could have been a big mistake. The car park was outside and free and while there were still spaces at 6.50 there were already queues around the block. However at 7.00 sharp the doors opened and everyone piled in quickly enough. There was plenty of semi-skimmed milk - it seems they've all stopped selling skimmed for some reason, and for wholemeal bread you're mugged into buying Tesco finest. Only red onions available - while I wasn't really looking for much else. There were toilet rolls available. It was quite good everyone zooming around with their trolleys a bit like supermarket sweep. I wore my mask and a chap in the queue with an inferior white mask asked where I got it. I explained (through the mask) that I already owned one but that they were available on Ebay and (allegedly).

michael adams

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[michael adams]

There is one in South London. The problem with that would be that you wouldn't know when the shelves had last been filled - or emptied. At least if they close for a few hours you can assume they've filled the shelves in the meantime, ready for when they open the doors and everybody piles in. Obviously its grossly unfair to people who can't make it for 7.a.m for some reason, but otherwise its quite good fun.

michael adams

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[Jeff Layman]

On 21/03/20 09:15, michael adams wrote: . I wore my mask and a chap in the queue with an inferior

Did you find many people were wearing masks? There was only one other person wearing a mask very early on Tuesday morning in our Sainsburys, out of perhaps 2 - 300 people in the store. We got some very strange stares as though it was totally unnecessary. We'll wear them again next week. I'll be interesting to see if the proportion of those wearing masks goes up.

[Brian Reay]

I can see the Gov having to divert resources, almost certainly the Army, to deal with the idiots who insist on stripping the shelves when it isn't necessary and leaving the old, NHS workers etc without.

Perhaps supermarkets with a delivery service should be forced to give priority to older people, NHS workers etc Shouldn't be hard to arrange, Tesco for example, have scheme for some employers which gives discount on delivered food etc normally, just set up a similar scheme but for those deemed a priority.

[Spike]

The above seems to be only a slight variation of your using the word 'panic' over and over again last week, sometimes six times in a single unhelpful posting.

Have you ever considered that you might be part of the problem? You mention 'internet stirrers ' often enough, after all.

[Dave Liquorice]

No one wearing masks in Hexham yesterday. One person wearing medical type gloves whilst shopping. Gloves are probably more effective way stopping the transfer of the virus from goods handled by some one infected. Provided you don't touch your face with them. Unless you happen to get the blast of a cough, airborne transmission, if you keep your distance, isn't very likely IMHO.

TBH infection control isn't really been taken seriously. Every establishment should have hand sanitiser or hand wshing facilities at the entrance(s). Check out operators wear gloves and change or use sanitiser on them after every say, 5 custiomers or after they handle cash or card from a customer.

Tesco had distanceing rules, you had to stay behind a line on the floor to load the belt walk straight past the operator to the other side of line to pack and load.

[Martin Brown]

It is variable, but of the places I have shopped recently the large city Tescos out of town shed was the worst by far. Shelves were desolate in the late afternoon when we got there. It was so unpleasant that some of the younger staff were almost in tears as they tried to do their own shopping at the end of their shift. There was nothing in the fruit and veg, fresh meat and fish sections, or paper towels at all. They did have some bread left but no milk of any sort whatsoever.

They used to be a 24 hour operation but they now have very little left to sell after about 6pm and *need* to close overnight to restock!

It seems selfish people who don't really need them are hogging the delivery slots too. It was to take a housebound friend shopping that we had to fight our way around that mega Tesco's. Last week it was OK but yesterday was absolutely abominable. Like something from a horror movie. The only thing missing were the zombies!

Hard enforcement of maximum of N per customer with N=2,3 or 4 is necessary to prevent this insanity. I have seen people making off with stupid amounts of stuff that doesn't even keep well this past week.

Even at the slightly more civilised smaller stores things are pretty grim in the early morning rush with the one I frequent now having a hefty security guard permanently posted to break up fights :(

[michael adams]

There were enough of then in the long queue lined up around the bigTesco shed that I didn't feel embarrased at all. As I might otherwise have done, given that this mask is a bit ostentatious. There were about as many improvising with scarves. Some though not even covering their noses. This was the first time I wore this mask. Last week I wore a scarf myself with a handkerchief pinned inside. What I did notice more this morning were the older people without masks and how foolhardy I now considered them to be. I prefer not to remember that I was travelling on tube trains myself only last week with no protection. Just taking care not to touch anything

If they can source them of course. Here in West London there has been the odd young 20 ish person both men and women walking around in masks for at least the past two weeks if not more.

michael adams

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[AnthonyL]

It really depends which ASDA. Our nearest was as you say, but the larger one further away was opened from 6am for vulnerable people and their carers.

