Supermarket workers brighten shoppers’ day
SUPERMARKET staff have been looking out for regular shoppers and older customers ensuring they have essentials that are scarce on the shelves.
Tesco in Sauchiehall Street has a small stock of ‘goodie bags’ with soap, toilet roll and other things that some people have been stockpiling during the coronavirus crisis, and leaving others without.
The staff say they know the customers that come in every day and are also keeping an eye out for some of their elderly shoppers as well.
The bags are stored behind the counter and used when they see someone who might need help.
There have been reports of big queues forming at opening time at supermarkets in other areas and staff forced to try to fend of customers bulk buying, however this city centre store was calm and orderly.
Store manager, Nicola Lamarine, was on the shop floor chatting to customers and hearing their concerns of ensuring they have what they need during the coronavirus outbreak and the advice to stay indoors.
Ms Lamarine said they are doing the packs for the elderly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings between 9am and 10am.
She said: “We have regular customers, people are in every day, we are aware of the people.
“If we see someone who we think might be panicking or worried, we’ll try to help if we can.
“We have no empty shelves, we are getting everything in every day.
“We are trying to take away the panic buying.”
She said the staff were making sure the shop was a clean and safe for customers as possible.
Ms Lamarine added: “We have social distancing at check outs and we are cleaning continually the trolleys, baskets and self-service till areas.”
As well as keeping an eye out for the older customers she was also handing bunches of flowers to many of the shop’s regular shoppers.
Outside regular shoppers leaving the store said they were “touched” by the gesture.
Some said they were unaware the staff knew they were regulars.
Sandhoshi Adasvala, was one who received the flowers after going in to buy cooking oil.
She said: “I am a regular customer in the morning and the evening. It was very nice of them to give me the flowers.”
Alexis McArthur works in the city centre as a cleaner in an office and is a regular shopper at the store.
She said: “It’s lovely, I’m really touched. With everything that is going on I feel for those working in the shops.”
Lyn Fontana, who also works in the city centre, came out with a bunch of flowers.
She said: “It was a lovely gesture it put a smile on my face this morning. It’s a shame what is going in the shops.”