Supermarkets and Covid-19

[Mag_seven]

I wonder if we could get back to the topic of Supermarkets and Covid.

Thank you

 

[Mag_seven]

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 unnecessary and irresponsible.

Agreed - the worst thing you can do is to state "do not panic buy" because that is certain to kick it all off!

For the record was round at my local Morrisons this morning - no sign of shelves being emptied.

 

[adc82140]

I'm off to a medium sized Co op in an hour or so. Wish me luck. I'll report back.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

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.

I'm happy for a business to start telling the truth.

In 2020 Britain it makes a refreshing change. The more the better, time to #take back control.

I'd rather know the truth than it be kept private, known to a few in a priveliged position (and their mates briefed off the record), who will all then discreetly make the necessary arrangements and stuff the plebs.

If the truth is that there will be a shortage of salad leaves and brocolli in a couple of days time, then the public have the right to know. The fact that they will respond by stampeding the supermarkets is a sad indictment of that section of the population who are totally incapable of making even the slightest adjustment to their routine. If there is NO food in the supermarket it is a problem, if there is no broccoli it really ought to be lower than even a minor inconvenience. If it bothers someone that much not to have any, they could have bought frozen two weeks ago!

Do you think that the government will blame themselves, the French, the hauliers or the supermarkets for 'being unprepared' and in which order?

As to a solution, well, unaccompanied freight is not restricted.
1) ship it in containers.
2) put the whole truck on to the shuttle through the tunnel without the driver, send the tractor unit back with a trailer, it requires a supply of drivers at each terminal to load / unload - just as they do with those ships for new cars being imported/exported.
3) put the whole truck onto the existing ferries which are running normally as far as I have seen.
4) tug just the trailer onto the ferries, as happens elsewhere - but that will require many tugs and trailer yards - neither in large supply at Dover port itself.

In option 1, the goods are dealt with well away from the ports.
In options 2 to 4, the trailers could be shuttled by a pre-approved set of drivers and tractor units to Manston for customs clearance. It's not as though some highly paid but under delivering experts haven't been studying and planning for this eventuality for a couple of years.

 

[Ianno87]

I'm happy for a business to start telling the truth.

In 2020 Britain it makes a refreshing change. The more the better, time to #take back control.

I'd rather know the truth than it be kept private, known to a few in a priveliged position (and their mates briefed off the record), who will all then discreetly make the necessary arrangements and stuff the plebs.

If the truth is that there will be a shortage of salad leaves and brocolli in a couple of days time, then the public have the right to know. The fact that they will respond by stampeding the supermarkets is a sad indictment of that section of the population who are totally incapable of making even the slightest adjustment to their routine. If there is NO food in the supermarket it is a problem, if there is no broccoli it really ought to be lower than even a minor inconvenience. If it bothers someone that much not to have any, they could have bought frozen two weeks ago!

Frankly, I'd be delighted with Chips and Gravy for my Christmas dinner, rather than obsess about "we must have parsnips".

However, my supermarket experience makes me worry for what some staff will be having to deal with in the next few days...

 

[notlob.divad]

As to a solution, well, unaccompanied freight is not restricted.
1) ship it in containers.
2) put the whole truck on to the shuttle through the tunnel without the driver, send the tractor unit back with a trailer, it requires a supply of drivers at each terminal to load / unload - just as they do with those ships for new cars being imported/exported.
3) put the whole truck onto the existing ferries which are running normally as far as I have seen.
4) tug just the trailer onto the ferries, as happens elsewhere - but that will require many tugs and trailer yards - neither in large supply at Dover port itself.

The problem with all those options is they cannot be implemented overnight, it would take time to put the nessesary plans in place. Now if we were genuinely ready for a No-deal Brexit at the end of the year, those plans would be in place by now. But we are not ready and as a result, a similar amount of chaos caused by this Covid-19 has brought everything to a stand.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Frankly, I'd be delighted with Chips and Gravy for my Christmas dinner, rather than obsess about "we must have parsnips".

However, my supermarket experience makes me worry for what some staff will be having to deal with in the next few days...

