COVID-19: Are supermarkets hygiene-friendly? We did a spot check…

By Ritika Srivatsan

According to the latest update by the BBMP Covid-19 WarRoom, there are currently 18,387 active cases and 4076 containment zones in the city. In such stressful times, what are the supermarkets doing? Are they truly following the guidelines set by the BBMP? What precautions are they taking?

But first, what do the rules state?

GUIDELINES FOR SUPERMARKETS

The BBMP last issued specific guidelines to marts on March 16 2020, which stated the following:

1. Time-bound sales promotion offers are strictly prohibited as these have the potential of drawing large crowds.
2. Restricted token system was suggested to reduce overcrowding.
3. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers to be made available at various locations throughout the store.
4. Railings, door knobs and other surfaces which are likely to be touched by individuals are to be effectively sanitized periodically by sodium hypochlorite, bleaching powder or any other disinfectant.
5. Each member of staff reporting at the outlet needs to be trained on hand hygiene and sanitation.

6. Any staff reporting symptoms of fever, cold and cough must be granted sick leave and should be advised to seek medical attention.

7. As far as possible, it is advised to discourage customers from touching commodities indiscriminately. Instead, assistants may be available to assist them in picking their products.

8. There shall be no crowding at the billing counters at any point of time. Owners and management of the outlet have to ensure adequate number of staff at checkout points. Additional arrangements for handling increased people density during the weekend need to be made by the proprietors and management staff.

9. Informative, educative and communicative materials approved by the government shall be made available in soft copies which can be printed and displayed at the premises to create awareness.

The link to the original statement by BBMP can be downloaded here.

Why are supermarkets the hotspots?

Supermarkets are essential services. Regardless of Covid-19, they have to remain open, making them hotspots for coronavirus transmissions. Here is why there are greater chances of infections:

1. People: Supermarkets are areas where there is a high chance of physical proximity. A single infected person has the potential of spreading it to many others through touch or by breathing in contaminated particles.
2. It’s indoors: Indian supermarkets are generally smaller and are located in enclosed areas with narrow aisles and spaces. This prevents ventilation. The chances of breathing in potentially contaminated air is higher.
3. Contaminated surfaces: As humans, we tend to lean on surfaces and touch things like railings, door handles, etc, unnecessarily. With Covid-19, this is a harmful behaviour.

So, are supermarket chains in Bangalore really following the guidelines? Are they truly taking all precautions? We visited various supermarkets in HSR Layout as part of our sport check to find out.

RESIDENTS WATCH SPOT CHECK

MK RETAIL

This retail store established in 1927 is a crowd favourite. With outlets in seven locations across the city, they cater to different goods ranging from basic groceries, fruits and vegetables, to household items and meat.

Positives

• The staff inside is following the guidelines by wearing masks and maintaining distance.
• Temperature is checked before entry.
• You are asked to wash your hands before entering and to wear masks.
• Neat, clean and methodical.
• No air conditioning.

Negatives

• As you enter MK Retail, you are first asked to wash your hands with soap in a portable, make-shift sink… and this makes no sense. To open the tap, each individual has to hold the knob firmly and twist it. It’s not a peddled sink. So technically, you wash your hands with soap and then use the same knob to turn the tap off.
• No social distancing followed at billing counters and there are no markings or boxes made to ensure the same.
• Too many delivery boys from Dunzo were inside at the same time and all were waiting in the enclosed space for their orders. Perhaps this could be avoided by asking some to wait outside.

STAR BAZAAR

A leading supermarket chain, Star has 20 outlets in Bangalore. They have two store models, one being Star Market and the other, Star Hyper. The two formats cater to different audiences, with the former being a full-fledged store containing groceries, food, beauty, bakery, apparel and home appliances. The latter focuses mainly on basic monthly needs such as groceries and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).

Positives

• They have the tools to check the temperature, and a peddled hand sanitiser stand
• Employees have masks available but are they being used optimally is the real question
• Had signs and posters regarding social distancing and masks

Negatives

• While the experience is subjective; we were let through without a temperature check and when we tried to use the peddled hand sanitiser, it was empty
• During our time, we saw five employees not covering their mouths with their masks that were slung beneath their chin
• Extremely crowded during unloading of goods with an unnecessary number of staff being present
• Air conditioning was running, which increases the chances of transmission massively

Nilgiris

Established in 1905, it is one of the oldest supermarkets in south India. Unfortunately, it’s struggling to keep up in today’s world.

Positives

• Have masks (but not used properly)
• No air conditioning

Negatives

• No temperature checks
• No hand sanitiser available
• Majority of staff had masks under their chin
• Citizens were allowed without masks, no questioning done
• No social distancing rules in place and it’s not followed by staff either

RATNADEEP

Launched in July 2019, they have five stores in the city, and over 50 in Hyderabad.

Positives

• Hand sanitiser provided
• All staff members were wearing masks properly
• No overcrowding of staff at any point
• Fresh food items such as paneer, was handled with gloves this time
• No air conditioning
• Clear and well organised

Negatives

• No temperature checks during our visit
• On a previous trip, fresh paneer was handled without gloves

MK AHMED

This retailer, originally founded in Bangalore, has now become a household name with close to a dozen stores in the city.

Positives

• Staff members were wearing masks properly
• Educational posters were put up near the entrance
• No air conditioning

Negatives

• No social distancing rules followed by the staff
• Customers were crowding near billing counters and there was zero crowd management
• No temperature checks
• No hand sanitisers given or placed at the entrance

To what extent are citizens to blame?

While it can be said that some supermarkets and staff are not doing the best job in terms of Covid-19 precautions, it would be unfair if we don’t place a part of the blame on citizens.

Often you can see citizens…

1. Enter stores without masks or wear extremely ill-fitting masks
2. Not following social distancing and voluntarily crowding, especially near the billing counters
3. Touching items and surfaces unnecessarily

And finally…

Covid-19 is here to stay. While it might get frustrating, we have to stay put and take all precautions, not only for us and our loved ones but for any stranger we might encounter. Together, we can defeat the virus.