Sainsburys to permanently close deli counters

Just found out Waitrose deli counter is still open. Lovely selection of meat, fish and cheeses. Whilst I would not do my weekly shop here, would definitely go in to use the deli rather than buying prepacked from Sainsburys.

Say what???

It seems a perverse move on Sainsbury's part. With no specialist counters they will be reduced to a bog standard supermarket with everything pre packed on the shelves. I thought they wanted to compete with Tesco, Waitrose and M&S. Lowering aspirations seems odd.

I think it's a shame. The staff on the deli counters in Sainsbury's are usually knowledgeable and helpful if they have unusual fish or cuts of meat. Most areas, including mine, don't have a deli or specialist shops.

It is a shame but our local Sainsbury has everything on the shelves anyway (the fish selection has got much better lately). I take kittylester's point though there may be a poticive knock-on effect for local farm shops etc.

The trouble is that whereas (in normal circumstances) a range of local shops might be great for the retired, they are not much use to those who work full-time. It was bad enough having to drag two small children round a supermarket on Saturdays, without having to source a week's groceries from assorted smaller shops, and my life changed for the better when online ordering and deliveries came along. It gave us the weekends to enjoy as a family. I would have been devastated if that service had been taken away in favour of specialist shops.

Now that I have time to shop, I am completely out of the habit and don't want to, and anyway, as I don't drive and have breathing issues, I would really struggle to have to 'go shopping' in the way my mother did, taking all morning to go round several shops, queuing in each, then lugging heavy bags home twice a week or more. I am very glad that those days have gone.

We have similar stalls set up once a week in a local pub car par. It will probably keep the pub going through lock down. Much better to buy local.

I always think there must be lots of waste on the deli counter. At least if cold meats etc. are packaged in the chill cabinets waste is reduced.

Pity there are not more specialist shops. We have very few independent butchers and I'm not sure where our nearest fishmonger is now. We do have a lovely cheese shop in the nearest town but I won't be travelling there in lockdown. I must check if they do on line.

In a way I welcome it. It might make people use delis, butchers, fish Van's, fruit stalls. Since lockdown our village has a visiting fish van, fruit stall, pie man, plant stall. We should support them all.

The Sainsbury store closest to me is closing down shortly and rumour has it that Lidl is taking over. I only hope that the staff are re-employed

I love deli counters!

So are they never intending to bring them back?

Ver sad. It's all sad. All the businesses trying to remain open. I saw a Cornish Pasty advert on FB trying to get people to buy them online.

I was going to get some but they were £30 for 10!