Coronavirus: Elderly and care worker shopping hours scrapped by Asda, Sainsbury's and Iceland

Supermarkets Sainsbury's, Asda and Iceland have ditched exclusive shopping hours for care workers and people aged over 70 but said priority to skip queues will still be given to these customers.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, many supermarkets initially introduced priority shopping hours for customers aged over 70 and key workers including care workers. This meant these customers avoided long waits when it came to buying essential items.

While the pandemic remains, some supermarket chains have now decided to scrap these exclusive shopping hours.

Sainsbury's

With the easing of the UK’s lockdown, Sainsbury's has said elderly, 'vulnerable' and disabled customers will no longer have exclusive shopping hours but will get priority entry from 8am to 9am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, if there are queues to get in.

Care workers will also have priority entry, if there are queues to get in, from 7.30am to 8am Monday to Saturday.

Iceland: 'No longer any particular advantage'

Iceland has also removed exclusive shopping hours and in a statement on its website, confirmed: ‘We haven't cancelled our priority hours for elderly people; these are still offered from 8am-9am in all The Food Warehouse stores, and at the discretion of our Iceland store managers where sufficient local demand exists.

'In some stores the priority period is no longer required as elderly and vulnerable customers have heeded the Government's advice to stay at home, supplies have normalised and panic buying has subsided.

'This means that stores are better stocked throughout the day and there is no longer any particular advantage to customers in shopping first thing in the morning; they may well prefer to visit during the afternoon, when stores are usually quieter.'

Asda

While no longer offering exclusive hours, Asda is offering priority access for care workers and the elderly, allowing them to skip queues in bigger stores, if there are queues in its larger stores, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am to 9am.

Tesco

Tesco has said priority shopping access will still be given to elderly and 'vulnerable' shoppers on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9am until 10am, in all locations except Tesco Express stores.

At Tesco NHS workers also have priority hours every Tuesday and Thursday between 9am and 10am and NHS workers and care workers can still get priority access to stores with a valid ID.

Aldi

Key worker shopping hours remain in Aldi supermarkets with priority access in queues also given.

On its website Aldi stated: ‘We also open 30 minutes early Monday - Saturday for the Elderly (over 70) and vulnerable. Please note, in England and Wales, this is for browsing only. In Scotland, purchases can be made during this time.’

Morrisons

At Morrisons, key workers shopping hours also remain allowing care workers to shop from 6am-7am Monday-Saturday.

Waitrose

Waitrose said its dedicated shopping hour for the elderly and ‘vulnerable’ remains in place during the first opening hour at all of its supermarkets.

It also stated after the first hour of trading, social care workers get priority access to shops and checkouts on production of ID.