Supermarkets and Covid-19

[Jamesrob637]

I suspect the may get a fair number volunteering to work too, especially if they are offering enhanced payment - despite what the media tries to say, not everyone likes christmas and many single people particularly would prefer to work over it and have the time off when it suits them,

I had one job where I had to take the three working days between Christmas and New Year as annual leave. Left that job after two years. The first year wasn't as bad since I only joined the company in December so had three days of annual leave in addition to all my "midyear" leave at my previous job. The second year I was with my former partner and her family then I went to see some of my own family between Christmas and New Year so again not too bad. But after that it began to grate me if I had to do so every year as I cherish midyear leave for holidays and work is quiet over the festive period anyway.

Back to supermarkets, well done to those deciding to close. Now why can't it be everybody, COVID or no COVID? Like in the good old days?!

 

[Hadders]

Nailing my flag to the mast I'd rather supermarkets closed on Boxing Day however they have opened on this day for more than 20 years so I don't see it changing anytime soon. In my experience getting staff to volunteer for Boxing Day is relatively straightforward, I always found New Years Day a much harder day to cover when I was responsible for managing supermarkets.

Key points to bear in mind:

- Staffing and management schedules will have been prepared some time in advance. Changing at this late stage won't be easy, I wouldn't be surprised if many Asda staff end up having to work even though the stores themselves will be closed
- Supply Chain is one of the biggest issues, this has impact on depots and suppliers, especially for fresh food. Not ideal with a no-deal Brexit later the same week
- The Government decision on Christmas arrangements really is too late in the day for supermarkets to re-work staffing plans for
- If staff have agreed to work for premium pay (usually double time plus time off in lieu) then how does that look if supermarkets turn round and say we no longer need you

Boxing Day is reasonably busy in supermarkets, pushing this trade into Sunday 27th is not ideal from a social distancing capacity point of view as supermarkets can only trade for 6 hours on Sundays. Bear in mind that many people treat shopping as a leisure activity - I know most of us on here wonder why they do, but they do and they will be out on force on Boxing Day.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Is it maybe an idea to lengthen opening hours for Sunday 27th only? Mind you a fair few shop workers rely on public transport which does not exist at 7am on a Sunday.

 

[Hadders]

Is it maybe an idea to lengthen opening hours for Sunday 27th only? Mind you a fair few shop workers rely on public transport which does not exist at 7am on a Sunday.

That needs the law to be changed.

Again, staffing schedules and supply chain schedules will have been in place weeks if not months ago. Changing at this late stage really isn't feasible.

 

[Butts]

That needs the law to be changed.

Again, staffing schedules and supply chain schedules will have been in place weeks if not months ago. Changing at this late stage really isn't feasible.

Not in Scotland - ST far more flexible.

 

[ChrisC]

I won't be lobbying my local supermarket (Tesco as it happens) either way. Myself, I would not want or need to shop on Boxing Day for anything. I would not complain if shops were forced to close - as per Easter Sunday (shops over a certain size under the Sunday Trading laws).

Perhaps I’m just behind the times, but I have never ever been inside a shop on Boxing Day. It’s not something that I have ever considered. I always make sure that I get enough food in the house before Christmas and it is usually not until around 29th or 30th December that I will go to a small local supermarket to top up on milk and other fresh food items before New Year. Perhaps I’m totally different to most other people.

 

[Hadders]

Perhaps I’m just behind the times, but I have never ever been inside a shop on Boxing Day. It’s not something that I have ever considered. I always make sure that I get enough food in the house before Christmas and it is usually not until around 29th or 30th December that I will go to a small local supermarket to top up on milk and other fresh food items before New Year. Perhaps I’m totally different to most other people.

There are many people like you but there are even more who go out shopping.

I predict lots of news reports on Boxing Day from shopping areas reporting on the sales...

 

[Butts]

But where do you draw the line ?

What about Pubs and Clubs, Cinemas etc in normal times - people have to work in them.

 

[DelayRepay]

When I was a student I worked for a supermarket, and was always happy to work Boxing Day for double pay.

We were never really busy, but we were in a shopping centre where lots of shops would start their sales, so the centre was very busy, car parks full etc. I remember one year, I was starting at 5am on Boxing Day, and when I arrived at work at 4:30 there were already people queueing outside in the rain for the Next sale. Madness, I thought.

 

[trainophile]

This year is one of those awkward ones that come around every so often (sorry I can't calculate the frequency but I remember them from working in the drinks industry), when Christmas Day is on a Friday so real Boxing Day is Saturday, Sunday is a nothing day and official Boxing Day is Monday, so in the old days it was quite possible that nothing was open between about 4:00pm on Thursday and the following Tuesday morning, by which time most people will need supplies of the basic food items.

Or possibly not if everyone still goes mental and buys enough food for a fortnight!

 

[SurreyCommuter]

I can remember when I was younger the appeal of working bank holidays in retail as a student. My first year on the job I volunteered for New Years Day as it was double pay and only Sunday opening hours (10am-4pm). I should point out that this was in a large DIY store not a supermarket but we opened at 10am and didn't have a customer in the store till around 12.30. Therefore foolishly the next year I volunteered for New Years Day again only to turn up at 9.30am with a bit of a hangover to find a queue of customers outside who were wondering why we were only open Sunday hrs. I never worked Boxing Day though (or shopped the sales) as I was usually playing football or doing something with the family. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing supermarkets and other chain stores stay closed on Boxing Day every year but would be surprised if it ever happened.

 

[david1212]

This year is one of those awkward ones that come around every so often (sorry I can't calculate the frequency but I remember them from working in the drinks industry), when Christmas Day is on a Friday so real Boxing Day is Saturday, Sunday is a nothing day and official Boxing Day is Monday, so in the old days it was quite possible that nothing was open between about 4:00pm on Thursday and the following Tuesday morning, by which time most people will need supplies of the basic food items.

Or possibly not if everyone still goes mental and buys enough food for a fortnight!

Go back 50ish years at least in smaller towns I guess most shops would not reopen until Tuesday. Any that opened on Monday would be reduced hours e.g. 10:00 - 16:00. In an area one duty chemist probably would be open most likely just two or four hours. There were not the chain convenience stores like now open 14 - 18 hours a day.

Not strictly supermarkets but sales once started 2nd January not Boxing Day.

Back one year towards the end of the 1990's I went to the nearest city centre New Years Day expecting the major / chain shops to be open and reasonably busy. I recall primarily it was very quiet and only a limited number of shops open.


Yesterday I went to two local town centres. Generally little queuing. At the first queuing at Waitrose but surprisingly not Sainsburys. At the other only Marks & Spencer. Of non-supermarkets a couple of people waiting outside some banks, building societies and small stores.

 

[Hardcastle]

Not in Scotland - ST far more flexible.

The reason we dont have longer opening in England & Wales on Sundays is because Sturgeon & co blocked it they worked out the Scottish workers would have their overtime benefits reduced if it applied to the whole UK.

 

[Jamesrob637]

This year is one of those awkward ones that come around every so often (sorry I can't calculate the frequency but I remember them from working in the drinks industry), when Christmas Day is on a Friday so real Boxing Day is Saturday, Sunday is a nothing day and official Boxing Day is Monday, so in the old days it was quite possible that nothing was open between about 4:00pm on Thursday and the following Tuesday morning, by which time most people will need supplies of the basic food items.

Or possibly not if everyone still goes mental and buys enough food for a fortnight!

The last time was 2015. Only five years have passed, but make it seven days due to two leap years (2016 and this year). The next time should be 2026.

 

[Butts]

The reason we dont have longer opening in England & Wales on Sundays is because Sturgeon & co blocked it they worked out the Scottish workers would have their overtime benefits reduced if it applied to the whole UK.

That caveat no longer applies with the majority of 80 odd

 

[trainophile]

Does Scotland still have 2nd Jan as a bank holiday as well as 1st?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Went to a supermarket yesterday for the first time in a while on a Saturday. No queue and was in/out within minutes. The only other time I went on a weekend was literally first thing on a Saturday, a month or so before. No queues then either, probably because many were only just rising or not yet even up. The previous time to that on a weekend was pre-COVID.

Debenhams had a queue outside yesterday but might have been predominantly people looking for bargains given it's closing down after Christmas.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Does Scotland still have 2nd Jan as a bank holiday as well as 1st?

Yes

 

[Jamesrob637]

Does Scotland still have 2nd Jan as a bank holiday as well as 1st?

It'll be the 4th as the 2nd falls on a Saturday this year.

 

[trainophile]

Right, so theoretically shops could be closed for even longer there then. Not that they will I guess.

 

[Butts]

Right, so theoretically shops could be closed for even longer there then. Not that they will I guess.

Most Supermarkets are normally closed New Years day up here , unlike England.

 

[route101]

Most Supermarkets are normally closed New Years day up here , unlike England.

Most of them are open on New Years Day in Scotland, became the norm in last few years.

 

[DelayRepay]

I wonder what effect the possibility of a No Deal Brexit will have? If things aren't resolved by Christmas, I can see the shops being very busy for the few days between Christmas and New Year, as we see a return of panic buying in anticipation of Brexit food shortages, as well as the widely suggested Lockdown 3.0 in England.

