(File Photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Follow the Restrictions

Melfort grocery stores noticing different trends as COVID-19 progresses in Saskatchewan

Apr 3, 2020 | 1:31 PM

While it may seem people rushing to grocery stores because of COVID-19 have slowed down in Saskatchewan, but that doesn’t mean people should be taking restrictions less seriously.

One local grocery has noticed some people seem to be more relaxed now the the initial rush has passed.

“People are just feeling that they are super heroes themselves and it’s not going to affect them,” said Cindy Quinton, Owner of Cindy’s Independent Grocer in Melfort. “And they’re very vocal about it.”

Quinton said she’s even noticed some people challenge the security guards at their front entrance. The store is currently allowing a certain amount of customers at one time to try and create a bit more space for staff and shoppers trying to distance themselves. Quinton added some people even make vocal comments that they had recently travelled, making the cashiers uncomfortable.

As it stands, Cindy’s Independent also has mandatory staff hand washing times during the day, as well as one way aisles to try and limit congestion as well. Quinton said the one way aisles haven’t caused too much trouble yet. She added the restrictions in place aren’t just for the shoppers, but her 100-plus staff members as well.

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“As a business owner, it’s my obligation to make sure that my employees feel safe to come to work,” Quinton told northeastNOW. “We have lost some employees where they want to stay home, and that is well respected for them to do so. For the ones that are coming out, I want to make sure they feel safe, and we have meetings everyday asking how they feel.

“And I want the customers who are coming in to also feel safe. If they are not feeling safe, then I need to step it up in order to make them feel safe, and if that means sometimes being the bad guy and turning out some of those customers that are not wanting to respect one another, then I need to go down that road.”

Quinton added while following the restrictions is great, some people still need to understand that going into the store numerous times a day is not good. She said there have been some people who come in and just buy a couple bottles of pop and that’s it.

“Being a small community, we see who’s in the store and we know who’s in here and we know who has what,” Quinton said. “It’s just the same people that are coming in three times a day buying four or five items, and they purposely say ‘oh, I forgot these items.'”

Quinton encouraged people using their delivery service, or having someone shop for you, especially if you’re in isolation.

Meanwhile, another local grocery store hasn’t seen quite the same level of people against the restrictions.

Whitney Rogers, Manager of the Prairie North Co-op Food Store in Melfort said as time has passed during the pandemic, people are actually doing the opposite of disregarding restrictions.

“As we go on, I find that our customers are actually starting to catch on to the things that we are asking in our food store better,” she said.

The store has also added one way aisles, and are encouraging, and limiting the amount of people coming into the store.

“We do ask that people shop alone,” Rogers said. “So that would mean only one member per family is what we want in the store. And the reason for that is to limit the amount of people in the store and to keep our customers and to keep our team members safe.”

Rogers also encouraged using the curbside pickup service as well as delivery.

Quinton added everyone is trying to do their part to limit the spread and get things back to normal.

“We are trying our hardest to protect one another,” she said. “And we need to protect each other, whether or not you agree with the processes, protect your family and your friends.”

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6