Deregulation of Shop Trading Hours

[Verbatim9]

^^Good decision! Allows people to shop off peak if they need to. Better weekend hours as well, until 9pm

[Norman]

It's strange timing though, when the supermarkets have actually reduced opening hours to allow more restocking time.

[Waewick]

It's strange timing though, when the supermarkets have actually reduced opening hours to allow more restocking time.

It's a pretty smart political play, gives everyone a taste of it.

Then take it away.

[SBD]

It's strange timing though, when the supermarkets have actually reduced opening hours to allow more restocking time.

It's a pretty smart political play, gives everyone a taste of it.

Then take it away.

Agreed, it feels political. By the same token, some shoppers appear to be behaving in strange ways. If people are queueing to get in at opening time, it reduces crowd contact to have allowed them in and let them get on their way again quickly. "Small supermarkets" such as OTR and X-Convenience are open 24 hours and presumably manage cleaning and restocking simultaneous with customers, so there is no conceptual reason that larger shops could not also manage it.

[Llessur2002]

The 24 hour supermarkets that I've worked in before have generally had dedicated overnight replenishment teams meaning that 70-80% of restocking is undertaken at night when customer traffic is low. Daytime restocking is usually just gap filling as required or picking up what the night team couldn't finish.

Obviously delivery schedules will also determine what is possible overnight to an extent - with the relaxing of the curfews on loading dock operations and truck movements through suburban streets which have been implemented by the State Government this should allow the supermarkets to gradually re-calibrate their logistics operations to meet the current demand.

I suspect night replenishment might be where Coles choose to deploy the 5000-odd casual staff they are reportedly taking on.

[SBD]

I suspect night replenishment might be where Coles choose to deploy the 5000-odd casual staff they are reportedly taking on.

My guess was that it is business continuity risk management. They want to have 5000 people who have already undergone whatever staff induction and training might be required, before they potentially have 5000 of the current staff go on sick or carer's leave.

[rev]

There's literally no point in doing this at this time, except for political purposes, because supermarkets can't even find enough stock anymore. That is something they are even saying them selves.

It's a pathetic thing for the state gov. to do at this time anyway. Trying to gain political points during a crisis.

[rev]

It's strange timing though, when the supermarkets have actually reduced opening hours to allow more restocking time.

It's a pretty smart political play, gives everyone a taste of it.

Then take it away.

Agreed, it feels political. By the same token, some shoppers appear to be behaving in strange ways. If people are queueing to get in at opening time, it reduces crowd contact to have allowed them in and let them get on their way again quickly. "Small supermarkets" such as OTR and X-Convenience are open 24 hours and presumably manage cleaning and restocking simultaneous with customers, so there is no conceptual reason that larger shops could not also manage it.

Coles & Woolies are struggling to supply their stores. It's not just the stores struggling now, but the distribution centres.

There's literally no point in doing this, because within an hour of stores opening, the essential supplies that everyone is trying to hunt down are gone.
They do not get around the clock deliveries happening, and even if they did, they can't now because the distribution centres are having problems with stock.

Bisolvon is a cold & flu medicine. It comes from France. France is getting hit hard by the virus.
Look at other common products, where they're made. Colgate toothpaste, made in Thailand. Your Mortein bug spray and Glen20, made in Malaysia. Your Mylanta, South Africa. Vaporub, India.

Supply chains are being affected, and these idiots in parliament want to increase shopping hours.

[Waewick]

Yes but the morons will eventually either run out of money, lose their jobs or have enough.

So everyone else can shop with sufficient social distancing, we aren't running out of anything.

[Ho Really]

Rev, you've got valid points there.

I personally would prefer to shop away from others if I could go at any time after midnight until 6am (usual supermarket opening time) whether there is stock or not. Of course there will be stock not availaible even at that time such as bakery products unless you go to a bakery which wouldn't be open normally anyway. Milk and other dairy products and frozen veggies and food, etc., can come at anytime as long as fridges and freezers work.

I don't see a big deal as it is only for a month or perhaps for the duration of COVID-19. Let this run its course. Then we can see if it has done good or not.

Cheers

[Ho Really]

Coles & Woolies are struggling to supply their stores. It's not just the stores struggling now, but the distribution centres.

There's literally no point in doing this, because within an hour of stores opening, the essential supplies that everyone is trying to hunt down are gone.
They do not get around the clock deliveries happening, and even if they did, they can't now because the distribution centres are having problems with stock.

