What's happening in your supermarket?

[Seat0B]

Last week I shopped in my local Woolworths in the south of Canberra. It's a few weeks since Woolworths made an announcement that they wanted all shoppers and staff to wear masks. I can confirm that on my visit that day, the sum total of people in the shop wearing masks was - zero.
People at the check out lines were diligently standing on the marked social distancing spots, and the same when waiting at the deli. But everywhere else, the social distancing was not happening. People chatting in the aisles, others trying to get past. People standing in front of the yoghurt having long phone calls, causing a blockage, which eventually someone broke by just pushing past. Staff member collecting on-line order items both blocking access and then pushing past customers.

No trolley wipes available - this is a semi-regular position. There was hand sanitiser on this occasion, but that's pretty hit and miss.

And do not even mention the self check outs. I shop here frequently and on an irregular pattern of day/time and I have NEVER seen them being cleaned - ever. Also they do not provide wipes near the self check outs so you could self-clean. There's another reason (aside from keeping people in jobs) to avoid the self check outs.

I know that the ACT is not really a COVID hot spot, but I feel like the compliance fatigue that the media have been mentioning is pretty evident at my local - which could lead to a quick spread if there was a case.

Local Aldi is much better on trolley wipes and hand san and does not have self-check out or on-line ordering, so I might be venturing there more often in the future.

Just wondering what others are seeing at their supermarkets.

 

[VPS]

In SA it's much the same in some shops now. The sanitiser has run out and some people have no concept of social distancing. I rarely see a mask when I'm out shopping

It's also interesting how variable to hand sanitiser is - some is just gooey and takes ages to dry

 

[Seat0B]

In SA it's much the same in some shops now. The sanitiser has run out and some people have no concept of social distancing. I rarely see a mask when I'm out shopping

It's also interesting how variable to hand sanitiser is - some is just gooey and takes ages to dry

I read somewhere that the gooey ones that take ages to dry do not have a sufficient % of alcohol in them. Maybe one of the medical types on here can comment.

 

[AIRwin]

Local Aldi is much better on trolley wipes and hand san and does not have self-check out or on-line ordering, so I might be venturing there more often in the future.

And prices are always low even in these unprecedented times...

 

[Pushka]

In SA it's much the same in some shops now. The sanitiser has run out and some people have no concept of social distancing. I rarely see a mask when I'm out shopping

It's also interesting how variable to hand sanitiser is - some is just gooey and takes ages to dry

The Marshal in Brickworks Woolies was dligently giving everyone the death stare. Kinda funny because it was basically deserted. Hanging around the icecream section where no one spends much time in Winter. Except maybe Denali. At the other end of the store - checkout mayhem. Why they allow multiple people from one group to line up across the terminal beggars belief.

 

[Cossie]

The woolies in south Canberra (Erindale) that I use has had trolley wipes and the self checkout screens being cleaned between customers every time I go there, Coles at Chisholm is much the same, a few employees and customers wearing masks, but most not.
There is often a person wiping down the baskets as well at both.

 

[p--and--t]

Well I went to woollies in the cbd of Melbourne for the first time in months yesterday. Everyone had a mask (its law here anyway).

Before entering you had to put your hands under the contact-less sanitiser spray machine that sort of misted your hands and left them wet for a few seconds.

There were no trolleys, and baskets were being handed out by a staff member in gloves who was cleaning the handles of each basket with wipes before you could take one.

The shop wasn't very busy and compliance with social distancing very variable with some taking a wide berth and standing patiently at a distance waiting for others to move away from items they desired, while a few were the exact opposite. As per human nature, some seemed totally distracted in their thoughts, I presume trying to remember what they had to buy and which aisle it might be in and forgetting social distancing.

Mostly they were single shoppers, but it did see some couples (forbidden under stage 4) and no staff wandering around to monitor that.

At the checkouts some customers were standing on the dots and others not. But those not, quickly got the message when they were glared at without needing to say anything.

There were 3 attendants cleaning down the touchscreens in the self serve area, however they weren't doing it after every use, maybe every second or third customer. (unlike Kmart a few weeks ago where you were not allowed to use a checkout unless the machine had been cleaned after the customer before you).

Mostly people were leaving three or more treads spacing on the escalator, but as per usual, there were a few who did not.

 

[Seat0B]

The woolies in south Canberra (Erindale) that I use has had trolley wipes and the self checkout screens being cleaned between customers every time I go there, Coles at Chisholm is much the same, a few employees and customers wearing masks, but most not.
There is often a person wiping down the baskets as well at both.

I shop at Lanyon - they could apparently take a leaf from the book at Erindale!

