FURIOUS parents have accused supermarkets including Tesco and Aldi of not allowing them to bring their children into stores during the coronavirus epidemic.
Most major grocers have introduced social distancing measures which include limiting the number of shoppers allowed in stores at one time, as well as asking customers to remain two metres apart.
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The new measures come as stores have been working hard to deal with the spike of customers during the coronavirus crisis.
But some parents have slammed the big-name supermarkets after allegedly being refused entry because they have more than one child with them.
Some parents said they ended up walking away empty-handed from their local shop after not being allowed in.
Taking to Twitter, one Aldi shopper scolded the supermarket for allegedly refusing her daughter and five-year-old granddaughter entry.
She said: “Since when did you stop children going into your shops?
“My daughter tried to go shopping today with her five-year-old daughter but was told she couldn’t go in with her daughter.
“She’s a single mother what is she supposed to do with her? I am beyond angry.”
Another shopper said: “A friend visited Aldi this morning and has been told that she has to leave her four kids at the front of the store whilst she does her essential food shop.
“She’s a single mum and has no choice but to take her kids shopping as she has nobody to look after them.”
Asda customers have also allegedly been turned away due to having too many people in one family to shop.
One shopper said: “Asda are allowing one person only from each household. I just got turned away with my son.
“Luckily I could leave him outside if I wanted as he’s old enough. Kinda concerned for the single parents with younger children and no family/support though.”
Replying to a tweet from the supermarket, another person said: “Was at Asda with my seven-year-old this week and was told by security guards that I would be ‘allowed in this time but next time I’d need to work something else out’!
“Unfortunately many of us do not have the privilege of leaving our children safe at home. I will shop elsewhere.”
Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s shoppers said they experienced the same thing.
One shopper fumed: “So when did you decide to stop allowing children into your stores?
“Absolutely disgusted by the security staff and service at Charcot Road NW9 store.
“I was refused entry with my son and security told me to leave my seven-year-old outside ALONE! I am a single parent!”
Another asked: “If it’s only one adult and no children in Asda and Sainsbury’s then how does my daughter as a single mother shop?”
Tesco has also received comments from concerned parents, with one claiming she saw a single mother being asked to leave her five-year-old child outside a store.
She said: “Bunch of heartless staff around my area.
“Told a SINGLE mother to leave her five-year old child alone outside, because they aren’t allowing children in the shop. And because she refused, wouldn’t allow her in.”
Another claimed: “When I went to Tesco the other day they said kids wasn’t allowed only small babies, etc.”
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Which supermarkets are limiting customers?
SOME supermarkets are limiting the number of people that can go in their stores at one time.
Aldi: Aldi is capping the number of customers in each store but as stores are different sizes, it is at the discretion of each store manager.
Asda: Asda is capping the number of people allowed in stores at one time. As each branch is a different size, the number of customers varies per store.
Lidl: Lidl also announced on it would be “implementing a crowd control system with immediate effect” in order to try to manage social distancing within its stores.
Iceland: The Sun has asked Iceland if it is capping the number of customers in store and we will update this story when we hear back.
Morrisons: The Sun has asked Morrisons if it is capping the number of customers in store and we will update this story when we hear back.
Sainsbury’s: Sainsbury’s has implemented a queuing system outside stores and is asking everyone to queue two metres apart. It is also limiting the number of people allowed in its branches.
Tesco: Tesco is limiting the number of people who come into stores to help reduce congestion inside.
Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Tesco told us they don’t have a ban on children in stores, with each supermarket saying parents are able to bring kids in if necessary.
However, they are asking families to be mindful of how many people they bring along on their supermarket trip.
We’ve yet to hear back from Asda, but the supermarket has been tweeting customers to say it hasn’t banned children in stores.
The supermarket said: “This isn’t the case. Where needed, we are limiting the total number of shoppers we allow into a store at any one time.”
It comes after Waitrose was accused of “banning” couples from shopping together because they clog up queues.
Some supermarkets have introduced screens around checkouts to protect workers, plus they’re limiting key items so everyone can have access to goods.
Tesco has also just limited the overall number of items in online orders to 80.
