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Priority Slot Disappeared!

(56 Posts)
Glenfinnan Thu 21-May-20 01:08:09

Like so many we are socially isolating. DH is 76 with chronic lung condition and I’m 70. We have both had the covid19 virus which has left us both under par. I’ve had a Waitrose priority slot for 6/7 weeks which is a godsend as we don’t have any children to shop for us. Suddenly it’s disappeared! I can’t get any slots at all and I’ve tried so many times and at different times ie just after midnight etc etc. I’ve sent emails ( no response) completes another priority form but it takes 21 days for a reply, and tried to ring their customer services but queues so long the calls time out. Has this happened to anyone else? If so do you have any advice please.

SANDY2020 Thu 21-May-20 01:12:15

Of your on vunerable list try another supermarket they should help u

BlueSky Thu 21-May-20 09:38:14

Try Iceland even if limited it helped us at the very beginning when you couldn't have a slot for love or money from all the other supermarkets!

Kate1949 Thu 21-May-20 09:40:40

I agree. Try Iceland. They have been brilliant for us.

Froglady Thu 21-May-20 09:47:32

Like you, my sister and brother-in-law are both seventy and my brother-inlaw has had leukemia twice so they have been isolating for the whole time. They have had a Waitrose home delivery order every week for the past few years. This carried on 2 or 3 weeks and then they were told that they couldn't have a delivery. My sister went out shopping and when she got home she'd had an email from Waitrose saying they could deliver the next day! I think they now have a Waitrose delivery every 10 days. But it's not fair when you have been relying on sometime to suddenly have your safe world turned upside down by a supermarket when you are doing what the government is telling you to do. Like you, my sister has no family nearby who could get her shopping for them.

Wibby Thu 21-May-20 09:47:35

With Sainsbury's you get a time limit to complete your shop and if you dont do it within that time your slot vanishes! So now I do a quick rough shop and book it to save that slot then a bit later I can go back in and update my shop knowing the slot is booked. I still have to keep a check on the time limit though as thats always there.

EllanVannin Thu 21-May-20 09:48:09

There have been umpteen Iceland deliveries around my area they've been constant. In all the weeks I've only seen one Tesco and two Asda.

I heard on the news that M&S are going to do delivery trials to boost their trade. I hope it comes to fruition----soon.

Froglady Thu 21-May-20 09:49:36

Sorry, I misread the age of your husband.
And I meant to put that when you are relying on something, not sometime.
Must reread my post before posting.

Jaycee5 Thu 21-May-20 09:53:55

I think the only advice is to try every supermarket that delivers in your area. It is tiresome and tedious but you should get one somewhere. I have found Sainsburys the best (no luck at all with Waitrose) and had one 6am delivery from Iceland. Don't just try the usual supermarkets. There are commercial firms like Brakes that are now delivering to households.
It really depends where you are as to who you have luck with so it is trial and error. It is awful that they removed the slot without warning.
You might have to try every hour including at unsociable hours and you might have to accept a slot at an inconvenient time but you should get one.
Also look online to see what organisations are volunteering to shop for people like yourselves in your area. Your local Council might be able to help.

Kate1949 Thu 21-May-20 10:19:02

Tesco have a lot of slots on their site this morning. I agree that you have to checkout within a certain time or your slot will disappear. You can still go back in and add things. They don't take the money until you have had your delivery.

Froglady Thu 21-May-20 10:22:53

Ocada, think that's how you spell it, deliver for Waitrose at the moment but apparently they will be changing to M&S later on in the year. Don't know where that will leave Waitrose deliveries.

Callistemon Thu 21-May-20 11:07:19

Glenfinnan despite having a shielding letter and filling in the online form with Waitrose, I have found them particularly unhelpful and useless.

We have had success with Tesco, although the only next slot I could find was in June, more than 3 weeks after our last delivery.
However, I looked again today and they have released more slots and we have one for the weekend. I didn't know that would happen so we are very relieved.

Liz46 Thu 21-May-20 11:24:15

If you have had a shielding letter, you can apply for a government food parcel. Then you receive emails from supermarkets offering slots. We have a weekly slot from Asda until October. It is working well and we have managed to cancel the government food parcels. (When I say 'working well', I omit the bit where they left the security tag on my booze!)

