These are the supermarkets offering dedicated NHS staff shopping hours

With the UK on lockdown, special measures have been introduced to help everyone get access to the essential items that they need from supermarkets.

Some chains have created special shopping hours for elderly people, hired more staff to stock shelves and have limited the number of items each person can buy.

Now, alongside special hours for elderly and vulnerable shoppers, supermarket chains have started to introduce similar “golden hours” for NHS staff, upon presenting their NHS ID.

This is what you need to know.

Tesco

NHS staff will be allowed to do their shopping for an hour ahead of usual opening hours on Sundays upon displaying their NHS employee card.

This is only available at Tesco’s larger stores and not their Express stores.

A statement from the supermarket brand said: “We know that those working for the NHS may be finding it hard to find time to shop for their groceries at the moment.

“So, from this Sunday, we’re going to introduce a special hour in stores for NHS staff as a thank you for all they are doing.”

The statement also asked their customers to be respectful of this and to shop during usual opening hours.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s have introduced their dedicated shopping slot for NHS staff and social care workers, between 7:30am and 8am, Monday to Saturday.

A statement from Sainsbury’s said that anyone with an NHS ID would be allowed to shop during this time.

Asda

In Asda’s larger stores, priority access will be allotted to NHS workers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am to 9am.

Asda CEO, Roger Burnley, said: “We all have a clear responsibility to look after each other during this crisis, particularly our most vulnerable groups.

“I was heartened to see how our customers respected this priority access and am proud to be able to extend it to more regular days and also include our amazing NHS colleagues who can access our stores with a little more ease.”

Morrisons

Morrisons does not have a specific shopping hour for elderly and vulnerable shoppers, but will give NHS staff early access to their stores between 7am and 8am every day apart from Sundays.

A statement from the supermarket chain said: “It is really important that we stick to this to help support out vital services at a time when they are going to need us the most.”

M&S

NHS workers will be given priority access to M&S shelves on the first hour of Tuesday and Fridays.

The statement from M&S regarding checking ID’s said: “We will ask NHS and emergency services workers to show their staff passes or other relevant ID such as a Blue Light Card.

“Of course, in this unprecedented time our colleagues may not be able to always check ID and we’re relying on our customers to respect this request.”

Waitrose

While Waitrose aren’t setting aside a specific time for NHS workers to do their shopping, they are setting aside “hard-to-find” and “essential products” exclusively for NHS staff, on production of an NHS card.

Waitrose also said that they would be giving NHS staff priority on their checkout service, to ensure that they can get their shopping done as quickly as possible.

Aldi

Aldi announced recently that they are introducing dedicated shopping times for Emergency Workers.

Aldi will open between 9:30am and 10am on Sundays (and 8:30am and 9am in Scotland) soley for key workers in the NHS, Police and Fire Service.

These customers will also take priority at checkouts when they open at 10am.

Entry to Aldi stores during this time is dependent on relevant ID.

(Photo: WHO)

Lidl

Lidl has not announced any dedicated shopping hours.