Experts say it may be time for grocery stores to ban customers from coming inside

[Baclava]

Source: CNN

New York (CNN Business) Dozens of grocery store workers have died from the coronavirus, despite masks, temperature checks and capacity restrictions to keep them safe. So far, supermarkets have resisted the most draconian policy: banning customers from coming inside.

However, some worker experts, union leaders and small grocery owners believe it has become too dangerous to let customers browse aisles, coming into close range with workers. Grocery stores are still flooded with customers, and experts say it's time for large chains to go "dark" to the public and convert to curbside pickup and home delivery for food and other essential goods.

"Careless customers" are "probably the biggest threat" to workers right now, according to Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers' union. The union said 85% of its grocery store member workers reported that customers are not practicing social distancing in stores.

"Anything that reduces the need for interaction with the public and allows for greater physical distancing will ultimately better protect grocery workers," said John Logan, professor and director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University. "Shuttering stores and repurposing them for pickup and delivery only would be a positive step.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/19/business/grocery-stores-coronavirus-pickup-delivery/index.html

---

I don't think that would go over well, at all

[LakeArenal]

1. Our grocery stores limit number of folks at a time.

Required two only per aisle.

Edit: also we have to wash
Our hands and they wipe cart down before you can take it into store.

[DENVERPOPS]

69. LOL, here in Denver

the Safeway I go to doesn't limit customers, and even more horrific, not a single one of their employees are wearing a mask, even the guy stocking the vegetables and fruit.

Small wonder everyone is going to King Soopers here in Denver. After 40 years of going to my local safeway, I have switched to King Soopers and will never step foot in a safeway again......

Of course after their merger with Albertsons they were pretty much circling the drain anyways.....

[LakeArenal]

72. Leadership sure makes a difference.

We are lucky.

[paleotn]

78. Wow!

In our local Hannaford this morning, all employees wore masks. The vast majority of customers as well, both younger and older. Limit of 155 people in the store at one time. Not sure how they enforce that, but at least it's acknowledged. Not many people in the store at 11:30 am Sunday morning. Church attendance around here is spotty at best, so grocery stores are usually busy at that time.

[Hotler]

124. Samething at the King Soopers and Home Depot near me.

I left Home Depot needing a shower.

[marble falls]

83. HEB here in Texas sanitizes every cart before you get one, employees have shields around ...

checkouts, they have a central lane marked out at 6ft increment you wait until a cashier opens, limits to numbers inside, most employees are wearing masks, and I've noticed in the nine days I was there last more customers are wearing masks and gloves. You can't go past the register until the packer has filled your cart and stepped away. And they're paying employees a $2.00/hr" "hazard" pay. They have employees and management jut to enforce the rules and count customeres.

HEB is serious about this and I love them the more for it.

There's plenty of everything though there are still limits.

[Laurelin]

119. HEB

Did you see the Texas Monthly article about HEB and their pandemic preparations? I so wish HEB was president right now.

Also I really miss them.

[marble falls]

131. One thing that tells me its doing things right: I've gotten to know a bunch of checkout clerks ...

and even produce stockers. Like in a small town grocer. How many stores with 20 check out stations can anyone say that about?

HEB is the best.

[elleng]

2. VERY difficult.

Some stores do better than others, even in same states. 'Mine' in southern MD hasn't been anything like crowded (when I've gone,) and management has modified polities several times.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. If customers are being idiots - and apparently they are -

I don't see that the stores have any other choice. I've been ordering my groceries on-line for about a month now and it works just fine. You do have to plan ahead because so far they aren't able to fill orders in less than at least a week, but if the stores reassigned their employees to filling delivery and take-out orders the employees wouldn't be at risk from stupid, careless customers (and the stupid, careless customers as well as the conscientious ones wouldn't be at risk from themselves) and presumably these orders could be filled more quickly and efficiently.

[brooklynite]

63. In NYC its very difficult to get a delivery/pick-up appointment

[Captain Zero]

112. Indianapolis too at least in my area

the groceries aren't able to scale up that procedure for the number who actually would do it now. I doubt they would be able to scale up to do it for everyone.

[SWBTATTReg]

71. I used to order groceries and then pick up outside the store. Ever since all of this has

happened though, I haven't been able to get in and do any of my normal ordering (and then pick up). Kind of frustrating for someone that used the service, and now can't. What is it going to be like when this is even worse (w/ more ordering and then pick up/have delivered?). Even my online services have suffered, from the obvious flood of new people that are online. Now, I have to even ration my online appearances to even get my emails from my regular online service provider. Again, another long time customer, having to fight for simple access.

Online access was the one thing I didn't think would suffer, but in my case, it has. It's the only winkle I have had in this whole situation.

[EarthFirst]

4. Better hurry! May 1st is a mere two weeks away! nt

[CrispyQ]

5. Our main store has online shopping and pickup in the parking lot or delivery,

although you have to plan ahead to get a pickup/delivery time because they are about 5-7 days out.

But my husband had to go into the store one day & said people were not distancing! The produce department was clogged with people who were slowly making their selections, touching the produce and then putting it back. Several aisles had groups of people congregating and talking. WTF?

[FoxNewsSucks]

6. I'd be good with that.

Prepackaged things like canned goods is no big deal. But when shopping, I do like to pick out the exact produce and meat I want. The store I've been going to has closed the bulk meat case, and a lot of individual produce items like green bell peppers, onions etc that used to be picked up by the customer are being wrapped on individual two-pack type trays. That's why I've stuck with that store over the other one I usually would also shop at. They still have the bulk cases open, employees not wearing masks, and all the bulk produce still sitting out in the open being picked over.

From a work standpoint, having fewer people in the building would make it easier and safer

[asiliveandbreathe]

7. What could go wrong? - Oh, zombie pro-virus faces smashed up on windows of doors..

I am all in for reducing interaction..PU or delivery -

[pazzyanne]

8. There are two stores in my area that offer on line orders and curbside pickup.

This has been helping me with distancing myself from all human contact. (Fatal autoimmune disease that is presently in remission) When you turn in your order, you sign up for a pick up day and time. Works like a charm.

[Freddie]

9. Tried to order grocery pickup

Ordered 9 days ahead. Right before I was going to get it the store manager called and said they were so overwhelmed with orders they cancelled a bunch at the end of the day, mine included. Got a $50 gift card for my trouble, went the next day during Senior Hour (6 - 7 am). So although the idea of pickup and delivery is great I don’t think they’re ready for the volume of orders they will get.

[durablend]

39. They're not

Stores are so swamped with online orders you'll be lucky to get anything within 2 weeks and even then probably a quarter of what you ordered.

[kacekwl]

62. I've done online shopping 2 times now

The longest I've waited was 2 days to pick up. They load it in the back for me no contact at all. I leave an envelope in the back with a tip for the shopper. They text you back and forth if the item is not in stock and ask if you would like a different item even sending a pic of item. It has worked great for me so far. I'm sure that will change if the stores close to people.

[marybourg]

116. Today I got a delivery slot for tomorrow morning.

I can hardly believe it.

[treestar]

68. Even if they hired more people to do delivery

Which is amazing they haven't, but then the "shoppers" would be in the store in greater numbers. They might socially distance better than the public, though.

[customerserviceguy]

87. The last three times

I went to my favorite grocery store, there were more employee-shoppers filling online orders than there were real customers like me. But, I'm not there when the doors open, I usually go in about mid-afternoon. Sure, the TP is gone, but we're still working off of a Costco package from a month ago.

[cayugafalls]

10. If this happens, expect to see lines of cars like the ones at Food banks.

The amount of orders would force grocers to hire additional shoppers and create more systems to handle the capacity. For a time there would be chaos.

Pickup orders have already increased to the point we are 7 days out from order to pickup.

If they close the store to inside shoppers, expect that to double or triple the wait time.

While, I do not disagree that something needs to be done, there is action that can help in the interim besides shutting the doors. Stores around me have limited the numbers of people allowed inside and they are policing the flow to control direction, as well as aisle security to not allow to many people down an aisle at a time.

Seems like this is a club solution to avoid forcing grocers to enact better practices all around.

[Baclava]

11. If EVERYBODY does it...Wait a month to get your food delivered? no

[cayugafalls]

19. Simple solution, no mask, no entry. Control the flow. Limit customers inside.

I live in Texas, so we will open up and they will loosen the rules, if a new surge happens, I expect the next shutdown to be even harsher.

I just keep doing what I do. I can't control my state or the idiots that inhabit it. Protect myself and my family. Most of my neighbors are so ignorant.

[Baclava]

21. Makes sense to me, stores here are already doing that, anything to reduce numbers inside,

Early shopping times for seniors, masks, etc

[Delmette2.0]

50. Yes, that is the next step.

If someone isn't concerned about themselves or other people then they can pay the extra fee for delivery or curbside pickup.

[TrishaJ]

64. Yes. In my local store where

I've bought my groceries for years, most customers wore masks and followed the arrows for routing down the aisles and observed distancing rules. Got there early enough and there is not much traffic in the store. HOWEVER, when I did go early Saturday morning wearing a mask and gloves, I did encounter some young people without masks and had to avoid them because they were not exercising caution about observing space. It's time for my grocery store to at least require masks for allowing entry.

[drmeow]

12. I'll bet there is resistance

from some grocery store chains cause it means they would have to hire more people to be able to deliver groceries in a reasonable time.

Last time I was shopping there was a group of the staff hanging around about 1 foot apart each, without mask, chatting away!

[Rorey]

44. Employees not respecting the social distancing is a problem here too

They've been getting better at King Soopers.

Masks should be mandatory in every public place, AFAIC.

[generalbetrayus]

51. At our King Soopers, customers largely wear masks,

but the employees don't! No wonder they're getting sick. I haven't been to the store since Jared Polis ordered store workers to wear masks and gloves. Hopefully they start wearing them.

[PSPS]

13. Not a single "expert" is quoted in the OP.

[Baclava]

16. "Worker experts", sounds like this is coming from a workers union leader

[PSPS]

25. I guess "union president" isn't click-baity enough.

[hlthe2b]

14. Careless (unmasked/unhygienic) customers need to be the focus with severe limiting

of numbers within the store. Curbside only could not possibly keep up with demand and would only require more workers within the store at any given time.

I do think shoppers need to be purposeful and focused. Perhaps both limiting how many can be in the store and for how long would serve to weed out the "contemplative" 'peruse every aisle type.

Of course more hours open would help too, but I understand how difficult that is given the extra burdens now of stocking and disinfecting.

[Rorey]

45. I agree about how long they could be in the store

I just don't know how it could be enforced.

[msongs]

15. all customers wear mask or no entry. solo shopping only, lv the kids at home

except maybe for seniors or handicapped who need an assistant

[a la izquierda]

80. Single parents with young kids?

What about them?

