Lidl and Iceland rated worst for Covid-safe shopping

Iceland and Lidl are the least Covid-safe supermarkets, according to a shopper survey taken out by Which?

The consumer watchdog surveyed 2,010 UK adults between February 12-6 about how safe they felt in supermarkets during the current lockdown.

When asked to rate the Covid safety measures implemented in supermarkets, shoppers said Iceland and Lidl were the worst.

Just two thirds (66 per cent) of customers ranked the supermarkets' measures as good or excellent.

A Lidl customer complained the aisles were too "narrow to easily social distance," while an Iceland customer said there was a "distinct lack of sanitising products when entering the store."

In a recent statement, Lidl said that the health and safety of its colleagues and customers "remained our top priority".

They added that they remind customers to wear face masks, encourage social distancing and have dedicated sanitising stations within their stores.

Iceland told The Sun that the Which? findings were based on a relatively small sample, and are not representative of the feedback it has had.

A spokesperson said: "We have invested heavily in making our stores as safe as possible throughout the pandemic, continuing to update our policies and safety measures in line with government guidelines."

Co-op and Asda also finished in the bottom half of the research.

One Co-op customer said there were "too many people allowed in store and no enforcement of the one way aisle system.”

While an Asda customer complained about crowds and said there were “too many people without masks."

Supermarkets that ranked good or excellent included M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s which took the top spot.

One customer explained that they “feel generally safe [in Sainsbury’s], as the store is spacious and the option of self-serve with screens is good.”

Which? also asked the public how they felt about supermarket shopping during the current lockdown since it began in January.

Only 38 per cent said they felt safe, compared to 49 per cent who said they felt safe just before the second lockdown in October 2020.

Harry Rose, Which? Magazine Editor, said: “Many retailers have adapted and introduced effective safety measures during the pandemic, however our research shows shoppers feel some supermarkets are doing a better job than others at keeping them safe.

“While lockdown restrictions are set to ease in the next few weeks, supermarkets should ensure their safety measures are the best they can be, so that everyone can shop confidently and safely.”

Iceland, Co-op and Asda have been approached for comment.

Read More

Millions of Brits ‘could be owed money back on smartphone purchases’

PM predicts return to office life saying working from home won’t last

‘So proud’: Daughter’s emotional farewell at Sir Tom’s funeral