Back to shopping after home deliveries?

I was never able to get a supermarket delivery - just click and collect - during lockdown.
I’m so pleased to be picking my own shopping at my favourite supermarket now. I’ve become a bit OCD with my shopping list. I write it in the order that I pick it from the shelves and am in and out of the shop in less than 15 minutes. Thanks to all those people who are still shopping on-line the shops are far less busy now.

Never managed to get an online slot so have shopped-albeit a lot less frequently, since the start of lockdown. I like to choose all my fresh food myself anyway.
The supermarkets near us except Asda and Morrison’s (who are not so careful so I’ve abandoned them) all have things quite strictly in place e.g. number of customers in the shop, wearing masks or face coverings, sanitising hands, baskets/trollers sprayed or wiped down after each use and BIG reminders only to touch what you intend to buy.
One DD (key worker) who had online shopping (Ocado then Asda) to fit in with her job, got so fed up with short dated stuff or unacceptable replacement items that she went back to shopping herself.
My neighbour who works at Sainsbury’s already does shopping for some more elderly neighbours and will collect anything for me if asked.

I have done online shopping for many years now. Have just swapped to Sainsburys from Tesco as find them better. I only pop into Waitrose when I am working in London as they ensure customers are wearing masks snd using hand sanitisers. I support my local bakery and have a veg box delivered by a local company once a fortnight.

I had all my shopping delivered by Sainsbury’s throughout lockdown. Excellent service! I’m now just having basic items delivered such as milk, potatoes, cereal cleaning products etc. The rest I’m buying in a weekly trip to the local shops. This compromise suits me very well and of course I can go back to the previous routine if necessary.

I have been home shopping for the last 11 years . The only difference covid has made is I do my home shopping fortnightly instead of weekly . I have no intention to be going into shops .

I was using online shopping well before COVID and will continue to do so.
I did do a quick trip to Lidl last week as I do like some of their stuff and it is cheap and felt very safe.

Although I miss browsing round supermarkets and seeing what's new, I am quite content to continue having my shopping delivered. Up to now we have no complaints and find the websites quite easy.

halfpint1

i just wonder if people who no longer go shopping in the physical sense substitute this activity by going out for a walk.?

Well, I suppose we have more time for walking, as opposed to sitting in the car or queuing.

But having groceries delivered doesn’t normally mean an end to shopping altogether. I still walk into town and use the small shops for fruit, meat, gifts, books, etc. It’s just the boring stuff I’d rather not do.

Not been in a shop since March and really not missing it. At the moment the infection rate is increasing so now would not be a good idea to restart in my opinion. I and my friends were really surprised at some older friends still going to the supermarket at the height of infection rate and although the risk was reduced by measures there was still a risk and not one we felt we wanted to take. A friend's son who had only been to Adsa to get her shopping came down with the virus and had to assume he got it there. I got on the vulnerable list with Tesco by phoning in and because OH has used Sainsbury's once in the past managed to get deliveries from them too. We now only use Sainsbury's as there are cheaper slots. One costs nothing and the next cheapest is 50p. I hope that having continued to use them we will get priority if a rush happens again. We started getting milk, egg and bread deliveries from a local supplier which I will continue to get. If I need gifts a couple of local shops will send photos for me to choose and drop in our delivery box outside the house. Not a usual life but to protect ourselves and the community I think it has to be done.

Pantglas2 I did that with bananas once!!
I was on-line shopping off and on before lockdown. I started seriously then and I haven't been near a supermarket since March. Sainsburys always seem to have slots when I need one. Not sure I will ever go back to wandering around supermarkets. One advantage is the money I save because I'm not tempted to pick up a top, or some other item I don't need.

Sticking with click and collect weekly.

Reporting back on my very first Waitrose delivery- I had two substitutes- Essentials cream crackers and Hovis whole meal 600g up graded to Jacobs and Hovis Seeded 800g which I accepted with no increased cost.