[Squinch]

17. In my local stores - including grocery, restaurants open for pickup, pharmacy stores, banks etc, no

one is allowed in without a mask.

[Arkansas Granny]

18. It might not go over well, but it's not realistic to ask grocery store workers

to risk their lives because of "careless customers". They don't get paid enough for that. Online or telephone orders with ether pick up or delivery is safer for all.

[not_the_one]

20. I have mixed feelings.... (allow me a little humor, ok?)

If store employees are infecting customers, it will still happen when they package and deliver the order to your car. There will always be viruses that get through.

If customers are infecting employees, require masks to enter the store, and allow the customers to pull a pair of disposable gloves, from the box, on entry. Discard on the way out. We can then inspect the food we buy.

There are many areas that just can't get deliver food. What is the mileage limit? We would have to go pick it up, curbside. That would work, but as I said, with delivery to the car, viruses can still get through.

There is no fool proof method, but we have GOT to eat. I am more concerned with food shortages... I went to BJ's yesterday and THERE WAS NO BACON.!.!.! Or green produce. Or Kellogg's Crunchy Raisin Bran.

But I repeat... NO BACON. THE HORRORS!!!!!!! (ok, we know why, the slaughterhouses are closed.)

[Baclava]

24. I haven't found any hamburger in a month, my neighbors plump pups are beginning to look pretty good

(Humor!!!)

[grantcart]

35. Just picked up from a store (ordered yesterday)

We wiped down the perishables at the car then washed them again, then washed our hands after we took our gloves off.

Non perishables will stay in the car 3 days @ high heat.

Not much exposure there.

[quitnesset]

22. How about Post Offices?

Our local PO employees, including the staff on the desk dealing with the very aged customer base in our town, refuse to wear masks and gloves.. when asked about them, they all say.. “oh.. yeah... I have a mask in the back but it’s hot..” Another when questioned, said “I have a mask here, “showing one hanging by her register, and this in full earshot of the postmaster standing next to her.. nothing seems to work to get any of the half dozen usps employees there to wear protective masks and gloves.... they just don’t care!

[marybourg]

113. I was at my p.o. two weeks ago.

There were plastic sheets hanging from the ceiling between the staff and the customers. Of course, every time the doors opened, the sheets flapped back and forth, opening wide gaps.

[ProfessorGAC]

136. Here Too

And hand sanitizer at 2 stations.
Only 6,000 in town so not a big, super busy PO.
Carriers are all wearing masks on routes.

[pamela]

23. This should have happened weeks ago.

A competent administration, working with major grocery chains and a fully-functioning pandemic team, could have rolled out delivery/pick-up programs at the beginning of all this. Imagine if they had teams of people who for years had been working with various sectors of the economy and ready to roll out programs to help deal with this crisis. They could have had so many plans in place for education, supply management, retail, agriculture, etc. Everyone talks about how Trump's incompetence cost lives and that's true and terrible but his incompetence, and lack of preparation, resulted in a much greater impact on the economy than was necessary, too.

[Grasswire2]

26. can't rely on delivery, either

My Kroger store has now cancelled two delivery orders of mine and is sitting on $170 of my money with no known way for me to expedite a refund because Insta-Cart is involved in the transaction.

The money is gone from my two different mastercards. Kroger denies any responsibility to refund it. Insta-Cart is not responsive via customer service. Mastercard shows "pending" and cannot refund.

Extremely frustrating.

My experiences ordering from Amazon have been good, but I hate to give the billionaire the business.

[Baclava]

30. Holy shit, how can they take your money and do that?

[Grasswire2]

32. some kind of a glitch in the system, I guess.

I'm thinking of taking it to local news. I can't be the only person it has happened to.

[Baclava]

97. Take it to your credit card /bank and call it fraud. Call them.

[Bengus81]

120. Call your credit card NOW and dispute those charges and have them dropped.......

If it's your local bank and using your debit card do the same on the phone with them and tell them the facts. In some cases they might just kill your debit card and send you a new one.

DO IT now,and tell those predators at Kroger to FO. That's just BS.

[totodeinhere]

56. I think that the way it works is that the charge is "pending" on your card until such time as

the delivery actually takes place, then the pending charge becomes a completed charge. If the delivery never happens then after a certain period of time the pending charge will automatically drop off and you will have access to those funds again. The amount of time that it will take varies.

[Grasswire2]

61. well, tying up a person's grocery money (three weeks now for the first one) is unconscionable.

Outrageous, actually

[totodeinhere]

67. I am not endorsing it. I'm just saying that you should eventually get your money back.

I thought I was being helpful.

[Grasswire2]

79. I understand.

Thanks

[47of74]

81. I'd be on the phone with my bank right away if someone pulled that with me.

And telling them they need to stop the payment and if they refused to help my next step would be to call the county attorney, regulators, and the media.

[totodeinhere]

85. I think that the banks are at fault for this, not the delivery company.

The delivery company has a legitimate interest in seeing to it that funds are available before they do a delivery. And with the lockdown in progress there could be legitimate reasons for canceling a delivery. What is unconscionable is the fact that in a situation like this a bank will hold onto the funds for days while the customer has no access to the funds. And the reason why they do this of course is because even though they eventually have to return the money they can draw interest on it in the meantime. It is a rotten system.

