Panicked shoppers are crowding into aisles, elbowing each
other over the last loaf of bread or box of pasta.
Meanwhile, the people most in need of essential supplies are
shut out, for fear of picking up an infection in the
frenzy.
That’s the scene at supermarkets across the
world right now. But a few of them are doing something
different.
As coronavirus panic buying gets worse,
chains like Iceland in the UK, Whole Foods in the US, and
Woolworths in Australia have begun opening early to allow elderly
and vulnerable customers access to clean stores and freshly stocked
shelves.
Now more than ever, we need to look out for
each other. So we’re calling on all supermarkets, including
Aldi, Lidl, 7-Eleven, and Spar to implement the same policy.
Can you join us?
Yes
-- I’ll demand supermarkets give priority access to the customers
who most need it.
With the rapid spread of the virus, elderly and immunocompromised
people are being told to leave the house as little as
possible.
Plentiful supplies of goods like
pasta and tinned soup could be a lifeline for them, and for
those with limited mobility who can’t make frequent supermarket
trips. But not when venturing out exposes them to big crowds -- and
potentially empty shelves.
Supermarkets are among the
few companies profiting from the coronavirus. They should
be taking extra care to protect the people most at risk, not just
putting up ineffective signs telling everyone to stop panic buying.
It’s urgent they all follow the lead of stores like Iceland
and Woolworths -- and they will, with enough public pressure. In
just the last few weeks, people power has forced
corporations to take unprecedented measures to prevent the
vulnerable from becoming ill. Who would have thought, just
a month ago, that Amazon and Uber would ever budge from their
draconian sick leave policies? But people like you made them do
it.
We’ve seen how this crisis can bring people
together -- now let’s get our supermarkets to show some solidarity
as well.
Sign
the emergency petition demanding early hours for elderly and other
vulnerable supermarket shoppers!
