Ive noticed shoppers starting to become a little more aggressive

Hooty

If you forget something at our Tesco, a member of staff nips and fetches it for you, they seem to have staff in each aisle ready to guide and assist.

There is usually police presence in our local Tesco store, think there has been a few "bust ups" recently.

I’m avoiding our local Tesco store. (It’s a large Extra one.) There is queuing to get in (all round the car park) but then once inside it’s one way only. So if you forget something you can’t go back for it. Then you have to keep back from the person in front, so if they stop to look at something you can’t walk on past you have to stop too. I’m not walking all round the store up and down every aisle when I only want a few essential items. If I wanted to do a big shop I could tolerate it I suppose, but it all sounds a bit OTT to me.

GabriellaG54, my DH usually makes our bread (in a machine) and is beginning to feel a bit surplus to requirements as we can't get flour. Still, Tesco's Seeded Batch Loaf at 79p is rather nice... don't tell him I said so, though!

Should read. 'but flour' seems...

That's good news gulligranny buyout seems to have disappeared from most shopping areas.
On my Nextdoor app someone posted about a roadside stall being set up and flour and yeast would be available amongst other foodstuffs.
Maybe these entrepreneurs buy in bulk, something you and I could or would not do.

Just back from a Tesco shop (only going every 2 weeks) - the hour between 9-10 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays is for elderly/vulnerable. Got there at 5 to 9, didn't have to queue to get in, everyone was observing the rules and the staff were smiling and cheerful. Of course no flour (where is it all, surely not that many people are baking their own bread and cakes??) and no handwash, but I got everything else on my list and back home by ten past 10 - a miracle!

DH shopped last night at 7pm, straight walk into the store and everything but lettuce and sunflower oil available.
We always shop on a Monday or Tuesday night as they seem to be less popular than weekends.
He has never mentioned any problems with other shoppers.

Can I add my thanks to Bijou ? Her experiences of 1946/47 really put our whinging to shame. DH was born in October 46 and rememberers his mother saying how tough it was that winter. to Bijou.

Bijou
I quite understand and that is why I can't fathom the complaints in almost all the threads here, about food, queues, medicine, not seeing family or going out etc.
Compared to your story, we've never had it so good. Men were away at war for years. Whole towns were bombed. Some people lost everything. We can't even make 3 weeks without moaning.

icanhandthemback
It's a pity that the posters on the jogger thread don't have your slant on it.
They are giving no thought to the fact that joggers and cyclists may well have hidden disabilities.

Shops don't prosecute unless it's more than £200 and as it happened on store premises it will be up to the store.
As you were reimbursed and compensated at the time, you will not be awarded anything as you lost nothing.

Waitrose and M&S have staff who sanitise the trolleys and keep the recently 'used' ones separate until they've been cleaned. Likewise Tesco. I've not heard or seen any arguments or aggression at all, inside or out side those shops. It's a civil area.

That’s deplorable BelindaB. How awful, I hope you reported him. Just because we have an emergency, doesn’t mean we have to eat what we don’t like, unless we’re on the bones of our backsides, and there’s a choice between eating it or dying. At the moment, I don’t think we’re quite there yet, and you’ve been thoughtful enough to leave it for someone who DOES like it. My shopping experience this afternoon was much better than it’s been in the mornings, and I’ll stick to it from now on.

Just this morning - and for the first time in my long life - I have raised my voice to a supermarket worker. Sainsbury's in West End Lane, N.London. I went in for a loaf of fresh bread. Could'nt see any. On my way out, saw 3 (full) bread pallets (the large brown plastic ones) on the floor by the door. Asked if the bread was just being delivered. This chap said yes and if I wanted one, to help myself. I am 73, disabled and use a walking stick so could not move the top one. I asked him for help and he came over and lifted a corner, asking me what I wanted. I said ideally, thier own brand or Hovis wholemeal. He pointed to another brand and said that was all they had. I thanked him and said no, I'd tried it in the past and didn't like it. He then became very indignant and started to yell at me!

Didn't I know what was going on in the world? I should read the newspaper more often and buy the bread and be grateful there was anything at all available...!!!!!

At which point I completely lost it and bellowed back that if it had got so bad that I was being bullied into buying something I didn't want, just so I could go home and throw it away, I'd shop elsewhere! I also called him a stupid man.

I am not proud of losing my temper and won't be using that store again. Ever.

Yes, Calendargirl. We have click and collect, if you want to do a 40 minute journey at 2am! I think I’d be unsafe in other ways then. I’m actually going to go back to shopping in the afternoon , starting today. I’ve done this for years as it’s always more civilised at that time, but couldn’t do it when I had to pick children up from school. I think our Sainsbury’s are very good generally, apart from the glitch I spoke of up thread. I always prefer to shop myself if I can, and hopefully will be better later in the day. I’ll see. I don’t go in small corner type shops, as in my experience, they’re too busy.

I feel so fortunate as I live in a small village and since this started I haven’t been near a a town or a large supermarket. I have been shopping in local villages and their shops have not had any shortages to speak of. They have always offered home deliveries too.

Longdistancegranny

What a cheek some have! She would not have been able to do that at our Tesco, the queue is carefully managed, exit is separate to the entrance, and trolleys are handed out by staff after having been cleaned.

It is often older people who seem to have no concept of queueing, social distancing and just following guidelines really.

What have they all got to do when they get home that is so urgent?.

Being relatively young (mid 60s!) I am happy to walk to town and queue at my usual supermarket - especially when the sun is shining, and I have done some shopping for others who for various reasons could not get out. All has been fairly well disciplined so far, and shelves reasonably well stocked. When I have finished I phone my husband and he comes down in the car to collect me and help deliver the various shopping bags. Whilst I was waiting for him the other day an elderly lady started chatting to me - pointing out the queue. I told her that there was a special time for older people to shop but she said she couldn't get up that early! Then she muttered something about not wanting to queue, and I turned round to see her walk as bold as brass through the queue, collect a trolley, and walk straight in through the exit door - no-one challenged her! Good luck to her - but I am not sure I would have been happy if I had been waiting in the queue for 40 mins or so and she just sailed in! In our local area local churches and charities have got together and are happily doing shopping for vulnerable or shielding people and delivering it to their doors, as well as picking up prescriptions etc. so there is really no need for elderly or vulnerable people to struggle with shopping.

Why are you amazed that people are still going to the shops Hetty58?

Many cannot get online deliveries, even sharing with neighbours, and click and collect is not available in many places. I read that someone was driving 50 miles to get their click and collect, can that be right? Hardly essential journey.

I've been getting to my Waitrose for opening time. Sometimes a very long queue, out of the car park and down the street but whenever I've been there I have never seen any poor behaviour in the queue or in the shop.

I went to my local Tesco Extra store today for the first time since lockdown. Have to say was very impressed with the staff, way the store was laid out etc. There were some of the usual idiots who were going the wrong way down the wrong but I expect that they usually do that with car parks etc anyway.
I did say as they went past they they obviously can't see or gave them the "death stare". Knowing that it is quite well organised gives me more confidence to go again when necessary

Nona4ever Haha love the patient cat ?

I have been thinking about shop assistants and how many of them have been ill or worse with this virus. I have seen reports about Bus Drivers and Postal staff but no mention of shop staff who are doing a great job in my opinion.

Managed to get an online order today. I had hardly any food left and was bracing myself to go to the supermarket. I think I would be considered a risk if I caught CV19 so am glad that for now I don't have to go.