[marybourg]

114. Call your c.c. company.

[global1]

27. Went Grocery Shopping Yesterday After My Last Visit Over 4 Weeks Ago - As Supplies Getting Low.....

The three stores we went to were Sam's Club, Aldi's and Wal-Mart as each allowed us to obtain the types of items we always stock up on - even without this virus crisis.

Here's my observation:

1. Sam's Club - let in just a few customers at a time when others left the store; social distancing was encouraged in the waiting line; you had to disinfect your own cart but they left wipes and sanitizer at the door to allow for this; all employees were wearing masks. What really upset me was that many people in line were still not wearing masks and the store let them in and let them shop. On the way out I sought out the manager and mentioned that they should not let people shop without masks and was told that because the suburb the store was located in didn't make that a requirement - they couldn't do that.
I mentioned that the Governor of our State (Illinois) indicated when out in public all people were required to wear masks in they were in contact with people. The manager still hung by her explanation about the suburb they were located in.

My feeling about this was that the store can set its own policy and rules for shopping and it was a cop-out to defer to the suburb excuse. My feeling was that - at least this Sam's Club - really didn't care that much about their customers safety. I must say that the store was well stocked. We were able to purchase everything we needed.

2. Aldi's - wasn't crowded so no lines to get in; the shopping carts were free - no need for the quarter; store not as well stocked, many product outages; were able to get most of the items we came for. But still there were people shopping without masks. My feeling about this is that they are not only endangering themselves but me as well. The store had tapes at the checkout counters for social distancing. The employees were wearing masks. At the cash register - they had plastic shields up to separate the cashier from the customer. Overall, a decent shopping experience - but still pissed at people being allowed to shop without masks.

3. Wal-Mart - again - no line to get into the store; no one watching at the door counting people that can go in and controlling the flow. Many outages of product - but the ones we were there for we were able to buy. Few employees wearing masks. Many people shopping without masks. What set me off at this store is that we wanted to go to self check out - but when we were got there - there was an employee telling us we couldn't both be at one checkout station at the same time. This was one of the employees without a mask. We then left and went to a checkout counter where there was a cashier. The cashier was wearing a mask. I mentioned to her that I was surprised that most of the employees working at the store didn't wear masks. She said they weren't required to by management. Two managers were nearby and neither was wearing a mask. You would think they would set an example. The cashier said because some of the employees complained that they couldn't breath with a mask on they didn't have to wear them. Of the people not wearing masks - most were young or foreign born. I saw one couple shopping where the female wearing a mask but the male looking real macho wasn't wearing a mask. Didn't understand that one. Also saw two people (male and female) at the sweet corn bin opening every ear of corn from the husk to buy just the right ones. The ones that they opened and didn't buy - they put back in the bin. Needless to say - I didn't buy any corn nor did I even go close to that bin. I saw one man with his three kids hanging on to his cart as he pushed it. He wasn't wearing a mask and none of his kids wore masks either. I had conflicting thoughts about this. Why did this guy bring his kids during this crisis? Seem dangerous to me. But was told by my significant other that maybe he was a single Dad and had no one to watch the kids. I kinda gave him a pass because of that - but still thought that he was careless.

My feeling is that these stores don't need to only resort to only pick-up and delivery if they took the proper precautions and required all employees and all customers to wear protective masks. I believe it is up to every store to set its own policy about wearing masks. I want to shop in those places where I feel most safe. In the future - I won't frequent stores that don't care about their customers and make masks a requirement.

Now just to clarify - when I say masks - I mean some sort of face covering. Could be a scarf or some other piece of material that can cover their face and nose. Just something to prevent inhalation and exhalation of potential virus. I know that these items are not N-95 protectors - but they offer some protection than being without any type of face protection.

I also know that face masks are not readily available for purchase because of short supply and wanting any that might be available to go to our health professionals and first responders.

Still I think people that go out in public should have some consideration for others and wear some sort of face protection. It's the right thing to do and shows that they have both respect for the seriousness of this virus and for others that they might come in contact with.

There - I've said my peace and leave my post for any responses - both negative and positive.

I have no intention to duplicate this shopping experience in the near future. I wanted to be stocked up with necessary items because I anticipate a second spike because people seem to think that flattening the curve means that we are beating this crisis. We ain't. We just gave our health professionals some breathing room to not be overwhelmed.

People wanting to re-start the economy and go to beaches and beauty parlors and those ugly protesters are going to precipitate another bout of this and cause all of us that are doing the right thing to have to extend our stay's at home.

[DeminPennswoods]

42. Unless you are wearing a respirator mask that blocks everything,

Last edited Sun Apr 19, 2020, 07:31 PM - Edit history (1)

a mask, epecially a scarf or bandana or even a surgical type, isn't going to give you much protection at all
from inhaling microscopic particles. Someone posted a chart on another thread that rated the homemade masks as offering about 5% protection on breathing in a viral particle. The only real thing the masks do is keep your own coughs and sneezes around your own face.

Masks are an illusion of safety much like the bag checks going into sporting events are an illusion of security.

I saw a story on one of the news shows the other day of a hospital hospice nurse who cares for dying cv19 patients. Despite a full face shield, mask, gloves, gown all the PPE you could ever want, she became infected.

eta: cat-caused typos.

