Petition · past parliament
Limits on shopping items,numbers of people in supermarket, prioritise elders,NHS
Rejected
21 signatures
What the petition asks
Ensure that opening hours are extended so that priority hours to NHS key workers/vulnerable people are effectively applied.
Max store capacity is significantly reduced, enforced, there is compliance with social distance while shopping and paying.
Max store capacity is significantly reduced, enforced, there is compliance with social distance while shopping and paying.
Currently the supermarkets have unsustainable queues, no body is respecting the social distances therefore the virus will spread way more quicker and also people will soon starve.
Extra explanation on the previous points:
Ensure that opening/operation etc (i.e. priority shoppers can shop and pay, without having to wait for tils to open at normal hours).
Maximum store capacity (i.e. number of shoppers at one time).
Deliveries to the rest of the population even via taxi driver (uber eat model)
Extra explanation on the previous points:
Ensure that opening/operation etc (i.e. priority shoppers can shop and pay, without having to wait for tils to open at normal hours).
Maximum store capacity (i.e. number of shoppers at one time).
Deliveries to the rest of the population even via taxi driver (uber eat model)
Why it was rejected
It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.
A number of actions you have called for, such as in relation to the hours of opening and priority given to particular groups of customers, are a matter for individual supermarkets, and not the Government or Parliament.
The Government has published guidance for food businesses on coronavirus, including on how to maintain social distancing:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-food-businesses/guidance-for-food-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19#social-distancing
Making changes to how they operate in response to this guidance is a matter for individual supermarkets. Many supermarkets have made changes to their opening hours, including having dedicated shopping time for particular groups of customers, and have also limited the number of people allowed in their shops at one time.
We have accepted petitions calling on the Government to make a number of changes that relate to supermarkets and providing food to certain groups, which you might like to sign:
Introduce limits on per customer purchases in all supermarkets: Introduce limits on per customer purchases in all supermarkets
Allow larger supermarkets to remain open without restricted hours on Sundays: Allow larger supermarkets to remain open without restricted hours on Sundays
Supply NHS key frontline staff working during Covid-19 healthy food hampers: Supply NHS key frontline staff working during Covid-19 healthy food hampers
UK Government: issue care packages to the elderly and vulnerable: UK Government: issue care packages to the elderly and vulnerable
Encourage retailers to prioritise those over 70 shopping online for essentials: Encourage retailers to prioritise those over 70 shopping online for essentials
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here:
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/
Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/
The Government has published guidance for food businesses on coronavirus, including on how to maintain social distancing:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-food-businesses/guidance-for-food-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19#social-distancing
Making changes to how they operate in response to this guidance is a matter for individual supermarkets. Many supermarkets have made changes to their opening hours, including having dedicated shopping time for particular groups of customers, and have also limited the number of people allowed in their shops at one time.
We have accepted petitions calling on the Government to make a number of changes that relate to supermarkets and providing food to certain groups, which you might like to sign:
Introduce limits on per customer purchases in all supermarkets: Introduce limits on per customer purchases in all supermarkets
Allow larger supermarkets to remain open without restricted hours on Sundays: Allow larger supermarkets to remain open without restricted hours on Sundays
Supply NHS key frontline staff working during Covid-19 healthy food hampers: Supply NHS key frontline staff working during Covid-19 healthy food hampers
UK Government: issue care packages to the elderly and vulnerable: UK Government: issue care packages to the elderly and vulnerable
Encourage retailers to prioritise those over 70 shopping online for essentials: Encourage retailers to prioritise those over 70 shopping online for essentials
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here:
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/
Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/
Timeline
| 22 Mar 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 27 Apr 2020 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
21
Status
Rejected
Rejected
27 Apr 2020
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.