Older shoppers outraged over call for 'boomer hour' in supermarkets
Us Brits are known for our lengthy queues. But it seems one person has had enough of them, especially in supermarkets, as a shopper has proposed that supermarkets limit elderly customer's access to a 'boomer hour'. This is because they think they take too long to check out. Unsurprisingly it's caused an uproar, as people have slammed the idea as 'ageist' and said the shopper should be more mindful of those with different needs.
The debate was sparked when the shopper posted to Facebook, saying older customers should be 'more mindful of time-poor workers and busy parents'. They added that they thought they were taking up too much space in the aisles by stopping and socialising and moving slower, making it inconvenient for other shoppers in a rush.
The unnamed shopper, from Melbourne Australia, believes that elderly people shouldn't be allowed to shop during regular hours. Instead, they want them limited to only one hour of the day when they can peruse the aisles. Consumer behaviour analyst Barry Urquhart said the idea was 'ageism personified'.
"It won't work because they are a primary driver of the marketplace at the moment," he told Seven News. "At a time where the cost of living and the cost of doing business is acute, you can't turn and marginalise any consumer group. Those Australians who have got the money and are spending it are 50 years of age and older, they are very attractive to retail businesses at large.
"This is ageism personified. People are wanting to say 'Let's marginalise the older people, let's make them invisible' and they're saying 'No we're asserting ourselves in tourism, hospitality, flight purchases at large'," he said. Shopping can be difficult for the elderly, so thankfully here in the UK, supermarkets have put certain measures in place to help them.
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Shops like Tesco and Sainsbury's currently offer assisted shopping, which helps people who are housebound and cannot travel to the shops or those who cannot manage online shopping. Orders can be made over the phone and can often be delivered the next day. Organisations like AgeUK also offer a variety of services, such as escorted shopping.
What do you think of the idea? Let us know in the comments below.
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