A SHOPPER says a supermarket’s system for cleaning trolleys during the coronavirus pandemic “defies common sense”.

Nigel Davis found that when he went to the Asda store at Brighton Marina this week he could not avoid handling trolleys which had not yet been disinfected.

The 72-year-old from Hollingbury Terrace, Brighton, said: “The problem is they have several trolley bays where you go to collect one but it’s not being cleaned straight away.

“You see other people taking their trolleys back and you have no choice but to take a dirty one.

“Customers have to queue up and it’s not until you get inside the shop foyer that there are disinfectant facilities.

“I appreciate they have a high trolley turnaround at Asda but when you go to a B&Q store for example, it’s a completely different experience. They are wiping trolleys down after people have used them straight away.”

The Argus:

Nigel, who has now arranged to have his shopping done for him, said he fears the virus could easily spread through supermarket trolleys not being cleaned effectively.

He said: “I appreciate it’s a bit of a problem at a busy supermarket as they have such a high turnaround.

“I said to a store manager, surely you can get a member of staff to immediately wipe down the trolleys, or you could have a moveable cleaning station. It’s not rocket science.

“But he just said ‘you’re the first person to mention it’ and gave me the impression I was a trouble maker.

“I was not at all happy.”

Nigel visited the store after he had trouble ordering groceries online, despite being classed as a vulnerable person due to his age.

The Argus:

He said: “The Government is supposed to be sharing the details of all vulnerable shoppers with supermarkets but it’s been absolutely to get deliveries and I’ve had to wait weeks for a collections date.

“But I don’t know what I’m picking up when I take a trolley.They should have staff there immediately wiping them down after use.

“If B&Q and Tesco can do it, they can too.

“This system just defies common sense.”

A spokesman for Asda said: “We have rolled out a number of practices at our Brighton Marina store to help our colleagues and customers stay safe.

“We also continue to follow the Government guidance in relation to hygiene and social distancing, and have implemented extensive measures to help our customers follow this guidance in our shops, such as clear directional signage, two metre markers, perspex screens and cleaning stations for trolleys.

“We would remind customers to follow the current Public Health England advice, which is to wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their faces as much as possible, to help prevent the spread of the virus.”

  • The coronavirus Sussex Crisis Fund has been set up to help those affected by the pandemic. The Argus’s charity and American Express have each donated £50,000 to kick-start the appeal. Grants will usually be for up to £5,000. More information is available at www.sussexgiving. org.uk/apply. To donate visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund