Tips for how to avoid queuing at supermarkets?

parcival

Just been to ASDA (I live in Somerset). Arrived at 3.00 pm on a sunny Wednesday afternoon and no queue at all. Same at Waitrose over the road. Both very quiet. Have found that midweek and mid afternoon are the best times. Also seem to be fully stocked with everything.

Murphybear

When our local Sainsbury’s started the 8-9 am slot for older/vulnerable people we went and the queue was horrendous.  A member of staff said it got quieter around 11.00 am and the quietest time was around 4.00 pm

that ties in with what a lot of other people on here have found.  

Bacman

Tip - use two hand baskets rather than a trolley as you can then use the self-service small tills (they don't let trolleys use them) - then you can be in and out quicker.

Tip - if you are shopping as a couple, why not both take a small trolley and stand in the queue, then when go into the store both take a basket and leave the trolley inside the store in a corner somewhere - that way you can both shop together all be it with separate baskets; or if it's a large shop both use the smaller trolleys; when you get to the checkout you can both unload at the same time, then use one trolley to load up items before the other one is emptied. After all, most people I am sure are shopping for themselves as well as a relative so they are technically shopping for 2 households anyway. It is unreasonable for a couple, no kids especially, to be split up and one expected to stay outside - especially if it is likely to rain or if the couple are not young and actually need each other to safely get items from the shelves?

andygb

Bacman said:

Tip - if you are shopping as a couple, why not both take a small trolley and stand in the queue, then when go into the store both take a basket and leave the trolley inside the store in a corner somewhere -

Imagine the chaos and potential dangers if everyone left contaminated trollies all around the store, it would make it even more difficult to keep a safe distance. It would be like an obstacle course.

NeilCr

andygb said:

Bacman said:

Tip - if you are shopping as a couple, why not both take a small trolley and stand in the queue, then when go into the store both take a basket and leave the trolley inside the store in a corner somewhere -

Imagine the chaos and potential dangers if everyone left contaminated trollies all around the store, it would make it even more difficult to keep a safe distance. It would be like an obstacle course.

Plus many supermarkets are discouraging couples shopping together so as to increase customer flow and to help with social distancing 

Sea_Shell

Take a trolley each and split the shopping list!!

Browntoa

New app that shows supermarket queue and stock levels , android and iOS

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.apptimal.supermarketcheckin

mac.d

Or how about being responsible and respectful and only one person doing the shopping to limit the number of people inside the shop, and just using the advice on this thread to visit when it's quiet!?

On a lighter note, check out boredpanda for some real supermarket no's
https://www.boredpanda.com/stupid-people-coronavirus/

MysteryMe

mac.d said:

Or how about being responsible and respectful and only one person doing the shopping to limit the number of people inside the shop, and just using the advice on this thread to visit when it's quiet!?

On a lighter note, check out boredpanda for some real supermarket no's
https://www.boredpanda.com/stupid-people-coronavirus/

Indeed, I couldn't believe what I was reading. I hope next time they pull a stunt like that the security staff spot them and turf them out the store. Awful people.

Bacman

There aren't quiet times. As soon as people know them they make the place busy. Quiet times are days like now when it is raining.

If people wear masks in the store and gloves there is little risk to others. 

When it is raining like now why should people have to stand out in the rain because two adults who live together are going out for their weekly shop as they are entitled to do?
The people who should be thrown out of the store are the people who do not wear a mask and use gloves at all times when out, they are the ones who pass on the virus to others. Face masks are not effective against getting the virus yourself as the molecules of the virus are smaller than the mask's filters (apart from Virustatic Shield masks, like I use, look it up on their virustaticshield.com website) however if the wearer sneezes it will be in their mask not over everyone else.

Social distancing is not effective enough, a cough indoors can spread over 30ft and people walking the other way can be affected from greater distance (as walking into it).
Think about it, the heros we all love; the NHS, carers, delivery drivers, etc etc - they are the MOST exposed to the virus so if they aren't wearing masks they are the biggest carriers of it too. When was the last time you saw a delivery driver wear a mask after all?
So, if you're going to ban anyone going into a supermarket or other place, logic would dictate anyone not wearing a mask and gloves have to be kicked out.

The amount of times i've seen people walking about and coughing as they walk with no care or consideration, for years, is baffling. If people know each other they take care, people they don't know (eg supermarket shoppers) are just like trees to be avoided, so they cough without care. Those are the dangerous people, those are the ones to ban from stores.
When I or my wife have to go out, we wear a Virustatic Shield mask, full eye goggles and also disposable gloves. So, by taking care, why should one of us have to stay out of the store for "social distancing" when others don't even have a mask and don't care? 

Yes, masks are not easy to get hold of however you can make one with a cotton hanky and tape in about 5 minutes, or use a scarf - sure not effective not getting it from the air (any more than surgical masks or similar) but at least you protect others as if you sneeze it goes into your mask and not airbourne, if everyone wore masks in public and used their hankies to wipe their nose the virus would find it hard to spread.