Arriving at 9 a.m. this Saturday morning, Emmanuel thought he was among the first. But he is not the only one with this idea. Since the start of the containment, implemented as part of the fight against the proliferation of Covid-19, customers who wish to access the Carrefour d'Evry-2 have had no other choice than to start in line ... in the car park outside the shopping center.
Trolley or tote on wheels next to them, respecting for the most part the meter of distance, they take their pain in patience next to the few parked cars.
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"People are rather disciplined," says Emmanuel, joining his car, the cart overflowing with shopping. It is noon. It's a pretty surreal situation, but we have no choice, we have to go shopping, he relativizes. It had been fifteen days since I had left, I needed to restock. With everything I have taken, I think I can easily last a week, even a fortnight. Afterwards, for occasional purchases, I can always go to a small food store. "
"If we come in the afternoon, it's too late. There are not as many choices anymore »
For Naomie, a resident of Evry-Courcourones, the races were shorter. Two o'clock watch in hand. "In fact, the guards regulate the flow inside, and bring us in waves of thirty people," she explains. And despite the wait, it was out of the question for the young woman to come and try her luck later today. "If we come in the afternoon, it's too late. There are no longer as many choices, the shelves are robbed, says the connoisseur. I'd rather wait a little longer, but find what I'm looking for. There, I think we will hold two to three weeks. "
Marie also wanted to be sure to find the essentials. She went to Chilly-Mazarin to do the shopping. "In the smallest areas, there is no more rice or toilet paper, so come here," she says. We waited about 35 minutes to get into the center. By cons, once in checkout, it goes very quickly. "
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Not everyone has the same patience. As the line continues to grow, a man makes a phone call. "You would see the world there are, they are in the parking lot," he describes, incredulous in the face of this situation. I'm going to go see at the Carrefour de Villabé, there it is not possible. "
"I really don't want to stay"
Another man, hurriedly walking towards the entrance, followed by his wife. Suddenly, he stops, amazed. Before looking all around him and understand that he will have to turn back to get behind the latest arrival. Rachid won't have the patience either. “During the week, I finish too late to do my shopping (note: Carrefour closes its doors at 7 p.m.) . I only have Saturday left. But this is the first time I have seen this. What are all these people? I really don't want to stay. I think I can last a few more days, I'm going to go back. "
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At the same time, a few kilometers away at the Carrefour in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois or the Auchan in Saint-Germain-lès-Corbeil, there is no longer a queue. Fewer customers because fewer products, according to crossed customers.
Pharmacy struggles to retain customers
In Evry 2, in addition to the Carrefour, the center's large pharmacy remains open. To allow customers to quickly access this service, an employee goes out every fifteen minutes, with a sign with a green cross in his hand.
"Are there people who come to the pharmacy? »The man gossips. Some hands are raised. "Follow me, you don't have to queue. "We did not find other solutions to facilitate our access," explains the manager of the pharmacy. But we can only do this when we have enough staff present. We have lost half of our customers since the start of containment. "
VIDEO. Coronavirus in Paris: empty shelves in supermarkets