Frontline worker shares the reality of supermarket life

THE FACTS about masks in supermarkets 1. It may be “law” – but security guards and supermarket staff CANNOT enforce it, and management run a mile from any confrontation.

2. People simply walk in without a mask and cannot be stopped, or asked to leave.

3. People claim they are exempt and cannot be stopped from entering, asthma being the usual excuse/ claim (but no doctor’s note is ever provided).

4. Staff who remind customers to wear a mask – including over their noses – are verbally abused. When reminded it is the law and they are on camera and can be fined £1,000, they react angrily. I have been close to stating, “It takes six months to potty train a baby, you should have learned to wear a mask correctly by now” – but I hold my tongue.

5. The police are not interested or too busy to deal with the issue.

6. Customers who refuse to wear a mask over their noses are the worst. If they cannot breathe then they should not be out shopping; if “exempt” for medical reasons, they should not be shopping. Strangely they have “forgotten” to bring with them their medical proof. If you have a beard, you should not claim you do not have to wear a mask – you can still infect others! So wear a

visor if you have a beard/ asthma/ C.O.P.D.

I have been wearing a mask and sanitising hands since the end of February 2020, as I have read about the Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918/19. To be honest, I didn’t anticipate it being this bad. I didn’t expect the death rate to be heading towards 150,000.

Doorstep deliveries for online have changed and, by and large, customers have been fine. We still get the occasional, frankly arrogant/ obnoxious, customer.

In the main, it has not been unknown for a driver to return to store with the order – after all, why should we be sworn at? Verbally abused? Threatened? Regarded as something picked up on the bottom of your shoe?

When I started in the department, we were happy to take orders into the homes of those who are disabled, frail, etc and would offer to unpack for them, place frozen items into the freezer etc. Now we do not enter homes or blocks of flats.

It is doorstep delivery only, customer unpacks (only bleach, etc. are in “barrier” bags). That this also means the drivers are safer is a convenient by-product...

I and most drivers do my/our best to sanitise between deliveries, I wipe down my van when I arrive at the yard (after opening the windows fully), and personally I do not touch orders, returns being placed in a crate by the customer with the barcode upwards to be “zapped” (when I return to the yard any returns are dealt with while wearing gloves).

From my experience, whenever I buy items I wipe down with sanitising wipes, as I do with our handsets, and I have my own pen and clipboard. If ever I am stopped by the police and tested for alcohol, I would be over the limit by osmosis via my hands!

Talking to those working on the shop floor they are increasingly saying how upset they get at the attitude of ignorant, disrespectful customers, and some have used phrases such as “It is getting scarier and scarier”.

On the plus side, the reaction on the doorstep 99 per cent of the time is fantastic – we are thanked for delivering, and for working extra days or days off, and many cannot wait to fist-punch the air, smile and tell you they have had their vaccine jab – the imparting of this information is heart-warming and at times brings a tear to the corner of the eye – and makes it all bearable.

As I say, 99 per cent of customers are great/ fantastic.

Of course, we understand that there are many, many people who have rarely (if at all) left their home since March 2020, and our “privileged” position enables us legitimately to be out and about. Often, we get an apologetic explanation for the size of an order.

Most of us are bemused at being classed “key workers”; I thought we would lose our jobs or be reallocated in other roles. After all, who in their right minds would want a stranger turning up to their house with “infected” shopping...? How wrong was I?

To us, a “key worker” is a nurse, policeman, fireman, ambulance driver, doctor, hospital porter, carer etc. Not someone delivering online orders, but it is nice for us at least to be “honorary” key workers.

So, in summary when you go shopping – wear a mask, over both your mouth AND nose. If “exempt” wear a mask (over mouth) AND a visor. Be courteous to those working in the shops. It is not difficult, and politeness costs nothing. Concerned supermarket worker, via email