Forum Topic

Social Distancing in Shops

Just isn't happening !People queue outside with 2m space between them, but as soon as they get in the shop all that goes out the window. I've just got back from Waitrose and 2 notable people, a man and a woman clearly unrelated, were sauntering past other shoppers with maybe 6/8 inches between them. The woman was particularly obnoxious when an elderly lady, even older than me, said to this woman please stay 2m away. This woman rounded on the senior citizen telling her not be so stupid and that she didnt have time for this keeping 2m apart in a shop. Breathtakingly selfish and irresponsible and a real danger to other people !Is it now appropriate for shops to have Marshals in store to advise their customers to observe the 2m rule ?Personally I don't care if it takes me a little longer to shop because we're an even longer time ill with Coronavirus or, heaven forbid, dead !

Loraine Pemberton ● 2399d9 Comments

These people are not only ignorant,and selfish- I hope they don't get it.

Helen Bamberger ● 2399d

I totally agree Loraine. The shops should hire extra staff to specifically keep an eye out for those idiots flouting the strong guidelines.

Georgina Flint ● 2399d

Was shopping for my friend and when at the check out realise someone had been close enough to take the milk from my trolley, luckily they got another one for me or I would have had to wait again to pay, so keep watch on your shopping.

Janice Evans ● 2399d

I don’t really see how you can stay 2m apart when shopping up and down in the aisles of even large supermarkets when people can walk in opposite directions towards each other and are looking for items on shelves sometimes not finding them and doubling back only to find people behind you. They could have a one way system which might help but the truth is we can only do our best and obviously 6 to 8 inches is not that. If someone is too close it’s probably best not to move away and not to talk to them.

Michael David Rowe ● 2399d

The large Tescos at Osterley does have One Way signs and arrows on the floors. The only snag is a large number of customers either can't read or (more likely) couldn't care less.

Colin Jordan ● 2399d

'The woman was particularly obnoxious when an elderly lady, even older than me, said to this woman please stay 2m away.'Clearly completely unacceptable behaving like this, we should be giving older people more, not less space. However, going to a supermarket at 5pm on the start of a bank holiday weekend seems to be asking for trouble/risk, especially for the elderly.

Rob Reynolds ● 2399d

Poundland have a queue but staff and not standing 2 meters away from each other.

Chris Lucy ● 2398d

I agree that it is very difficult to social distance once inside. I find navigating the supermarket difficult at the best of times  ( I am 77)and often do a U turn because Ive spotted something on the other side or forget where I am. One way aisles would help but only if the aisles are wide enough Chiswick Sainsbury's too narrow but Richmond much better. There is no danger in passing someone if they are not talking and have their mouth shut and yourself similar so please don't chat on your mobile or with your partner/children unnecessarily. Another don't - don't pick something up off the shelf and then put it back you may have contaminated it if you're asymptomatic. So glad Sainsbury's have at last done something to protect check out staff exactly what I had designed in my mind the moment it all started but they remain of course at risk as exposed to viral load like health workers.

Paul Hughes-Smith ● 2398d

Remarkably few cars in Sainsbury's car park today (Sunday), and no queue to get in! Then I realised, from the closed shutters, that it was that unique event in the Christian ecclesiastical calendar - Sainsbury's clausus est!

Peter Evans ● 2397d