Sainsbury’s will be reserving half an hour from 7:30am -8am from Monday to Saturday in all of its supermarkets for NHS and social care workers and will open for elderly customers from 8am – 9am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday as the retailer responds to feedback from customers.

The supermarket is constantly listening, learning and adapting during this uncertain time and is delighted to support NHS staff working so hard to take care of those who need it the most. All these customers need to do is show their pass or ID when they visit.

Store colleagues are being asked to try their best to keep a supply of essential items aside for the 30 minutes of shopping prioritised for NHS staff and social care workers and for the hour reserved for elderly customers.

Mike Coupe, Sainsbury’s CEO, said: “We have listened to feedback and decided to allow NHS and social care workers to shop in our supermarkets for half an hour before they open each day. We’re delighted to be able to offer priority shopping to all the hard-working NHS staff across the country who are working so hard to keep us all safe and well.”

Sainsbury’s is also consolidating its opening hours to help make sure more colleagues can be stocking shelves and serving shoppers during the times customers need help the most. From next week, all Sainsbury’s supermarkets will be open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday, including those with an Argos store. Opening hours in supermarkets on Sunday, in petrol stations and in Sainsbury’s Locals will stay the same.

The retailer is also asking customers to play their part in order to keep store colleagues safe and well while they’re going above and beyond to serve shoppers under unprecedented circumstances. The supermarket is asking customers in-store to stand one metre away from colleagues wherever possible and pay with card rather than cash at tills.