[58Sunliner]

55. I disagree. Masks of various materials have been tested and proven to have some benefit.

Some can provide a significant degree of protection if used correctly. N95 is 95% effective if worn properly and it fits well. It depends upon the construction, material and fit. It also depends upon how you handle your mask. There are protocols that people should adhere to when putting one on, wear, and taking one off especially. Then there is storage and sterilization. No one should be treating a mask like an accessory, that can be taken off and set aside then put on again casually. If a mask has been worn it should be treated like it is a bio-hazard. Any PPE is about risk reduction. Nothing is 100% certain, no matter what. Even hazmat, biological control teams can have issues. That story about the hospice worker is irrelevant. You have no idea what protocols she followed, or if she disrobed safely, de-gloved safely, etc... Please give a link to your chart if you have it.

[Thekaspervote]

76. No ...they do help. They prevent you from getting lrg droplet infection

Which has been shown to much more deadly

Link to tweet

?s=21

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017574241

[global1]

95. OK - You Don't Have To Wear A Mask.....

I'm in a high risk group and I'm going to take precautions when I go to the grocery store and wear one.

[DeminPennswoods]

127. By all means do what you think is needed to

protect yourself. But you should read the CDC info sheet I linked to make the best informed decision for yourself.

[obamanut2012]

123. yup

[Marrah_Goodman]

132. If everyone going into the store was required to wear a mask then the spread would slow considerably

Masks are NOT an illusion.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

48. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Bottom line is, some food chain corporations are taking this crisis seriously (eg, Aldi's) and others (Wal-Mart, Inc.) are not. Perhaps they need to clearly post their store policies on-line and/or at the door.

This situation again clearly points a finger of condemnation to the very top of our government for lack of leadership. Corporations will listen to Republican leaders.

It would seem prudent to offer at least inexpensive masks for sale or free to customers and require them to be worn while inside the building to minimize disease spread from those who are infected.


KY............

[DeminPennswoods]

92. Masks that I see most people wearing afford some

protection, but not to the degree I think the wearers believe. A week or so ago on MSBC or CNN I saw a nurse demostrate the correct way to wear a mask. Everything people do like pulling the mask up and down for ex, is a no-no.

Here's a pdf of the CDC mask explainer: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/pdfs/UnderstandingDifference3-508.pdf

[lostnfound]

28. Delivery people aren't immune either and may spread from one customer to the next

Tried to do takeout and it was a bottleneck yesterday, had to give upbecause unsafe. Some handle it well, others, not so much.

Delivery person wasn’t wearing a mask the other day.

[no_hypocrisy]

29. Tell me about it ! ! !

Hi, I'm the Cashier of the Month at a grocery emporium. Big store.

And despite both the customers and me wearing face masks, me wearing latex gloves (changed every hour or so), the customers don't get it. First they browse while shopping instead of getting a list, getting their goods, and paying for them. Second, they linger both in the aisles and at the register. They bring their spouse or their friend or their adolescent child(ren) and talk to them in front of me. Like less than two feet in front of me. Or they just stand there and look at their phone. They stand six feet apart from other customers on line, but when they get to me, they stay two feet away. I have had to (deferentially and politely) ask them to literally move six feet away from me and you can't believe the surprised looks on their faces, like "Gee, I never thought of that."

Yeah, we have plexiglass, but the Virus is airborne and can go above and around the plexiglass. Any given customer's breath could kill me.

And how about this: Don't the customers fear that maybe I am asymptomatic and a carrier of the Virus? Why don't they use a modicum of healthy self-preservation?

[no_hypocrisy]

94. Grocery Workers Say Inconsiderate Shoppers Are Endangering Them In The Pandemic

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/grocery-workers-say-inconsiderate-shoppers-are-putting-them-in-danger-during-the-pandemic_n_5e94b1a4c5b69c8f0eea9c69?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063&utm_campaign=hp_fb_pages&utm_source=main_fb&utm_medium=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1dj7Zt-bnAcuY4WCKQr_srrMq1wpjOA0iFrAsd9Sn5ObCl6UT_DYZxX6o


Many people still aren’t wearing masks or observing social distancing protocol at the supermarket. Workers are afraid it will cost them their lives.

[aggiesal]

31. I live in San Diego County ...

The zip code I live in has the 2nd highest number of CoronaVirus cases in the county.
The way it's going, it will soon be #1 zip code in the county.

I don't shop in my area anymore.
I drive 30 minutes north, where the numbers are a lot less and increasing at a slower rate
and everyone is wearing a mask.
On my way home, I drove past the Costco & Walmart that are right next to each other
in my zip code and counted 14 people without masks. The line trying to get into CostCo
had to be at least 250 yards long.

On Friday night, when I went out to pull the trash cans back off the streets,
I can hear a party going on. All the street parking spaces were taken.
My neighbors were throwing a party, no masks and no social distancing.

People don't seem to care that this is a national security issue.
It’s costing the country trillions of dollars and lives ...
as well as people having to stay quarantined longer and out of work.

What selfish people!

[cutroot]

33. Most stores already require shirts and shoes

It would not be hard to add gloves and mask to the sign

[Hekate]

93. Right

[KY_EnviroGuy]

34. Try out this idea....

What if grocery stores had employees with proper PPE that would walk customers through the store with their grocery list and not allow customers to touch any merchandise. The employee would pick up all items with guidance from the customer, bag the produce and put all items in the cart. Things that usually cause long shopping delays like deli service should be shut down.

Customers would be required to have a written grocery list, a mask (or purchase one on the spot), required to wash their hands and at least submit a statement they (to their knowledge) are not currently infected.

Stores would reserve the right to refuse service if they thought the customer was sick or unable or unwilling to comply with the rules.

