Coronavirus: Eastbourne supermarket safety survey

The latest survey by Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce now puts no frills stores Aldi in Hampden Park and Lidl in both Seaside and Dittons Road, Polegate, at the bottom of the list of the town’s nine supermarkets when it comes to cleaning protocols, the number of customers admitted and face coverings being worn by staff and shoppers.

ASDA, which came last in a survey over Christmas, has moved up to third after a raft of measures were introduced. It has brought in new signage, a new automated system to control customer numbers, more people at the entrance and a company to sterilise their trolleys outside.

According to the Chamber of Commerce’s Christina Ewbank, the ASDA staff were all well briefed, very aware and positive about the cleaning protocols in the store and were seen wiping down touchscreens and PDQ machines.

The chamber has been carrying out the surveys as Covid-19 infection rates continue to rise in Eastbourne with 985 positive cases per 100,000 people and one in 25 people are now infected.

Sainsbury’s in The Beacon remains at the top of the list followed by Tesco Lottbridge Drove, ASDA, M&S and Sainshury’s in Broadwater Way.

Ms Ewbank said, “ASDA has responded positively but unfortunately Lidl and Aldi are still in the red.

“As we have three busy Aldi and Lidl stores in the town it is likely these are contributing to the increasing infection rate in Eastbourne.

“Between them they are seeing more than 30,000 people a week and exposing them to the risk of infection.

“In Lidl in Dittons Road a member of staff told me they were very short staffed due to the number of staff off sick due to Covid and the member of staff at the till refused to wear a mask as it was unpleasant.

“He was not wearing glasses or an exemption badge and made it clear he had made the choice not to wear a mask regardless of the infection rate. Fortunately our hospital staff do not refuse to wear masks for comfort reasons.”

Both Aldi and Lidl have not responded to the Herald’s request for a reaction to the survey but before Christmas, Aldi boss Giles Hurley said colleagues were on hand to help customers shop safely with measures in place.

Ms Ewbank said the survey was being carried out as many of its members – local independent retailers – have been forced to close.

She said, “The action of some supermarkets is putting our economy at risk and many jobs in the town. It is also a matter of life or death to the residents of Eastbourne.”