 

[Smidster]

I wonder what effect the possibility of a No Deal Brexit will have? If things aren't resolved by Christmas, I can see the shops being very busy for the few days between Christmas and New Year, as we see a return of panic buying in anticipation of Brexit food shortages, as well as the widely suggested Lockdown 3.0 in England.

Whether we get a "deal" or not really won't make an awful lot of difference when it comes to disruption to the supply chain.

There will be disruption at the border, as customs are a necessary requirement of leaving the Single Market, and that isn't great when we have a supply chain reliant on just in time processes as well as much of our food being imported. It really doesn't take a genius to see the epic disaster that is about to unfold - Whatever you think about the rights and wrongs of Brexit it is a simple, inescapable, truth that there will be disruption.

I am certainly making sure I have a good supply of stuff in - partly as it will be the last time most of us will be able to afford / source fresh produce and partly because those first few weeks are going to be an absolute mess.

 

[317 forever]

This year is one of those awkward ones that come around every so often (sorry I can't calculate the frequency but I remember them from working in the drinks industry), when Christmas Day is on a Friday so real Boxing Day is Saturday, Sunday is a nothing day and official Boxing Day is Monday, so in the old days it was quite possible that nothing was open between about 4:00pm on Thursday and the following Tuesday morning, by which time most people will need supplies of the basic food items.

Or possibly not if everyone still goes mental and buys enough food for a fortnight!

It happens 4 times in 28 years with 1 extended gap due to a leap year, causing Christmas Day to fall on a Thursday then the following year a Saturday.

So, the most recent Friday Christmas Days have been 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998, 2009, 2015 and now 2020.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Very pleasantly surprised to just book a Tesco delivery slot for tomorrow - various time slots were available, not just the one. Either they have brought in some extra staff or there have been cancellations of orders following the announcement on Saturday by Our Dear Leader, Flu Come Quickly. Certainly there have been no slots available for 20-24th December for a good while.

Pleased because, following the announcement, I am now stuck at home alone for Christmas (no sympathy required), but with no 'seasonal' stuff in the house (sympathy previously required). My Tesco delivery last Thursday having been adjusted to account for the fact that I was not expecting to be at my home over Christmas. The elderly mother has freezers full of food which she no longer has much need for. At least we were able to substantially reduce her Tesco order last night, ahead of delivery today.

Again the much maligned supermarkets step up to the plate and save the day.

 

[ASharpe]

Very pleasantly surprised to just book a Tesco delivery slot for tomorrow - various time slots were available, not just the one. Either they have brought in some extra staff or there have been cancellations of orders following the announcement on Saturday by Our Dear Leader, Flu Come Quickly. Certainly there have been no slots available for 20-24th December for a good while.

Pleased because, following the announcement, I am now stuck at home alone for Christmas (no sympathy required), but with no 'seasonal' stuff in the house (sympathy previously required). My Tesco delivery last Thursday having been adjusted to account for the fact that I was not expecting to be at my home over Christmas. The elderly mother has freezers full of food which she no longer has much need for. At least we were able to substantially reduce her Tesco order last night, ahead of delivery today.

Again the much maligned supermarkets step up to the plate and save the day.

On the one hand less mixing means smaller than average xmas baskets so they can pick more and put more on a van and on the other there is a hint of (rather pointless) Brexit+covid stockpiling.

Edit: and now we shut off from France...

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Just had my Tesco delivery and a quick conversation with the driver.

He had just had a woman in tears, handing back her turkey, because her children couldn't visit.

I just hope the people in charge (supposedly), really believe it is worth what they have done to the people of this country.

I will never forgive nor ever forget.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Just had my Tesco delivery and a quick conversation with the driver.

He had just had a woman in tears, handing back her turkey, because her children couldn't visit.

I just hope the people in charge (supposedly), really believe it is worth what they have done to the people of this country.

I will never forgive nor ever forget.

Two of us have spent a few weeks being extra careful so we could go to my parents who are ultra careful.

That's up the swanny so on Sunday I had to break the law to take bag of presents to their house and to pick some up. Before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, the collection was from their boot and my delivery was in to their boot. I spoke to them briefly from the driveway and left.

1 - I am a criminal for doing this
2 - My mother was in tears after I left

I want to be able to live my life; what right has Hancock and co. unqualified people who I'm sure will find their way to have a relatively normal Christmas to tell me I can't act responsibly in my own right.

If I saw one of them I don't know if I could hold myself back.

 

[Darandio]

I'm really unhappy with Sainsburys today by coming out and explicitly listing products that will be in short supply if the border situation continues. By all means the head of retail should be pushing the government privately for solutions, but coming out in the open in this way does nothing more than incite panic buying. Completely unneccesary and irresponsible.