As we all know, the way we purchased groceries underwent a major shift since the onset of covid-19 with all of us opting for online grocery shopping. However, if by any chance you happen to be in a situation where Online Grocery Shopping is not available/ possible, what would be the mistakes you wish to avoid? Given below are some of the common mistakes we make, that are to be avoided while going for grocery shopping offline.
1. Having Your Grocery List on Your Phone
These days, there is a very high possibility that the cell phones we carry with us can get dirtier and unhygienic than most of the toilets. The germs present on our phones, combined with the viruses at the store can put us at a higher risk of getting infected. However, the simple and age-old trick of carrying a to-buy list can help us avoid this risk and reduce/ eliminate the chances of us falling ill via this means. Moreover, having a to-buy list with us can help us complete our shopping quickly, by eliminating the chances of roaming around unnecessarily.
2. Going For Grocery Shopping Without Wearing A Mask
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent any disease is to take the necessary precautionary measures to avoid the circumstances that can expose us to the germs causing the disease. Remember how we were advised to cover our nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing during our childhood to prevent the spread of cough or cold? So, being a time when getting exposed to the virus by any means can cause a serious threat to our health, choosing online grocery shopping would be the best thing to do to contain the spread of the disease. In case you choose to go for grocery shopping by visiting a physical store, make sure that you have worn a mask as stepping out without a double-mask/ N95 standard mask or other masks offering greater protection from the virus is considered harmful and a punishable offense.
3. Touching The Items You Do Not Want To Purchase
There is no rule that makes it mandatory to wear gloves while visiting a grocery store as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of covid-19. In case you remove the gloves incorrectly or wear a pair of gloves that has some tear, it will defeat the whole purpose behind wearing these gloves. According to the Cleveland Clinic, unnecessarily touching things, which we had no intention to buy, is a very important mistake many of us make.
4. Paying With Cash
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cash can act as a carrier for bacteria or viruses. However, by this, they didn’t specifically say the money could act as a carrier for coronavirus but emphasized the need for washing hands after touching currency notes and switching to contactless payments methods like using credit cards. Moreover, an important point to be kept in our mind while using cards for making the payment is to take special care to see that we wipe off our card after use since the virus can live on plastic for three days as stated by the Cleveland Clinic.
5. Reusing Reusable Bags without Washing
The use of plastic bags in grocery stores was banned in some states well before the pandemic, thereby encouraging the customers to use reusable bags provided by the stores. According to a study published in Food Protection Trends, this eco-friendly initiative can turn risky, in case you don’t have the habit of regularly cleaning these reusable bags. It is said that such bags, if not cleaned properly, can act as a carrier for bacteria like E. coli. It is said that wiping or washing these bags can help us reduce the number of bacteria by 99.9%.
6. Not wiping Down the Cart/basket.
According to a study conducted by reusethisbag.com carts or baskets left without cleaning at physical/ traditional grocery stores before handing over for reuse has the potential to conceal over 360 times more germs than a bathroom doorknob. Over 80% of the bacteria found on carts are reported to be harmful and immune to antibiotics. This habit can be easily fixed by using disinfectant wipes for as many stores offer them to their customers.
Experience the Joy of Online Shopping With Quoodo
If you are someone who finds grocery shopping to be a mundane task during which you tend to make mistakes, we are sure you will change that opinion after purchasing grocery essentials from Quoodo. Our collaboration with some of the best merchants and brands in the world will help you purchase products of the best quality at the best prices. Moreover, our efficient customer service professionals will help you get the necessary support as and when required, solve issues (if any) via our Real Time Chat Services and help you experience the joy of shopping online like never before.