We got emails, presumably because we've got ASDA credit cards but I still had to double check on the morning before setting off otherwise I would have ended up like you.

Nonetheless, arriving at the store at 6.40am we saw many full trollies being loaded into cars and as a result many shelves were empty, including pasta and loo rolls which we've been unable to buy from the major supermarkets for the past 3 shopping days.

[michael adams]

In either case there should be some procedure whereby certain categories of people can register with a particular branch for privileged status and be issued with a card. Photo ID if thought necessary can be lifted from their drivers licence or work ID,

At the moment supermarkets aren't short of customers. So there's no reason why they can't hold back reserve stock, close the branch maybe three times a day allowing existing customers to check out while stocks are replenished, then open for three one-hour slots open to only to customers with cards.

No reason ? Some hopes from numpties who already think its a good idea to reduce opening hours so as to reduce over-crowding.

michael adams

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[michael adams]

And did all the people coming out seem to qualify as vulnerable ?

There have been ructions on local forums about similiar initiatives by Sainsbury being totally disregarded, leading to both staff and OAPs being subject to abuse by the young able bodied customers of both sexes.

michael adams

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[AnthonyL]

It's a bit of a minefield isn't it? Not well thought out and I can only see some form of ration cards working.

The ASDA policy was vulnerable (does that include over 70's, not clear) and carers.

Clearly you'd expect most carers to be <70 and hopefully on the active healthy side. But how do you look at someone and say "they are a carer".

Additionally, and whilst being over 70, I'm reasonably fit and healthy, but my friends across the road aren't. She's bed-ridden and he's 82 and very unsteady on his feet and after crashing his car into his own house he's given that up. So a carer, or even me, would want to add his list to our shopping. How do you get round that.

And with the shortages I'm ending up at different shops more often during the course of the week to do what my <70 wife would normally do in one weekly shop. Where's the isolation/minimal contact sense in that.

So, ration cards for each month of certain goods. Neighbour gives me his too fulfill for him and I take my own. Problem sort of solved. Just make sure those dedicated hospital staff don't have to fret about their shopping.

Surely a system can be setup? On-line shopping authority code(s)? We're backward in the use of systems but every Tom Dick and Harry of a service is emailing me to say how they care, HSBC, Sainsbury's, Hargreaves & Landsdown (ah ah ah), etc and the message further down is that their staff can't cope.

[Theo]

Have you thought that they might need to social distance their staff while restocking the shelves? And they might be down staff due to them self isolating, needing to stay home to look after the kids, being sick?

Hint: it's not all about you.

Theo

[michael adams]

No Theo it's not all about me. It's about all the other customers crammed into supermarkets during fewer hours of opening.

Same number of customers but fewer hours of opening = more congested supermarkets with less floorspace per person. And that goes for everyone

As to staff there's nothing stopping Asda or anyone else hiring more staff if they need them if only temporarily. As there should be no shortage of willing candidated available

Hint: except of course the cost.

michael adams

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[Max Demian]

the first hour is NHS and oldies, so the former can infect the latter to reduce pension/NHS bills.

[Richard]

You seem to have an abundance of time. Get off your arse and help instead of constantly whining.

[michael adams]

Who are you to tell me I should stop whining ?

And I'm not whining in any case. My criticism of Asda is fully justified.

Just because people like you allow the likes of Asda to trample all over you, that doesn't mean everyone else should do the same.

If you think Asda are so wonderful, then you go and work for them.

Assuming that is, that you are actually allowed to serve members of the public.

michael adams

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[Pamela]

These posters now stirring up panic, not long ago were repeatedly assuring us Covid is no worse than seasonal flu.

[Richard]

You are constantly whining. Grow some balls and tackle the panic buyers if you are so dissatisfied. It is not the store owners or staff who are to blame.

[spuorgelgoog]

Elderly and Disabled people will already usually have a Bus pass, Blue badge or Railcard. NHS staff have an ID card.

The bus passes are contactless so a card reader at the entrance of each store, allowing each card to be scanned once in 24 hours and producing a ticket valid for 1 hour at the checkout, would prevent multiple-use misuse. And there are going to be a lot of buses off the road, so some machines will be available at short notice.

As well as the max 4 per item, introducing baskets only or max transaction of £30 (which not coincidentally is the max value for contactless payment) would also help stop panic buyers.

I think the situation is improving though. This afternoon both Aldi and Asda had some milk, cheese, bread left. Not much meat, but Aldi had reasonable stocks of veg. Didn't notice toilet roll.

Owain