That would move customers through very fast and efficiently and no one could complain about choices of goods.

I would be willing to pay a reasonable fee for that service.....

[aggiesal]

37. You're making too much sense. What kind of American are you? ...

Thought you might need this!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

41. LOL, I confess. I'm bat-shit crazy.

KY...............


and a....... .....too!

[DeminPennswoods]

36. Curbside pick-ups are already backed up

with a waiting list for "time slots". Know someone who just the other day tried to order groceries online from Walmart and it took several tries just to get the order to process online, let alone be ready for pick up.

My experience with grocery shopping is that people are generally keeping a respectful distance. I and many others have been using the self-checkout.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

38. God, I hope not.

Especially when I'm buying produce, or even meat, I want to at least eyeball what I'm going to put in my cart. Or even be able to look at the canned goods and figure out precisely which brand of peas, or exactly what sort of canned tomatoes I need.

Plus, if there's a wait of a week or more for pick up, that's insane. And to pay a fee on top of the grocery cost? Okay, so I could afford it, but there are those out there who really can't.

Requiring masks and gloves is a good idea, but I hope they could at least supply the gloves, if not the masks. I have one my sister made for me, and it does not fit very well, unfortunately.

[patphil]

40. This will work for some things, but not for others.

Canned goods and dry goods, yes.
Fruits, vegetables, meats, and other short shelf life foods....not so good.

Yes, a lot of people do shop on line and have home delivery, but the supermarkets don't have the staff to do that en-masse.

I believe it's unworkable to keep people out completely. They may have to be a bit more strict on social distancing, and masks and gloves.

[TNNurse]

43. I went to the local Kroger yesterday.

Should not have gone on a Saturday. It was pretty busy. The employees were doing a good job. The customers were the problem. I do not think a quarter of them had on any kind of mask. The idea of distancing did not seem to occur to them. I just stopped several times to let people wander away. I did see some couples but no kids.

Another local store, Food City will no longer let you bring your bags in. Both stores have someone cleaning the carts at the entry. My husband came up with the plan to not use plastic bags. I went through the U-scan ( I know people object to that) and pile the groceries up and then place them back in the cart after they are scanned. With my receipt clutched in my hand I went out of the store with my unbagged groceries and put them in our bags in the car. It worked fine.

I am not going to abandon plans to use as little plastic as possible, I can adapt.

[Bengus81]

121. What's it been now about 2+ years since Kroger made their BIG plastic bag statement.....

On how they were getting rid of those plastic bag landfill disaster container. I laughed and called BULLSHIT,they could have been rid of them that day if they wanted. Of course I was torn to shreds on DU about how they probably had bigggg contracts with bag makers, big supply of stock,blah,blah,blah.

They could have canceled contracts,or told them to switch to paper and we'll sign a longer contract. Taken all their existing bags for re-cycling. It wouldn't have cost them a penny in the end because of how customers would have viewed what they were doing. But nope...here we are YEARS later just like I predicted and they are still knee deep in plastic bags.

Nothing but "feel good" planet saving nonsense from those predators. We have Dillions here,which Kroger bought in the 80's. Everything they have is just that much more expensive than any other store. They've run pretty much all their competition out of town except Walmart and a couple Super Targets.

[DeminPennswoods]

46. Here's what my local grocers are doing

Walmart is counting and limiting customers.

Giant Eagle implemented one-way aisles along with marking everything at 6' intervals. All of the cashiers are wearing masks, gloves and/or face shields.

Aldi's is making everyone take a cart. I suppose that's because the carts are probably close to 6' long. All employees are wearing masks and gloves.

Gov Wolf wants everyone to wear a mask in public, but as of tonight is making masks mandatory for everyone who works in a business and requires businesses to refuse service to anyone not wearing a mask. (A clever political move on his part to make business take the brunt of whatever customer anger or annoyance there is instead of directing it toward him.)

[TexasBushwhacker]

82. Our local HEB in Texas has their system DOWN

Shoppers are directed to come in one entrance and go out the other. The carts at the "IN" door have already been disinfected. All employees wear masks and gloves. All cashiers are behind a plastic barrier. Hand sanitizer stations are at the entrance and exit.

[BrightKnight]

88. There is another chain grocery store in TX that would let employees wear masks.

They were told it would frighten the customers. I wrote a letter to them and never heard back. I know a type 1 diabetic that is working there.

[TexasBushwhacker]

98. Every person should have the right to protect themselves n/t

[DeminPennswoods]

90. That's what Giant Eagle is doing,

in addition to making every other aisle one way. It makes me feel like I am back in Center City Philadelphia where every other street is one way.

[bucolic_frolic]

47. Maybe they should schedule appointment times

for admittance to the supermarket. I haven't shopped in 3 weeks, but last time I was there the lines were irregular: lots at 7 am, fewer at 9 am. Also I'm not sure if I was refused entry at 6 because they thought me too young.

But from what I saw, workers are not making a big enough effort to distance from customers. Also too many pickers. Why do pickers pick from the shelves and not from the storeroom?

One store the checker must go through 3 bottles of sanitizer an hour. Her hands, the keypad, the scale area for each customer. But no mask. That will change this week surely.

And this is the new way to shop. It's a long term solution now. Months, into 2021. There is no vaccine, there is no squeezing this out with so many Hoaxers and Openers who view the pandemic as a minor problem that doesn't affect them.