I do feel for the frontline staff. Christmas can be be mayhem anyway, if there are shortages on top it will not help, but people (in this case customers) really need to mange their expectations and point their blame / anger in the right direction rather than simply taking it out on the nearest staff member - most likely on minimum wage and zero hours and in exactly the same boat.

I was thinking of sprout (singular) mounted on a deep bed of Philadelphia, laying on a Jacobs Cracker. But now Tesco have delivered my pack of Finest Roast Turkey Slices (4), use by 26 December.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Dec 2020 ==

The problem with all those options is they cannot be implemented overnight, it would take time to put the nessesary plans in place. Now if we were genuinely ready for a No-deal Brexit at the end of the year, those plans would be in place by now. But we are not ready and as a result, a similar amount of chaos caused by this Covid-19 has brought everything to a stand.

When was the Brexit vote?
How long have we had a new virus with unknown properties?
How much have we spaffed up the wall on consultants, contingency plans, Brexit lorry parks still not finished 10 days before they are potentially essential.

Boris, Boris, there's hot water running down the stairs, can you not even run a bath for me, screamed Carrie.

 

[notlob.divad]

When was the Brexit vote?
How long have we had a new virus with unknown properties?
How much have we spaffed up the wall on consultants, contingency plans, Brexit lorry parks still not finished 10 days before they are potentially essential.

Boris, Boris, there's hot water running down the stairs, can you not even run a bath for me, screamed Carrie.

Oh I fully agree. It is cluster**** upon cluster****, and there is no way I am making any excuse for any of it.

 

[Jamesrob637]

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.

I visited a Sainsbury's and an Aldi today - technically twice to Aldi as I forgot something but realised whilst in Sainsbury's. The Aldi had a minuscule queue the first time - barely ten people and two minutes - Sainsbury's had no queue! The Aldi had only one person in front of me the second time which in my view does not constitute a queue.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

I have been going to our local Tesco (it's medium-sized: not extra but not express) regularly the past 4-5 weeks and have not had to queue once. They installed traffic lights outside about 2 months ago and every time I pass, or go to the shop, they're green. The shelves are always well stocked too (especially the bakery )

 

[adc82140]

Just back from Co op. No queue, it was quiet inside. I got everything I went in for, including fresh fruit. The lady on the checkout said there had been a good flow of people all day, but no bog roll bandits or indication of any other panic buying. Hallelujah people are finally seeing sense.

 

[TUC]

There is no evidence of supermarkets being significant sources of infection.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

There is no evidence of supermarkets being significant sources of infection.

Undoubtedly correct, but the virus obviously has to be circulating somehow.

My local medium sized Tesco not unduly busy today, and seemed well stocked in all departments, but there were however the usual queues at the tills at the adjacent "Quality Save" discount retail outlet.

 

[TUC]

Undoubtedly correct, but the virus obviously has to be circulating somehow.

My local medium sized Tesco not unduly busy today, and seemed well stocked, but there were the usual queues at the tills at the adjacent "Quality Save" discount retail outlet.

Remember the advice was about the infection risk being significant after 15 minutes of contact within 2m. That seems to have been forgotten. Most contact with other people in supermarkets is far too brief to be a problem.

The data show that the majority of infections arise in workplaces, care homes and educational establishments. What do they have in common? Extended indoor contact for multiple hours day after day.

 

[adc82140]

Remember the advice was about the infection risk being signifant after 15 minutes of contact within 2m. That seems to have been forgotten.

Went the same way as "flatten the curve" and "don't touch your face"

 

[DustyBin]

I've just popped out to the local Asda for some essentials and it wasn't overly busy. What did strike me though is how many people are no longer sanitisng their hands or trolly handles. I watched at least a dozen people simply walk past the cleaning station which wouldn't have happened a month or two ago. Although anecdotal it suggests to me that more and more people are fed up with the whole thing and can't be bothered with it anymore.

 

[317666]

I've just popped out to the local Asda for some essentials and it wasn't overly busy. What did strike me though is how many people are no longer sanitisng their hands or trolly handles. I watched at least a dozen people simply walk past the cleaning station which wouldn't have happened a month or two ago. Although anecdotal it suggests to me that more and more people are fed up with the whole thing and can't be bothered with it anymore.