Everything as ordered and good quality fruit and veg but I hadn’t realised a picture of a bunch of bananas meant only one......so DH has one banana to last a fortnight! How we laughed?

As handy and necessary as it was, I can’t wait to DIY when my quarantine ends.

DH has got into local shopping while he is working from home with a few deliveries to get bulky and heavy stuff as he walks. I have braved supermarkets 3 times. The first wasnt pleasant - small aisles with people not distancing; the other twice have been bigger stores and I went early so they were quiet. Its nice to get a wider choice again.

For anyone new to online shopping thought I'd pass this on. I was finding some items wasn't available on a regular basis so they would substitute. An example was normal Lurpak and they would substitute for the light variety. This was no good for me as I use it for cooking as well as spreading on bread, plus I could buy it from the local shop. I then stopped taking substitution for such items and found voila, I received the right product. Not 100% works but a good 90% of the time.

i just wonder if people who no longer go shopping in the physical sense substitute this activity by going out for a walk.?

I love shopping, even now. Im 68 and have continued to shop in tesco, lidl and local shops. I've found people to be respectful to others, keeping distance and wearing masks. The most important thing is not touching your face and washing hands properly.

50p delivery! It’s £4.50 for Tesco’s?

I much prefer to shop in person. I like to have the pick of what's available and always get the longest use by dates on fresh produce. I have tried online shopping in the past but like to make my own choices, so i'm happy to leave the delivery slots for those who need them more than I do.

Other weekdays are far quieter than Fridays or weekends, so i've changed my day to Thursday as it is much less busy. I'm in store by 7am and experience no problems at all.

That’s a nice post JE. In store or online is a choice and it helps to be aware of the bigger picture. I was irritated as I so often am when people post information which is misleading as that impacts people’s ability to make decisions on an informed basis.

I quite enjoy shopping but since, belatedly, I was told to shield I have managed to register for priority shopping with Waitrose, who I do most of my shopping with anyway. I do about once a month make a trip into our local Sainsbury but I feel much safer in Waitrose. Anyway with the R rate going up I am now going to do online at Waitrose and get home delivery from my local veg shop. I tried to get onto Sainsbury as a priority but have been told they have stopped it, as have Asda.

I’ve done click and collect for the last 2 years, during lockdown used a wholesaler, more recently deliveries and local farm shop for veg throughout. But I do dislike shopping, although love cooking, so shopping is a chore. Just working on defrosting small freezer, when done, will start winter freezing of slo cooked meals that I normally do.

I have enjoyed reading the accounts on here about online shopping as I have never done it.

Right from the start of the pandemic I have continued to go to supermarkets as normal with the idea that if I ever felt unsafe or anxious I would try having it delivered.

There have been accounts on threads where people have had problems with other shoppers jostling them or getting too close, but I can’t say that’s ever happened to me.

Whether I have just been lucky I don’t know but right back from when we had to queue to get in the shop, everyone seemed to be obeying the rules.

I often got chatting to the person in front and behind me and everyone was cheerful and philosophical about the situation.

Anyway I have picked up some tips from comments on here so if I decide to try an online shop I shall be better prepared!

Great Merlot why on earth? We know now that groceries will still be available!

DD messaged to say her Tesco delivery man has just told her that people are bulk buying again and booking slots in advance.

I've been grocery shopping online for years, in fact I can't remember the last time I did a big shop at the supermarket. During lockdown we managed to get Sainsburys deliveries and I was very grateful - we were knocked back by Ocado and Tesco, who we'd also used regularly before then. I just find online shopping so much easier - I can add all my regulars to the trolley at the click of a button, and see all the offers at a glance, and the £10 off vouchers have started to filter through again now. Because we're flexible on times, I can always get a free or very cheap delivery slot. I can't see a single reason for trailing into town and then up and down the aisles, packing it into bags, loading it all into the boot then back out again. Unless it's to get more steps on my Mifit, and I'd rather be out in the fresh air doing that any day.