Callistemon Thu 21-May-20 11:30:58

I have had slots offered by only one supermarket, Tesco, otherwise the system has failed totally.

We have been offered food parcels but haven't yet taken up the offer. You could phone your local council, Glenfinnan, there should be a number on your shielding letter, or your GP surgery who will be able to help.

Liz46 Thu 21-May-20 11:42:21

I had two phone calls asking if we were ok for food. I was told to ask for the government parcel because then the supermarkets would be notified about us. Originally I did not ask as I thought my husband would be allowed to go to the supermarket but was told he is not allowed because of my lung problems.

NfkDumpling Thu 21-May-20 19:49:35

My DH is on the Government list, but Sainsbury’s say he isn’t and there seems to be no way around it. There’s probably a phone line to ring but I don’t know what it is.

However, Tesco advertise that if you ring 0800 917 7359, they will check you’re on the vulnerable list. We did this and, although to start with we had difficulty, I’ve been able to get slots more or less weekly. We stocked up so much I cancelled this weeks! They have the three week ahead slots which appear after midnight (go on line about ten minutes before to get in the queue), and last minute ones which pop up with a couple of days notice.

NfkDumpling Thu 21-May-20 19:51:31

We also had a Government food parcel in the early days. It was a bit random - bread but no spread, bumper sized tin of butter beans - but you certainly won’t starve!

Newatthis Thu 21-May-20 19:56:31

Mine did exactly the same. The trick is put your order in in advance check it out and place order (even just a few items as it can be amended nearer the time). We do our 10 days in advance then your priority slot is held.

WOODMOUSE49 Thu 21-May-20 20:03:19

Morrisons have a number for next day delivery
"*Call 0345 611 6111* and select option 5 to place your order. Any order placed before 5pm we will aim to deliver the next day. In order to use this service you must live within 10 miles of a Morrisons store. There is an limit of three per item whilst using this service."

You do get a person to talk to - not a computer. It is for essential items.

Puzzler61 Thu 21-May-20 20:26:25

I would follow Woodmouse’s advice and get some groceries immediately from Morrison’s.
Regarding Sainsbury’s I do similar to you Wibby.
I have a delivery every Wednesday but can only book 1 week at a time.
Day after a delivery I log in to my account and Sainsbury’s has available slots on the following 3 days. I’m not sure why they show those as no one is allowed more than 1 in 7 days (their rule, rightly so).
But by Monday I can see available dates for Mon. Tues. Wed. and I book a Wed. slot.
I plonk 2 bottles of Pimms in the basket to hold the cheapest time slot, and then go back and do my whole shop at a later time (and take the Pimms out).
If you can’t get hold of anyone at Sainsbury’s to speak I’d say try another like Tesco or Iceland (or Co-op in some areas).
The government has supplied their Vulnerable People’s data to all supermarkets.
Good Luck Glenfinnan.

Glenfinnan Thu 21-May-20 23:33:34

Thank you everyone! I rang Tesco (thank you nfk dumpling for the telephone number) they were so helpful and I have priority slots, so relieved and DH has stopped stressing which means I have too!!!

NfkDumpling Fri 22-May-20 06:19:30

Pleased to hear you've got somewhere Glenfinnan. It's a problem that all the supermarkets have different systems. I like Tesco because I can have deliveries sorted for three weeks ahead, so I feel more secure.

Our DC told us to get onto several systems and shop around to get slots but we've not had to. I think it varies a lot by area. Tesco is bigger here.

DH who does the cooking and shopping has been loyal to Sainsbury's for years and was quite upset that we couldn't get deliveries with them.

Puzzler61 Fri 22-May-20 07:30:42

Hurrah Glenfinnan. Success !
So glad the gn community has helped you out ?
Enjoy filling your online ‘basket’ with essentials and some treats for you and your DH.
Take care. ?

Hetty58 Fri 22-May-20 07:38:57

For anyone else who is having trouble, ring your local council as they should have a list of what help is available in your area.
(Also try shoppingslot.co.uk.) Here there were problems with supermarkets a few weeks back but now there's even a choice!

Roddi3363 Fri 22-May-20 09:10:55

Try phoning the manager of your local store. It worked for a friend.