It's interesting you say that as now that I think of it, I've noticed a lot less people using the hand sanitiser dispensers provided across the railway network.

 

[greyman42]

Constantly using hand sanitizer can lead to skin problems and perhaps some people are experiencing this, thus avoiding the sanitizer.

 

[DB]

Constantly using hand sanitizer can lead to skin problems and perhaps some people are experiencing this, thus avoiding the sanitizer.

I've noticed less use of it generally - much less common now to see people taking their sanitizer out if their pocket and spraying it on before going into every shop.

 

[bb21]

It's interesting you say that as now that I think of it, I've noticed a lot less people using the hand sanitiser dispensers provided across the railway network.

I carry my own supply with me around. I won't touch the store-provided ones as some of them dispense the sticky stuff which I find gross, and most stores seem to supply large tubs with dispenser heads you have to press, which are in a right disgusting state.

 

[Ianno87]

I carry my own supply with me around. I won't touch the store-provided ones as some of them dispense the sticky stuff which I find gross, and most stores seem to supply large tubs with dispenser heads you have to press, which are in a right disgusting state.

I've started to wonder how clean the dispensers are, with the number of people with (by definition) dirty hands touching the handles!

 

[birchesgreen]

I prefer to use my own i'm sure i'm not the only one.

 

[nlogax]

I've started to wonder how clean the dispensers are, with the number of people with (by definition) dirty hands touching the handles!

I’ve surprised myself with how useful my elbows appear to be at operating sanitizer dispensers or opening doors this year!

 

[yorksrob]

I prefer to use my own i'm sure i'm not the only one.

I prefer to use my own as well. It has Aloe Vera.

 

[trainophile]

I tend only to physically shop in my little local Co-op nowadays, and by the time I've faffed around putting my mask on outside the entrance, and organised myself to be able to carry a basket as well as my cross-body bag, I'm just wanting to get on with what I went in for, and do usually bypass the squirty stuff, as it's inconveniently placed and takes two hands to dispense (one to press the top and the other to receive the gel, or more often liquid). Also trying to tear off a length of blue paper to wipe it off with, you end up with the whole roll on the floor if you're not careful.

As for trolleys, someone on here I think pointed out that it has to be left on the handle for ten minutes and evaporate naturally to be effective, which is not at all practical, and presumably applies to baskets too.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I've just popped out to the local Asda for some essentials and it wasn't overly busy. What did strike me though is how many people are no longer sanitisng their hands or trolly handles. I watched at least a dozen people simply walk past the cleaning station which wouldn't have happened a month or two ago. Although anecdotal it suggests to me that more and more people are fed up with the whole thing and can't be bothered with it anymore.

ASDA have been applying trolley and basket handles with an anti-microbial treatment as used by the NHS. This has been publicised and may very well mean many people feel comfortable to avoid using the sanitiser stations.

 

[philjo]

Morrisons at 5pm did not have many customers and no queues at the checkouts. However the fruit &veg aisles were fairly empty. Not much soft fruit or salads available. Not seen so many empty fridges in the same aisle.

 

[kez19]

Had a queue at my local Sainsburys (not seen this in ages), mind you back in March it was my ASDA that had a long queue, at a guess the queue I seen today was down to being Christmas and plus shops closed Boxing Day onwards (lockdown)?

 

[DustyBin]

ASDA have been applying trolley and basket handles with an anti-microbial treatment as used by the NHS. This has been publicised and may very well mean many people feel comfortable to avoid using the sanitiser stations.

I did notice a sign about that actually although I’m not convinced it’s the reason people were bypassing the sanitising station (I can’t prove anything either way obviously).

I’ve used hand sanitiser for years but I try and limit myself. It’s easy to end up with a bit of OCD and as pointed out, it causes skin problems. It’s handy (no pun intended!) when you’re out and about and have touched a load of surfaces, can’t wash your hands and want to eat to something for example.

 

[TUC]

Morrisons at 5pm did not have many customers and no queues at the checkouts. However the fruit &veg aisles were fairly empty. Not much soft fruit or salads available. Not seen so many empty fridges in the same aisle.

It's quite common at this time of year for shelves to be emptying by early evening.