Supermarkets and Covid-19

[Mojo]

Was most amused to be driving past Co-op this afternoon to see that their hallowed traffic light system was faulty. Despite the signs plastered over the entrance area instructing would-be customers to wait outside if the "RED" light is shown, both lights were extinguished and there was a confused looking engineer stood outside scratching his head.

 

[Mag_seven]

Despite the signs plastered over the entrance area instructing would-be customers to wait outside if the "RED" light is shown, both lights were extinguished and there was a confused looking engineer stood outside scratching his head.

They should have a "fail safe" system where you do not go in the the shop if the light is "RED" or "Not Illuminated"

 

[birchesgreen]

Was most amused to be driving past Co-op this afternoon to see that their hallowed traffic light system was faulty. Despite the signs plastered over the entrance area instructing would-be customers to wait outside if the "RED" light is shown, both lights were extinguished and there was a confused looking engineer stood outside scratching his head.

The local nuclear power station must have taken it's warning system back.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Was most amused to be driving past Co-op this afternoon to see that their hallowed traffic light system was faulty. Despite the signs plastered over the entrance area instructing would-be customers to wait outside if the "RED" light is shown, both lights were extinguished and there was a confused looking engineer stood outside scratching his head.

Perhaps he was looking for the red light area?

 

[Jamiescott1]

The queueing system is back at my local sainsburys.
Got caught trying to sneak in.

 

[DB]

The queueing system is back at my local sainsburys.
Got caught trying to sneak in.

Why have they brought it back if they'd got rid of it? Hope Tesco doesn't do the same.

 

[Butts]

My local Sainsburys still has the barriers and a person outside the entrance but I've not had to queue for a few weeks. Cycle parking is still being used for trolley storage. Inside there are frequent announcements which include telling people to wear face masks. I expect it's the same recording as used in English stores. They are heavily promoting the scan as you shop system.

I wonder what the announcements are in Welsh Stores where masks are not compulsory ?

 

[Jamiescott1]

One thing I've noticed the few times I've been in sainsburys is the supply chain issues. They have by far more empty shelves than other supermarkets

 

[Mcr Warrior]

One thing I've noticed the few times I've been in sainsburys is the supply chain issues. They have by far more empty shelves than other supermarkets

Perhaps they are adopting their subsidiary company Argos's stock replenishment system. You'll now need to click and collect your tin of tomatoes four hours in advance!

Seriously, in food retail, you can't sell what's not on the shelves.

 

[takno]

One thing I've noticed the few times I've been in sainsburys is the supply chain issues. They have by far more empty shelves than other supermarkets

They always have done. I think it's a shelf replenishment problem rather than a supply chain one, since it seems highly dependent on time of day

 

[fraser158]

In the Tesco I work in, and I believe all of them, we don’t have automated announcements and we haven’t been making manual announcements about face coverings.

There is a new Scottish Statutory Instrument which gives local authorities similar powers as they have been given in England. I hope that no councils take exception to measures which shops have removed.

*Edit*
I should say, none of them have automated announcements but I don’t know if any others do manual ones.

 

[Meerkat]

One thing I've noticed the few times I've been in sainsburys is the supply chain issues. They have by far more empty shelves than other supermarkets

AIUI that is due to cutting too many staff so they can’t restock. It is ridiculous - sometimes their stores look looted!

 

[takno]

AIUI that is due to cutting too many staff so they can’t restock. It is ridiculous - sometimes their stores look looted!

In all fairness I think part of the problem is that they are often trying to sell up to 5 times as many lines as other supermarkets in the same amount of shelf space, and it's not easy to keep that stocked, even down to the level of making an accurate pick list and finding the right boxes in the storeroom

 

[yorksrob]

I visited Sainsbury's today and they seem to have stopped selling the small tins of tomatoes. They had an entire shelf unit full of the normal sized tins, but they couldn't find space for the small ones apparently !

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I visited Sainsbury's today and they seem to have stopped selling the small tins of tomatoes. They had an entire shelf unit full of the normal sized tins, but they couldn't find space for the small ones apparently !

Could simply be a hangover from the panic buying / sensible stockpiling back in March. Have they had small tins in stock since March?

In Tesco, single pints of milk have re-appeared, but not single pints of organic.

It is to do with not slowing down to change the processing machinery (large bottles to smaller bottles) at a time when the production line is under pressure to maintain volumes to meet demand or cope with fewer staff through distancing etc.

Has anyone noticed any shortages of processed foods due to COVID outbreaks resulting in temporary plant closures? Individual quiches are hard to come by in Tesco but it could just be my local store and my picking time for delivery.

 

[nlogax]

Back in Glasgow this week and the local Aldi is showing real signs of lethargy in keeping to the rules I remember them implementing in the back spring.

- No enforced queues outside
- 2m floor tape mostly worn off and not replaced
- No-one really distancing or pausing to let others pick stuff off shelves
- Any pretence of a one-way system gone out of the window

Masks are worn by nearly everyone and some are making use of the trolley cleaning stuff and sanitizer at the entrance. It all works just fine. Life on the literal shop floor appears to be moving on regardless, and no, no shortages of anything.

 

[Bikeman78]

I wonder what the announcements are in Welsh Stores where masks are not compulsory ?

To clarify, this was in Cardiff! There are also numerous signs asking people to wear them.

 

[yorksrob]

Could simply be a hangover from the panic buying / sensible stockpiling back in March. Have they had small tins in stock since March?

They had them up until a couple of weeks ago, but the gap in the shelf has gone, and they're not on the website either !

 

[DannyMich2018]

I'm lucky as in my town we have all the "Big Four" supermarkets. Plus Aldi and Lidl although I don't shop at either of these. Morrisons is far the best with cafe', all counters open exc Self service salad bar. Sainburys very disappointing, all counters inc bakery counter and pizza still closed after more than 5 months now, cafe closed, Argos partly open. Bizarrely despite very little custom they opened travel money counter!! only recently recycling area re opened. Although not a supermarket Wilkos looks like its closing with how empty the shelves are always.

 

[Mojo]

I'm lucky as in my town we have all the "Big Four" supermarkets. Plus Aldi and Lidl although I don't shop at either of these. Morrisons is far the best with cafe', all counters open exc Self service salad bar. Sainburys very disappointing, all counters inc bakery counter and pizza still closed after more than 5 months now, cafe closed, Argos partly open. Bizarrely despite very little custom they opened travel money counter!! only recently recycling area re opened. Although not a supermarket Wilkos looks like its closing with how empty the shelves are always.

I’ve noticed that. Wilko seem to be having really bad supply chain issues at the moment. I saw a sign up in one of their shops the other day saying they are sorry, but it didn’t really give an explanation.

 

[37424]

I'm lucky as in my town we have all the "Big Four" supermarkets. Plus Aldi and Lidl although I don't shop at either of these. Morrisons is far the best with cafe', all counters open exc Self service salad bar. Sainburys very disappointing, all counters inc bakery counter and pizza still closed after more than 5 months now, cafe closed, Argos partly open. Bizarrely despite very little custom they opened travel money counter!! only recently recycling area re opened. Although not a supermarket Wilkos looks like its closing with how empty the shelves are always.

Sainsbury's Cafe will start to reopen in September, a few will not reopen at all and the space will be used for other purposes, more Argos SAS store will reopen in September those that don't its still TBD as to whether they will reopen, I don't know whats happening regarding bakery counters etc.

 

[Bletchleyite]

One thing I've noticed the few times I've been in sainsburys is the supply chain issues. They have by far more empty shelves than other supermarkets

I've found them (at least the MK one) to have atrocious stock control for years. Tesco always have what I want, pretty much, Sainsburys far too often not.

 

[Karl]

I visited Sainsbury's today and they seem to have stopped selling the small tins of tomatoes. They had an entire shelf unit full of the normal sized tins, but they couldn't find space for the small ones apparently !

Oh I love tinned tomatoes on toast. I simply buy a normal sized tin and use half the tin and put the rest in the fridge for the next day. You've made me hungry now. Top of my shopping list tomorrow from Morrisons

 

[yorksrob]

Oh I love tinned tomatoes on toast. I simply buy a normal sized tin and use half the tin and put the rest in the fridge for the next day. You've made me hungry now. Top of my shopping list tomorrow from Morrisons

I know, they're wonderful !

Personally I don't like having things sitting around in the fridge, because then I'm committed to eating them before they go off.

 

[Hadders]

Couple of things to note:

- small tins of tomatoes - these are canned once a year following harvest so at this time of year supplies often run low, aided and abetted by panic buying earlier in the year. They will be back but supermarkets will be waiting for new stock following this years harvest
- Queueing - supermarkets generally increased the of customers allowed in at any one time after guidance moved to 1m+ and face coverings were mandated. This meant that it was rare for customers to have to queue to enter unless your local supermarket happens to have a very high number of customers for its size. With this week being a bank holiday weekend trade is up on normal which might explain why it has been necessary to queue to enter some supermarkets.

 

[yorksrob]

Couple of things to note:

- small tins of tomatoes - these are canned once a year following harvest so at this time of year supplies often run low, aided and abetted by panic buying earlier in the year. They will be back but supermarkets will be waiting for new stock following this years harvest
- Queueing - supermarkets generally increased the of customers allowed in at any one time after guidance moved to 1m+ and face coverings were mandated. This meant that it was rare for customers to have to queue to enter unless your local supermarket happens to have a very high number of customers for its size. With this week being a bank holiday weekend trade is up on normal which might explain why it has been necessary to queue to enter some supermarkets.

Thanks for the explanation.

Out of interest, when is the tomato harvest ?

 

[Busaholic]

Out of interest, when is the tomato harvest ?

And does it coincide with the spaghetti harvest?

 

[yorksrob]

And does it coincide with the spaghetti harvest?

Yes, I should check the back episodes of Nationwide to see if they've done a report on the matter !

 

[Busaholic]

Yes, I should check the back episodes of Nationwide to see if they've done a report on the matter !

Richard Dimbleby on 'Panorama' I believe but even I'm too young to remember seeing it at the time!

 

[yorksrob]

Richard Dimbleby on 'Panorama' I believe but even I'm too young to remember seeing it at the time!

I've seen clips of it - I knew it was one such programme.

The thing is, how do they get it to grow into those little hoops