2020 Retailers in trouble thread

[Slagathore]

I think the government think a lot of people have been put off from returning to shops etc because they still think there is a lot of risk from catching it. They don't seem to have considered people may have changes habits or attitudes during lockdown.

If people know everyone has to wear a mask, that might give people confidence to go out and shop. That's the only logic I can see behind it.

It looks like an interesting gamble. Upset a tiny majority to give confidence to a potentially larger pot. At every turning point, the government seemed to be surprised at how well we've locked down and surprised people are scared to get back to normal.

I think they need to face up to the reality retail is going to be buggered for a long time. But there's too much at stake, jobs, lost revenues etc, they're getting increasingly desperate to get people back and spending.

[towser44]

jammy-git said:

towser44 said:

The problem I think is, that before, you didn't need to wear a mask to go shopping and therefore perhaps the view was that it wasn't risky. Yes, some did, but the vast majority from my limited shop visits didn't. Saying it is now mandatory will put people off, because it gives the message that it is risky to go shopping because wearing a mask is now mandatory. I haven't a real issue with wearing a mask, but I'll certainly go back to doing a monthly or once every 2 week food shop, whereas recently I had returned to going weekly.

That's not really a mask issue. That's a "this government is pretty st" issue. The risk of infection and threat to human life hasn't ever changed.

Those that have always worn masks realise that it helps to limit the spread of the virus which is good for everyone. As has been said many times, it doesn't really protect the wearer, but everyone else around them.

I'm absolutely amazed that retail workers and staff in pubs, restaurants, etc haven't been mandated to wear them. The amount of people they're in contact with, they must be at a much increased risk of contracting the virus and therefore spreading it to other people. How much is it going to help a pub if it comes out that half their customers caught the virus whilst drinking there one Saturday afternoon!?

As for wearing a mask with glasses, I've been wearing my often with sunglasses. Can you not just wear your glasses a little bit further down the bridge of your nose? Works for me.

I agree, by making them mandatory they are implying there is a risk (whether it was there before or not) and it will put people off shopping and cause more downturn. If masks are needed now, they were needed before and with it the consequences of people not going out spending and shops going down the pan will continue, when the government is trying to do the opposite. Making masks mandatory will discourage as many people to go shopping as it will encourage those to go.

[ben_h100]

Joey Deacon said:

Nail, head. Plus because most people are furloughed or working from home they don't need to spend any money day to day on things like Coffee, lunches, afternoon drinks, clothes, commuting etc.

Add all the industries that are reliant on this trade and you would be crazy to think that retail is anything but over.

Very true. We pop out for an ice cream at our local farm shop once a week, but other than that, it’s a local supermarket for groceries. WFH I wear shorts and t shirt as it’s more comfortable. I won’t see anybody other than the wife so nobody to impress, so no need for new clothes.

I’m pushing the wife for us to do our food shop online now that masks are becoming compulsory.

All things considered we are entering a deflationary period like no other.

[Welshbeef]

jammy-git said:

Honestly, I've been wearing one every time I go to the shops since late May, that includes weekly shops and several "leisure" shops in Canterbury and Ashford outlet. After 5 minutes you hardly even notice it.

In hot weather high BMI folk will struggle.
Sweat running down their faces as usual but being out of breath due to walking and then a mask hampering breathing even more

[Anonymous-poster]

Welshbeef said:

jammy-git said:

Honestly, I've been wearing one every time I go to the shops since late May, that includes weekly shops and several "leisure" shops in Canterbury and Ashford outlet. After 5 minutes you hardly even notice it.

In hot weather high BMI folk will struggle.
Sweat running down their faces as usual but being out of breath due to walking and then a mask hampering breathing even more

Lose some weight then!

[dukeboy749r]

Anonymous-poster said:

Welshbeef said:

jammy-git said:

Honestly, I've been wearing one every time I go to the shops since late May, that includes weekly shops and several "leisure" shops in Canterbury and Ashford outlet. After 5 minutes you hardly even notice it.

In hot weather high BMI folk will struggle.
Sweat running down their faces as usual but being out of breath due to walking and then a mask hampering breathing even more

Lose some weight then!