BTW, the https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ website still has 21% for death rates of total cases worldwide. This has been consistent for a couple of weeks. Why do they keep telling us it's oh, 2%, .8%?

[EllieBC]

66. The stockrooms aren't exactly full.

That’s why pickers are picking from shelves. Most stores are putting out what they get right away because it’s selling right away. Especially staple items.

[Steelrolled]

117. I don't think many stores are designed to allow

pickers to pick from the store room. There is just not enough room.

Many groceries stores have for some time been working on "dark stores" which will be more like an amazon distribution center, where are product is picked by machine and/or people. Not in time for this crisis though.

[LiberalLovinLug]

49. They could make another step before that draconian a law

One thing I've noticed when grocery shopping is the fact that shelf stockers are required to do their jobs while sometimes shoppers were forced to almost brush past them.

They could say, close down for half hour, periodically, to re-stock shelves, open up for a set amount to time. And if a certain product sells out, too bad, you have to come again when it is re-stocked. Get every worker behind glass protected tills before opening the doors again.

[JI7]

52. In California they limit how many can come in and do a really good job

of wiping down after each person.

they also have shorter hours sooo employees can stock up and regularly clean up.

[Runningdawg]

53. Before they close the stores, post the NG to enforce the rules.

People following the rules should not be punished for those who don't. I sure AF don't want someone doing MY grocery shopping. I have X amount of $ and would pick the generic products. Left to their own devices the stores will tell you there were none of those, only high priced national brands. I suspect the "experts" suggesting this are looking at their bottom line.

[EarthFirst]

54. I follow a local group of grocery store workers on social media...

It’s a fun group; a devoted group of Wegman’s employees who use it as an outlet for solidarity; memes; venting etc.

A customer entered a restricted cold storage area today that is off limits on any normal given day; let along under the restrictions currently in place to ask when the orange juice would be restocked.

Want to know why this is gaining momentum?

This is how it happens.

People just.dont.give.a.fuck.

[totodeinhere]

57. I am afraid that pulling off the logisitcs of making everybody take either delivery or curb side

pickup would be very difficult. I'm not sure what the solution is. We do not want groceries workers to be put in danger, but people also need to be able to get food.

[Ferrets are Cool]

58. This would disable the poor and uneducated. No, not a good idea at all. nt

[Oppaloopa]

59. Aldi's employees do not wear any masks and none are provided for them

I wrote to corporate and got a b.s story about it is up to them About 80% of them are seniors

[tclambert]

60. But Republicans say we beat the virus and want to reopen everything.

[EllieBC]

65. In AB (Alberta) the UCFW wants stores to allow customers in only

Once a week. Allegedly this would be accomplished by tracking with loyalty apps or cards.

Problem is families. There are limits on everything. 2 packs of meat. 2 jugs of milk. 1 dozen eggs. If you have more than 4 people to feed, that won’t cut it.

Also people will just go to multiple stores. Or make phony accounts for multiple loyalty cards.

[Nay]

70. Even here in Richmond, VA, pickup appts are 4 to 7 days from order. And the nightmare

of ordering something and getting substitutes that are totally unsuitable. Plus don't the stores have to hire many more workers to keep up with orders?

If "careless customers" are the problem, why not have one bouncer at the front door who can be called upon to warn, and then toss out people who are being assholes. Like the bars do. Some people don't learn until someone bigger than themselves ushers them bodily out the door.

[jorgevlorgan]

73. we would survive. on the other hand, grocery workers might not if they dont change anything.

[Pillow talk]

74. Personal responsibly is hard to regulate or legislate. but actually easy to enforce.

no mask no entry in my local grocery. They provide mask at the door. Obviously this isn't possible all across the land but good custodianship plus creative businesses can do something similar.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

75. Here in Yucca Valley (SoCal) about 10% of the customers don't wear masks.

Almost all of the cashiers do, and a plastic shield has been erected between the customer and cashier. The stock people all wear masks, but not gloves as they stock the shelves and produce. It's possible to order curb side pick up, although we haven't used that service yet.

[Laelth]

77. k&r for visibility. This is a good, lively discussion. n/t

-Laelth

[Baclava]

129. If there's one thing everyone can relate to, its grocery shopping, maybe we need our own forum!

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

84. 10% or less of shoppers in Sioux Falls wearing masks...

... I always wear mine. I ran to HyVee for some steaks to grill for my aunt; only half the managers/asst managers that I had seen were wearing masks.

I have noticed this over the past few weeks. 10% at the most in the major stores have masks on.

[BrightKnight]

86. Yeah, that is not going to happen. nt

[name not needed]

89. If this is actually implemented, expect riots.

Curbside pickup and delivery is a crap shoot. Once people can't get food, all bets are off.

[Hekate]

91. Oh, dear. How about: no mask no entry for customers?

I will more wllingly support "curbside pickup only" for purchases IF studies show that the employees of the 2 stores I've been in are getting sick despite precautions. Both Costco and Trader Joe's practice crowd control, face masks for employees, and shields for cashiers. If those have made no difference, and studies show the sick employees are not behaving safely away from work, then yes, we have to move to the next phase.

[marble falls]

99. WTF? Seeing the homeless is "offputting"? How do you like regular old pizza?

[GP6971]

102. Somehow I just knew

you'd latch onto this one!!

[marble falls]

103. Hey, I'm still on the team even on an off term! Say hello to the gang for me!

[Brother Buzz]

105. Tis no man, tis a remorseless troll hunting machine.

[GP6971]

106. How true!!

[TexasTowelie]

110. Anyone that has served on MIRT

is a MIRTer for life.

[Brother Buzz]

111. "Oh, It's Twue, It's Twue, It's twue!"

Back atcha

[flibbitygiblets]

100. Went on my first in-person grocery outing at Grocery Outlet in outer Portland OR Friday night

Went in 1/2 hour before they closed because I figured there'd be fewer people. This is a sketchy part of town, and it really hit home how income and education levels are predictors of safer behavior. I donned mask and gloves before I entered.

There was one checkstand open, and the checker appeared to be past retirement age. No PPE. They had installed a clear plastic barrier, like that helps.

There were about 20 customers in the store. Two others besides me had on any PPE. One woman was running through the store yelling, presumably looking for someone. Great way to transmit germs, jackass.

Overall, the shelves were pretty well-stocked. Some of the fresh produce was in questionable shape, but overall pretty much standard for a Grocery Outlet.

Yikes, glad that's over. Sprayed/wiped/washed everything down upon getting home, and staying indoors again for at least a few weeks.

[Grasswire2]

130. A "sketchy" part of Portland?

What would that be?

Seriously.

I am not afraid of any part of Portland.

[flibbitygiblets]

134. Head on over to Parkrose

Check out Sandy Blvd. between 105th and 122nd. Needles on the ground, tweakers, prostitutes. Gunshots can be heard at night occasionally. Porch piracy, car break-ins, car theft happen so often the police don't even come out. Oh, and I've been solicited by strange men while walking my dog (I like to think I don't look like a hooker).

Also I would not say I'm "afraid", but damn sure to be careful, especially after dark.

[Grasswire2]

138. Interesting.

MAX runs farther south, right? What about Gateway? Dangerous at night?

[spinbaby]

101. I need to shop soon

Two weeks since my last groceries, delivered by my son. In a few days i will need to get more and he can’t do it. I have a battle plan—shop fast, face mask, gloves, drop clothes into the wash the second I get home.

[Steelrolled]

118. Great idea planning ahead

If you have any kind of eye glasses, it would be to wear them to help you avoid touching/itching your eyes.

I have heard gloves really aren't needed or recommended.

I would have wipes or just sudsy water and a clothe in your car, so once everything is loaded, you can wash your hands before you start driving home.

Washing the clothes isn't as important as washing hands (again) upon arriving home, and after you have unpacked everything.

I leave all un-refrigerated items just sit in the bags for a day or two. I lightly wipe down (I use sudsy water) things going into the refrigerator. I leave my mask on until completely done. I have read that transmission of the virus through grocery items is very unlikely, but I do it anyway.

[spinbaby]

133. I feel better with gloves

Fortunately, I have a whole bunch of vinyl gloves left over from furniture refinishing. After I leave the store, I carefully peel them off without touching the outside and put them in a bag. Then I go over my hands and everything in sight with a sanitizing wipe.

[drmeow]

104. Not everyone has access to the internet at home n/t

[a la izquierda]

107. And we think the protests are bad now.

People would panic, especially those in underserved areas (food deserts or really rural areas). Sensible people would panic.
Not everyone has WiFi.
Delivery and pick up delays are already happening.


Masks and limiting capacity.

I’d write more but social media of any kind is making my anxiety 1000x worse.

[Baclava]

108. Can humanity survive on delivered pizza for months?

We could find out

[RhodeIslandOne]

109. I saw a handful of idiots at the store the other day

No masks, completely unconcerned about the one way traffic rules. You could tell they absolutely think The whole thing didn’t apply to them and everyone else is the asshole.

[New Breed Leader]

125. Yep saw that too.

[durablend]

135. Are any of you noticing a pattern?

Seems to be the 50-something crowd flouting the rules here. Most of them comply but there's those few that feel "Rules don't apply to me"

[New Breed Leader]

137. Actually it's been younger people

so far tht's who I've seen.

[Totally Tunsie]

140. Yes, I've noticed that too. They take it as a big joke,

purposely infringing on personal space as well as blocking aisles, etc.

I'd prefer that stores allow only those wearing masks (and possibly gloves) to enter, thinking that if they'd bother to suit up, they're probably serious about social distancing. Also, limit the number of shoppers in the store.

[CBHagman]

115. In my area, masks for staff and shoppers in stores, limited entry in some stores.

And spaces are marked out on the floor. Some places even indicate what the traffic pattern should be (i.e., which direction to travel down an aisle).

[SnowCritter]

122. Our locally owned grocery store chain seems to be trying

All the employees are wearing masks and some are wearing protective gloves, too. They've installed large plexiglass shields at the checkouts. They've provided the means for a customer to wipe-down a cart if they so desire (I do).

Most of the customers are wearing masks, too.

I find that selecting produce is a task that requires a little work. For example, when I buy onions I used to pick them up and judge them by size and weight. In order to do that now I need to take one of the plastic produce bags that they provide, turn it inside-out, and use it as a "mitten" to do my testing. Once I've made a selection, I turn pick up the onion and turn the bag right-side-out. It's not perfect

[New Breed Leader]

126. Time for people to start snitching

When we see customers in the store blatantly ignoring the social distancing rules, go directly to the manager or customer service and snitch of them. We have to remind these stores to ENFORCE all the rules they've set up.

[Mosby]

128. Not happening.

Stores are making record profits.

[Marrah_Goodman]

139. Masks and limits on the number of people allowed in stores are mandatory in RI now n/t