LINE SPACING
Shoppers line up with proper coronavirus ‘social distancing’ outside supermarket but once inside it’s mayhem
BRITS have been queuing with perfect 'social distancing' form outside besieged supermarkets across the UK - but not once they get inside.
Photos show shoppers standing two-metres apart while waiting to enter the stores, but ignoring government guidelines once they enter.
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The pictures outside are a far cry from the scenes witnessed at mobbed stores before the government introduced its lockdown rules.
Inside, shoppers can be seen squeezing their trolley's past one another and queuing within the two metre rule.
Stores across the country were rocked by violence and chaos as selfish shoppers stripped shelves bare and fought over toilet rolls.
Panic buyers formed scrums outside supermarkets and queues a 1,000 strong snaked through car parks and onto main roads.
The PM is allowing people out to buy vital necessities such as food or collect medication, although he wants them to go “as infrequently as possible”.
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And some supermarket chains have already revealed they will be doing their bit to ensure people play it safe.
Waitrose is to begin to limit customer numbers on a branch-by-branch basis.
“Shop managers will use their judgment on customer numbers and when the shop is at capacity to manage social distancing will operate a one in, one out policy,” it said.
The supermarket is also using “marshals” to help manage queues outside shops and if necessary remind customers to respect the government’s rules.
Outside stores there will be signage and a coned area instructing customers to queue, keeping their distance from each other.
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Sainsbury’s has already said it will also be limiting customer numbers and erecting barriers outside stores and Morrisons is doing similar.
On Wednesday photos emerged showing mobs ignoring the guidelines by standing too close to each other as they queued outside packed stores.
Hundreds of people appeared to ignore the Government guidelines as they queued outside the Asda supermarket in Linwood, Scotland, at 7.50am.
Hoarding shoppers were also seen snaking around an Asda car park waiting in a queue for two hours before the supermarket opened - and one said it was like a “war.”
More than 200 crazed customers wanting to stockpile ahead of a coronavirus lockdown started queuing at 5am in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.
Other shoppers who arrived for the opening time then had to wait until nearly 9am before they could get in because of the rush.
One said: “People at the front were swearing at each other as they jostled for positions.
“Tempers were beginning to fray and the doors were still shut. It was shocking.
“There were people waiting with trolleys as far as the eye could see. I counted at least 200, but there was more. It was madness.”
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