Shopping

Correction. Actually it's Southview farm in Bury, about 5 miles outside Pulborough West Sussex.

The point is, people are supposed to be taking this seriously, and whether shops have non- essentials in stock or not they are supposed to be self- regulating and doing the decent thing, and not going out unless they need to. And they should be shopping alone.

P Charles has C-19...just read.

I think we on here are taking it very seriously. I know I am.
Did some planting this morning and now reading GN with windows wide open and in for the day.

I'm just back from my usual small supermarket. It was scary. An empty car park, marshals at the front door. One out before another can enter and 30 mins max inside. It was well stocked. I got everything I'd wanted. It was a bigger shop than usual. As I'm trying to have to shop as little as humanly possible. Staff cheerful and bravely carrying on. It was nice to have a little chat as I packed away my stuff ASAP at the checkout.
Nevertheless, there was a horrible end of the world feeling.
Meanwhile, across the car park, Sainsburys was heaving...

I don't chat nor do I pack. I put scanned items in trolley (if not using basket) and pack outside away from everyone.
I have my card and loyalty tag ready so no hanging around.
Nothing worse than too much chat and waiting for someone to pack then fumble for their purse and find their card.
You know you have to pay so why not have it ready to tap or insert pin?

Because only one pair of hands. Checkout staff are human too not machines. A smile and a friendly word while packing costs nothing.

DH went to Happy Hour in Tesco to-day . He said it was well organised and they were really trying thier best. That should keep us going until our online order arrives.

7.30 this morning my local Waitrose had reasonably filled shelves, although fresh meat and poultry continues to be in short supply. Entry into the store was monitored and at a certain point it became one out, one in. Only 1 shopper per trolley or basket was allowed.

Calendargirl what are essentials? One family's or person's essential is someone elses luxury. Then there are people's ethical beliefs and practices to cater for and dietary limits.

I was shopping today for someone who has problems with some dairy products, but the problem is not lactose based. I was buying goats milk, soya based products and looking for one quite specific brand of bread,which is the only one that in their case, it is safe to eat.

Doramarr, DH and I commented while waiting to pay that from the look of other trolleys, everyone was doing a normal weekly shop, with no sign of bulk buying.

In our area, there has been panic buying of specific items (domestic paper products of all kinds, tomatos, baked beans and eggs) but there has been none of the uncontrollable locust shopping shown so much on tv and online.

Went to Aldi earlier this week and they had nearly everything, apart from paracetamol. Went into aTesco Extra and they weren’t nearly so well stocked - no milk, fresh meat, not much fruit and veg. But they did have Whiskas for my cat!

A similar story here, M0nica - my Waitrose was fairly quiet at 8.30. Car park was half-empty, with a short queue of customers. The shelves were quite well stocked although some lines were very sparse, and it was actually quite pleasant to walk around with so few people inside.
I always use the self-scanner, so straight to the checkout once I've selected my shopping, and I was in and out in less than half an hour.

If I manage to secure a slot for 'vulnerable' over 70s again I won't need to go to the supermarket. I would be uneasy now to go shopping, even with the new regulations.

I was in lidl at opening time on Tues..just four other customers in there also...at the till,as I was packing..this was the scene with the nasty cashier
You shouldn't be here!!
Me) Pardon
Her) you,you shouldn't be here
Me) I need my shopping
Her) you should have thought of that and bought everything before
Me) I get my pension on a tuesday..and I need to shop
......I was so upset..I am 67 but very fit&able..she was so out of order..her tone was awful..i was upset all day..late afternoon i emailed lidl customer services..they replied straight away. This morning they rang me..said they were taking it seriously etc but I said that I certainly didn't want her to lose her job..I just want her told that her attitude needs to change..I didn't give him my address either..I hadn't contacted them to be compensated in some way...I just think that she needs a slap on the wrist...

Totally out of order, farview! Glad to hear Lidl are taking it seriously - some of us have no choice but to shop for food.

farview

Did she mean you just shouldn’t be shopping per se, or you shouldn’t be shopping because of your age? I am a pensioner, but not yet 70. I’ve never seen clarification of what stores mean by ‘elderly’. Do they mean if you receive the state pension, or over 70, or what?
I avoid the ‘elderly’ shopping hours, because I’m not 70, and don’t want to be accused of taking advantage. But not sure if I am eligible.

As I wrote on another thread - husband went to Tesco yesterday at 7.30 am and he was almost the only one there.
Mostly for fruit and veg, and bread.
All well stocked up. Apart from a few well known items.

Yes Calendergirl..she meant I just shouldn't be shopping!!..she said I should have already bought everything..