Bisolvon is a cold & flu medicine. It comes from France. France is getting hit hard by the virus.
Look at other common products, where they're made. Colgate toothpaste, made in Thailand. Your Mortein bug spray and Glen20, made in Malaysia. Your Mylanta, South Africa. Vaporub, India.

Supply chains are being affected, and these idiots in parliament want to increase shopping hours.

In a quick chat with a Coles bakery manager - I didn't want to hassle the store manager but probably will next time - I asked about the extended hours. He wasn't too impressed saying they weren't needed, but the main reason why Coles wouldn't be open was lack of staff. Not the guys unloading trucks and restocking the shelves but the staff for checkouts, customer service, fruit & veg, bakery, deli, etc.

Cheers

[SBD]

Coles & Woolies are struggling to supply their stores. It's not just the stores struggling now, but the distribution centres.

There's literally no point in doing this, because within an hour of stores opening, the essential supplies that everyone is trying to hunt down are gone.
They do not get around the clock deliveries happening, and even if they did, they can't now because the distribution centres are having problems with stock.

Bisolvon is a cold & flu medicine. It comes from France. France is getting hit hard by the virus.
Look at other common products, where they're made. Colgate toothpaste, made in Thailand. Your Mortein bug spray and Glen20, made in Malaysia. Your Mylanta, South Africa. Vaporub, India.

Supply chains are being affected, and these idiots in parliament want to increase shopping hours.

In a quick chat with a Coles bakery manager - I didn't want to hassle the store manager but probably will next time - I asked about the extended hours. He wasn't too impressed saying they weren't needed, but the main reason why Coles wouldn't be open was lack of staff. Not the guys unloading trucks and restocking the shelves but the staff for checkouts, customer service, fruit & veg, bakery, deli, etc.

Cheers

Coles is supposedly recruiting 5000 new staff. If they don't have too many people off work for coronavirus illness or isolation, they will soon have some extra staff available to fill some of those gaps.

[rev]

Coles & Woolies are struggling to supply their stores. It's not just the stores struggling now, but the distribution centres.

There's literally no point in doing this, because within an hour of stores opening, the essential supplies that everyone is trying to hunt down are gone.
They do not get around the clock deliveries happening, and even if they did, they can't now because the distribution centres are having problems with stock.

Bisolvon is a cold & flu medicine. It comes from France. France is getting hit hard by the virus.
Look at other common products, where they're made. Colgate toothpaste, made in Thailand. Your Mortein bug spray and Glen20, made in Malaysia. Your Mylanta, South Africa. Vaporub, India.

Supply chains are being affected, and these idiots in parliament want to increase shopping hours.

In a quick chat with a Coles bakery manager - I didn't want to hassle the store manager but probably will next time - I asked about the extended hours. He wasn't too impressed saying they weren't needed, but the main reason why Coles wouldn't be open was lack of staff. Not the guys unloading trucks and restocking the shelves but the staff for checkouts, customer service, fruit & veg, bakery, deli, etc.

Cheers

Coles is supposedly recruiting 5000 new staff. If they don't have too many people off work for coronavirus illness or isolation, they will soon have some extra staff available to fill some of those gaps.

They'd be hiring more also in anticipation of many staff being sick and going into quarantine.

QLD Police apparently rushed through their latest recruits to graduation, they're supposedly anticipating 40% reductions in manpower.

[how good is he]

They are also saying some supplies (ie toilet paper) are going straight from the factories to the shops & not even bothering going to the distribution centres.

[Ho Really]

Coles is supposedly recruiting 5000 new staff. If they don't have too many people off work for coronavirus illness or isolation, they will soon have some extra staff available to fill some of those gaps.

and

They'd be hiring more also in anticipation of many staff being sick and going into quarantine.

QLD Police apparently rushed through their latest recruits to graduation, they're supposedly anticipating 40% reductions in manpower.

Spoke to a Coles duty manager and he said that if someone comes down with COVID-19 they'll shut down the supermarket. Not sure for how long though. Possibly to disinfect and re-open at a later date and the staff would go into quarantine. Also some of those 5000 recruits will be at the checkout etc., not just in the warehouse for restocking etc. However he did say that at the moment they are not envisaging extended hours.

Today was a much quieter day compared to last Saturday when it was pandemonium. This week will also be a test to see if things slow down and return to some normality now that many have hoarded what they need.

Cheers