 

[Seat0B]

There were 3 attendants cleaning down the touchscreens in the self serve area, however they weren't doing if after every use, maybe every second or third customer.

I don't understand why people are not more vigilant on this. Honestly given the palaver if you try to pay cash for anything, anywhere, ever - and yet not many seem to care about putting their hands on the touch screens and even the EFT terminal if you happen to spend more than $200 (not out of the question at a supermarket) and need to key in a PIN.

One time, I actually asked the Woolies staffer standing about to clean the touch screen before I used it. She looked at me like I was crazy and then suggested that I use the (staffed) express check out if i was "that worried about hygiene" . I did, and have not used the self serve checkout ever since. I'm not actually that concerned at the moment here in Canberra - I just think we should embed the habit of doing the right thing for the future while we have to live with this virus, and who knows, improved hand hygiene may reduce other illnesses as well such as standard colds and flu.

 

[p--and--t]

I don't understand why people are not more vigilant on this. Honestly given the palaver if you try to pay cash for anything, anywhere, ever - and yet not many seem to care about putting their hands on the touch screens and even the EFT terminal if you happen to spend more than $200 (not out of the question at a supermarket) and need to key in a PIN.

One time, I actually asked the Woolies staffer standing about to clean the touch screen before I used it. She looked at me like I was crazy and then suggested that I use the (staffed) express check out if i was "that worried about hygiene" . I did, and have not used the self serve checkout ever since. I'm not actually that concerned at the moment here in Canberra - I just think we should embed the habit of doing the right thing for the future while we have to live with this virus, and who knows, improved hand hygiene may reduce other illnesses as well such as standard colds and flu.

One of the reasons I never walk out the front door from home without a small bottle of hand sanitiser, after using the checkout I cleaned my hands before picking up my items and leaving, then cleaned them again on arrival at home using the bottle strategically just inside the front door and then wiped the door handle.

 

[Denali]

Hubby went to a business outlet store area yesterday and said he was the only one wearing a mask. He then went to our local Coles/post office ect village shops and said practically everyone was wearing a mask.

We both carry a ziplock bag with sanitiser and wipes.

 

[AIRwin]

Well I went to woollies in the cbd of Melbourne for the first time in months yesterday.

Is that in QVB? I used to go there every lunch time when I was working in MEL...

 

[p--and--t]

Is that in QVB? I used to go there every lunch time when I was working in MEL...

YES

 

[lovetravellingoz]

My local WOW is all very zen here in Melbourne.

Everyone in masks. Though occasionally you will see an elderly person wearing a full faceshield instead.

On entry you have your choice of contactless spray hand sanitiser, that I normally go for, or pump bottles. There are normally wipes too if you want to wipe down a trolley.

Baskets are normally handed to you.

The store is not busy, and I would deem it less busy that normal, and so I think that more people are choosing to shop less.

Most people are shopping by themselves, but occasionally you see a child in tow. But this is way less that normal.

Good range of goods, but some changes. Last vist eggs was one of the very few things limited. 2 dozen max. Plenty of things like meat and fresh fruit and veg.

 

[jakeseven7]

Pretty much nothing at Woolies in Brisbane either thought I’ve noticed more masks about the place since our community transmission started again.

 

[mrsterryn]

Does it change which day of the week ?
Husband has found that during the week a lot of people wear masks....on weekend very few wearing masks

 

[Seat0B]

Does it change which day of the week ?
Husband has found that during the week a lot of people wear masks....on weekend very few wearing masks

I think it's more a demographic - visibly older people seem to wear masks more, although nowhere near 100% of them are. I'd estimate maybe 75% of older folk wear a mask, and yes they do shop more in the week day, day time hours, time frames.

I am also interested in the fact that the staff are not wearing masks at all. Given how many people they must serve in a day, I find that quite strange.

 

[mrsterryn]

I am also interested in the fact that the staff are not wearing masks at all. Given how many people they must serve in a day, I find that quite strange.

I am just outside the hotspot in Sydney. Our local Kmart isn't one where staff are being mandated to wear masks but Broadway is. Have to say going on the amount of staff at Eastgardens not wearing masks that would be huge if it became compulsory at that store

 

[Major]

Visited Bunnings yesterday (midway BNE and OOL) and all staff wearing a mask as well as quite a few customers. A sign at the entrance asks all customers to consider wearing a mask and frequent store wide announcements asking people to social distance.

Local Coles...no staff with masks, maybe 4 or 5 customers with masks and some social distancing. Trolley wipes at entrance if you wanted them but no staff monitoring

 

[Seat0B]

Shopped in a different area of Canberra today, and no one anywhere was wearing masks - not staff, not customers, no one. But there was quite good social distancing obviously being followed and I saw lots of people using hand sanitiser.