The worst types of lockdown supermarket shoppers, according to someone who works there

Anti-maskers, licking money and other horror stories


Despite working in retail for four years, nothing is quite like working in retail during a pandemic, or even worse, during lockdown.

Despite the country going back into lockdown, with pubs bars and restaurants closing, the one place that will never shut is the supermarket. Most customers are lovely but there are always are few that just do some annoying things. Here’s just some of those people:

1. Not wearing a mask (not including those exempt)

Some people are exempt from wearing a face covering which is fine, no questions asked, but some people are just selfish and won’t wear a mask because they think it’s a ‘hoax’, ‘government control’ or some other conspiracy. Even worse are the people who wear their mask around their chin, it’s a face covering not a chin warmer.

Pls wear a mask

2. Wearing a mask below your nose

The half-committers, they daren’t go out without a mask but cannot commit to wearing it properly, over your nose and mouth. By wearing it below your nose, you’re still breathing all your germs out all over the place, not to mention it makes you look silly.

Looks a bit stupid

2. Licking your fingers when trying to give us money

This is by far the worst, and thankfully has decreased since the mandatory mask wearing, but it can still happen. No one wants to touch your money that you have put your spit all over.  You’re in a supermarket where lots of people have been and are putting your hands in your mouth, and while you might be happy to spread your germs, I don’t want them.

3. Abandoning trolleys

Putting trolley’s back is already the worst job, but when people just leave their trolleys in the car park it’s quite annoying. The nearest bay is probably less than 30 seconds away, please just put it in a bay.

4. Being a conspiracy theorist

I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next person, but Covid isn’t a conspiracy and it’s not about government control. I’ve had someone tell me they don’t believe in using hand sanitiser and they’re are glad they don’t have to wear mask.

5. Not socially distancing

We have been told to socially distance since March, yet some people seem to think Covid has gone away and we don’t need to stay apart anymore. How hard is it to just stand a few extra steps from a stranger?!

6. Touching things you don’t intend to buy

If your aren’t planning on buying it, don’t touch it. Do you really need to pick up everything in the store? Sometimes this is necessary to check labels, reach another product, but there’s no need to be aimlessly touching every product.

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7. Coming into the store when ill

If I hear someone constantly coughing I’m not going to assume it’s a contagious long term cough, but if you’re self-isolating, please don’t come into the store. It’s surprising that point needs making; I had someone come in but then admit that they were off work ill, so why did they decide to come in a supermarket?

8. Dumping items in random places

Someone has to put that back, and in many cases the food has to be thrown. If you put a fridge item back in a non refrigerated area it has to be thrown out, and the same goes for freezer goods, so not only are you creating extra work you are wasting food. If you grab something and then decide you don’t want it, at least put in back in the fridge / freezer so we don’t have to chuck it.

There’s your ultimate guide on how to not annoy a supermarket worker in lockdown. Happy shopping x