WB - you don't half post some rubbish!

if it were a respirator, then maybe - we are talking about a 'mask' that might include a light linen, or cotton covering. We aren't going full breathing apparatus and 90% reduction in available air

[eldar]

jammy-git said:

Seriously, what is the major problem with wearing a mask?

They itch, glasses steaming up and almost impossible to maintain a decent seal for more than 5 seconds.

Not exactly major problems, but enough, in addition to the other restrictions, to be a significant inhibitor.

[toastyhamster]

jammy-git said:

towser44 said:

The problem I think is, that before, you didn't need to wear a mask to go shopping and therefore perhaps the view was that it wasn't risky. Yes, some did, but the vast majority from my limited shop visits didn't. Saying it is now mandatory will put people off, because it gives the message that it is risky to go shopping because wearing a mask is now mandatory. I haven't a real issue with wearing a mask, but I'll certainly go back to doing a monthly or once every 2 week food shop, whereas recently I had returned to going weekly.

That's not really a mask issue. That's a "this government is pretty st" issue. The risk of infection and threat to human life hasn't ever changed.

Those that have always worn masks realise that it helps to limit the spread of the virus which is good for everyone. As has been said many times, it doesn't really protect the wearer, but everyone else around them.

I'm absolutely amazed that retail workers and staff in pubs, restaurants, etc haven't been mandated to wear them. The amount of people they're in contact with, they must be at a much increased risk of contracting the virus and therefore spreading it to other people. How much is it going to help a pub if it comes out that half their customers caught the virus whilst drinking there one Saturday afternoon!?

As for wearing a mask with glasses, I've been wearing my often with sunglasses. Can you not just wear your glasses a little bit further down the bridge of your nose? Works for me.

That doesn't work with varifocals unfortunately.

There have been zero reported Covid cases in the Morrisons near me, which anecdotally is one of the busiest in the country. It seems crazy that it's so contagious yet shop workers aren't catching it. None are wearing masks or gloves, even the older mob who are clearly just doing it for "something to do" or a bit of beer money.

[jammy-git]

toastyhamster said:

That doesn't work with varifocals unfortunately.

There have been zero reported Covid cases in the Morrisons near me, which anecdotally is one of the busiest in the country. It seems crazy that it's so contagious yet shop workers aren't catching it. None are wearing masks or gloves, even the older mob who are clearly just doing it for "something to do" or a bit of beer money.

You do realise that if everyone waits until there are reported cases it'll already be 2-4 weeks too late?

I've honestly never heard such a massive fuss made about something so simple and so insignificant to everyday life.

I think the only excuse I've heard that is even close to be remotely valid is the one toastyhamster makes about glasses foggy up. But even then you can get masks that create more of a seal around your face and have a port for inlet/outlet of air which should resolve that issue (can't say for sure, haven't tried it).

I think the biggest mistake that has been made so far was for the government not to mandate the wearing of masks for lockdown day 1. If they did that, then yes, there would probably be a bit of resistance from a minority, but I think the majority of people would have realised it was important from the clear and direct messaging from the government and for most it would have become second nature to them by now.

[Anonymous-poster]

jammy-git said:

You do realise that if everyone waits until there are reported cases it'll already be 2-4 weeks too late?

I've honestly never heard such a massive fuss made about something so simple and so insignificant to everyday life.

I think the only excuse I've heard that is even close to be remotely valid is the one toastyhamster makes about glasses foggy up. But even then you can get masks that create more of a seal around your face and have a port for inlet/outlet of air which should resolve that issue (can't say for sure, haven't tried it).

I think the biggest mistake that has been made so far was for the government not to mandate the wearing of masks for lockdown day 1. If they did that, then yes, there would probably be a bit of resistance from a minority, but I think the majority of people would have realised it was important from the clear and direct messaging from the government and for most it would have become second nature to them by now.

Yep ,Boris has been extremely poor since he contracted Covid imo.

[jammy-git]

Anonymous-poster said:

Yep ,Boris has been extremely poor since he contracted Covid imo.

I think limiting it to post-illness gives him far too much credit.

[CallThatMusic]

Anonymous-poster said:

jammy-git said:

You do realise that if everyone waits until there are reported cases it'll already be 2-4 weeks too late?

