Outrage as ‘hundreds’ of Aldi shoppers flock to Melbourne stores, break social distancing rules for French linen sale
Hundreds of Aldi shoppers have been snapped breaching social distancing rules across Melbourne as they closely lined up while waiting to pounce on the store’s French linen sale. It comes as management was dubbed “negligent” for holding the promotion.
South East
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Aldi has come under fire after hundreds of shoppers breached social distancing measures as they flocked to the store’s linen sale on Wednesday.
Shoppers and social media users expressed their disbelief after witnessing up to 150 people lining up outside a number of Melbourne stores about 8.30am, ahead of the supermarket’s promotional French linen sale.
Keen buyers could be seen covered up in face masks but crowding together as they waited for doors to open.
The Special Buys range hit shelves on Wednesday and offered 100 per cent French flax linen sets with discount quilt cover sets and pillowcases less $400 off the retail price.
The widely popular promotion offers a special product on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
One Cheltenham grocery shopper, who did not want to be named, told the Leader there was no security system in place as the eager queue stretch around the perimeter of the Bay Rd store.
I went early hoping it would be quiet but when I arrived there was a queue already … I don’t know how long people were queuing and I couldn’t see if there was a security guard or any system in place,” she said.
“At one point everyone moved forward a bit so I assumed they opened the door but I couldn’t imagine how they’d let all those people in to bunch up together and gather around the linen shelf searching for sizes and colours.
“I just drove home again. I don’t need linen that much.”
More shoppers slammed the supermarket giant on Twitter following reports more than 100 people had queued outside a store in Melbourne’s north, and more than 150 people were lined up at the Preston location.
“You know form (sic) previous experience of these queues … this is extremely negligent of you to do this during lockdown (and) pandemic,” one woman said.
An Aldi spokesman told the Leader it was “disappointing” to see instances where social distancing measures were not being followed.
“Occasionally, heightened anticipation for a particular product has attracted more customers
at once than usual, resulting in large lines … we need our customers to respect social
distancing measures at all times, even when they are standing outside our stores,” the spokesman said.
“While the majority do follow the correct process, it is disappointing to see instances where social distancing measures are not adhered to.
“For the safety of our employees and our customers, we have implemented a series of social
distancing measures across all stores, including 1.5 metre social distancing floor markers at
our check outs.
“While our store teams do their best to enforce customer flows, such as limiting the number of
shoppers in our stores, we also ask our customers to remember to keep at least 1.5 metres
apart from each other at all times, both in and outside of our stores.”
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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