The photos were snapped this morning at Pak'n Save in Kilbirnie, Wellington, by fellow shopper Ryan Domenico De Dominicis.
"The social distancing warrior of Pak N Save. Armed with a tape measure locked to 2m and yelling "TWO METERS" at anyone that strayed too close. What a hero," Dominicis posted on Facebook.
He told the Herald other people in the store looked bemused at the woman, who reportedly kept shouting "two metres" whenever someone got close to her.
"People just seemed quite bemused. She yelled at one guy who got too close and poked him away with the tape measure. His expression was one of shock really. He laughed it off once she moved away," he said.
Dominicis says he found it "kind of funny".
"The social distancing rule is an important one to follow but I think it's also important to follow it with kindness and respect. Using a tape measure is probably going a bit too far.
Having said that, I don't know what her reasons for doing it were."
On Facebook, some users commented that the woman appeared to be touching fruit that she then put back - going against advice to not touch products in the supermarket unless you purchase them.
"I wasn't really paying too much attention to that but it did look as though she was feeling the avocados for ripeness," Dominicis said.
Supermarkets in New Zealand have put in place a number of measures to ensure shoppers are able to keep social distance while in the premises.
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Comments
Unbelievable! CDC has consistently said the distance particulates COULD fly is up to 7 meters. What a loser.
7 metres then, and mind the metered box. Whatever it takes. No vacillation. 'Inconvenience' is our lot in life, so as not to join the choir invisible.
Be realistic--someone picked the fruit, another packed it, another unpacked it, store people touch it in their daily round of getting rid of damaged or almost rotten fruit. And we are asked not to touch it unless picking it up to take home. The store would help if they gave directions how to treat the fruit when taken home. How to wash it and let it drain dry, etc. And how many wash or spray the bags to carry the groceries--especially the handles? How many clean their car doors, steering wheel, seat belt, etc before they wash their own hands?
Good on her, stay two meters apart we are told, some people get inside your bubble at the supermarket.