I've honestly never heard such a massive fuss made about something so simple and so insignificant to everyday life.

I think the only excuse I've heard that is even close to be remotely valid is the one toastyhamster makes about glasses foggy up. But even then you can get masks that create more of a seal around your face and have a port for inlet/outlet of air which should resolve that issue (can't say for sure, haven't tried it).

I think the biggest mistake that has been made so far was for the government not to mandate the wearing of masks for lockdown day 1. If they did that, then yes, there would probably be a bit of resistance from a minority, but I think the majority of people would have realised it was important from the clear and direct messaging from the government and for most it would have become second nature to them by now.

Yep ,Boris has been extremely poor since he contracted Covid imo.

Thousands of Asians wear glasses and face masks....how do they do it ?
It’s a mystery....
Doh !

[ARHarh]

Luckily I shop in Wales. But as i live in England do i have to where a mask when shopping in Wales????

This could make those border towns like Wrexham Popular at last, Never thought a shopping trip to Wrexham would be a better option than Chester

[HTP99]

CallThatMusic said:

Anonymous-poster said:

jammy-git said:

You do realise that if everyone waits until there are reported cases it'll already be 2-4 weeks too late?

I've honestly never heard such a massive fuss made about something so simple and so insignificant to everyday life.

I think the only excuse I've heard that is even close to be remotely valid is the one toastyhamster makes about glasses foggy up. But even then you can get masks that create more of a seal around your face and have a port for inlet/outlet of air which should resolve that issue (can't say for sure, haven't tried it).

I think the biggest mistake that has been made so far was for the government not to mandate the wearing of masks for lockdown day 1. If they did that, then yes, there would probably be a bit of resistance from a minority, but I think the majority of people would have realised it was important from the clear and direct messaging from the government and for most it would have become second nature to them by now.

Yep ,Boris has been extremely poor since he contracted Covid imo.

Thousands of Asians wear glasses and face masks....how do they do it ?
It’s a mystery....
Doh !

Don't know, I wear glasses and a face mask steams them up, I just can't work out how not to get them to steam up!

[hyphen]

People will buy one mask, leave it in the car, and then put it on for a few mins.

Imagine this means every retailer will now be selling masks?

[toon10]

hyphen said:

People will buy one mask, leave it in the car, and then put it on for a few mins.

Imagine this means every retailer will now be selling masks?

I agree. I work for a company that makes face masks so I was lucky that they sent all employees out a pack of 10. They're meant for single use but I think all that will happen is people will have one, single use or not and leave it in their car.

[Gweeds]

Watching people who have masks on I see a lot of them playing/checking them a fair amount. Each time they touch that mask is it not the case that the viral load will be concentrated into that area? If they're then touching things in shops does that present a greater risk than airborne particles if they didn't have a mask on?

Anyone know?

[hyphen]

Gweeds said:

Watching people who have masks on I see a lot of them playing/checking them a fair amount. Each time they touch that mask is it not the case that the viral load will be concentrated into that area? If they're then touching things in shops does that present a greater risk than airborne particles if they didn't have a mask on?

Anyone know?

Its not about risk elimination, it's about risk reduction.

The government isn't specifying medical grade masks to be sprayed regularly with sanitiser. This is about getting life back to normal and accepting covid will be around.

[surveyor]

hyphen said:

Gweeds said:

Watching people who have masks on I see a lot of them playing/checking them a fair amount. Each time they touch that mask is it not the case that the viral load will be concentrated into that area? If they're then touching things in shops does that present a greater risk than airborne particles if they didn't have a mask on?

Anyone know?

Its not about risk elimination, it's about risk reduction.

The government isn't specifying medical grade masks to be sprayed regularly with sanitiser. This is about getting life back to normal and accepting covid will be around.

It’s about pandering to the media and especially the bbc

[condor]

I found a child's souvenir apron from Portugal and will be using that if needed. Has the benefit of double material, pockets so i could put extra cloth in, though not likely to. Apron type straps so can be tied behind my head. Aside from supermarket once a week,won't be going elsewhere if I need to wear one.
Wasn't that long ago that wearing a mask was a bad idea.
Expect a u-turn shortly.