Milton Keynes supermarkets launch special shopping hours for elderly

Major supermarkets in Milton Keynes are launching 'elderly people only' shopping hours to allow them to buy what they need in peace.

Sainsbury's led the way by today setting aside the first hours of opening in every store for elderly and vulnerable customers.

From next Monday, they are also expanding their ‘click and collect’ service and allowing customers to pick up their goods from a collection point in the store car park to avoid the spread of germs.

Tesco is prioritising one hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning between 9am and 10am (except in Tesco Express stores) for elderly customers.

They are encouraging customers who shop online, or use Click+Collect, to prioritise shopping in-store where possible in order to free up slots for the more vulnerable.

Asda will tomorrow (Friday) devote the hours from opening time to 9am to allow the most vulnerable, and those who support them, to shop and get what they need.

Many Iceland stores are also only allowing elderly people in for the first hour's trading each day.

Meanwhile most major 24-hour supermarkets have now taken the decision to close at night to allow shelves to be refilled. They have all imposed restrictions on how many of the more popular products people can buy.

Sainsbury's and Tesco customers are allowed to buy a maximum of three of any grocery product throughout the store and a maximum of two on the most popular products including toilet paper, soap and UHT milk.

Both chains are shutting fresh food counters.

.Asda is taking similar action and Morrisons is limiting purchases across 1,250 lines.

Online shopping delivery service Ocado has suspended its online food delivery service, blaming higher demand than it can meet. Existing customers with orders will still receive them.

Today a Milton Keynes health worker has launched a petition urging big supermarkets to make special concessions for NHS employees too.

Julie Chambers said: " I work in maternity at MKUH and I would like supermarkets not just in MK but around the UK to allow NHS and emergency workers to be able to buy food and supplies during the hour when elderly people go too.

"All the big supermarkets should allow NHS workers and emergency workers to join in with the proposed elderly’s hour a day in the supermarkets in the mornings. We could also help these people whilst we are there."

Julie added: "We have bigger things at work right now to worry about, than whether we have enough toilet rolls and food to help us keep working long hours whilst looking after our patients right now.

"Many staff work 13 hour shifts and are unable to get to the shops when they open and have full shelves. We need to keep these workers in good health and provide good nutrition to help them keep everyone else in this country safe and well looked after."

You can sign the petition here.