The Pleasure of a Supermarket Shopping trip.

I have been doing a weekly Tesco shop since the beginning of lockdown and it is certainly the highlight of my week! Well organised, shelves well stocked and the freedom to choose makes it a delight. Who’d have thought it? And I can get bits and pieces missing from deliveries for neighbours.

Himself has been walking to Tesco (15mins) on a weekly basis since lockdown started, he is over 70 and we are both T2 diabetic.
They have good precautions in place and cleaning stations. Staff send you back if you deviate from the one way system.
He does well with my detailed list and even picks up some treats. However, I can't wait to go shopping myself. I can't manage the packing and lifting and it's one person only so I have to leave it to him.
I don't think it's that risky as long as your sensible.

WOODMOUSE49 I think as long as good distances where observed you will be fine I am so glad you enjoyed yourself and got everything you wanted.
I have been luckly to have had some home deliveries with very little missing on the orders.
These past 2 weeks I have gone to the Bank and everyone I have seen has been very good with social distancing.

I do miss being able to browse the shelves and choose exactly what I want, compare prices, check ingredients, be reminded of things I had forgotten to put on the list, or inspired by something a bit different.
We are reliant on deliveries and have just about got it all set up but it is not the same. I don’t know when I shall risk going to a shop as DH is shielding so I do t want to risk bringing anything home. Mind you, I just got too close to the Morrison’s delivery driver this morning as I was checking the substitutes so he could take them away. Easy to forget.

I can remember when this first came about and I'd scurried to the local shop with legs like jelly when I got back. However, after a couple of these do's I recovered but thought and realised how easy it would be to slip into that fear mode and the thought of visiting a supermarket filled me with horror.

I haven't yet ventured into a supermarket and don't feel confident to do so as yet with people still dying. I'd be a wreck I think, taking my temperature daily, BP, feeling my forehead making sure it was cool----I couldn't cope, so for the time being it's local and will remain so, even though I miss browsing but it not something I'd risk my life for.

I dont miss it at all. I cant see that I will ever return to supermarket shopping.

No I think you’re doing the right thing I ve started going to my local Co op and by next week I will go to Asda and do my own shop I will take care and have a mask if I feel it’s needed doing all the hand washing as soon as I get home but in my area we are low on CV numbers
I have never washed the things I ve bought as I feel that is completely unnecessary nor do I shower and wash my clothes but each to his own if that’s how you feel safe go for it

I don't normally do supermarket shopping I have it delivered instead, but we used to go and browse in Waitrose ad M&S for treats. We stopped all this in March and only just tried it again yesterday near closing time. It was easy and only so many people let in, of course it's probably just because it was late, but did enjoy a glimpse of our previous life!

Thank you for posting this Woodmouse49. We are shielding though have very recently started going out for a walk. We live in a semi rural area, very few people about. I have been in to the little Tesco but not the local supermarket. Tesco have put plastic cubicles round and between the tills. Don’t think I will go to the big supermarket here yet a while but that is Sainsbury so their new ways of working must be similar to your experience. Have to go to the bank tomorrow, be interesting what measures they have in place.

Woodmouse49. I want to go for my own shopping. I have been having online deliveries but sometimes not easy to get a slot.
As this virus will be around for a long time yet I will have to give it a go and just be very careful.

I have never wanted on-line deliveries. Since retiring, have enjoyed my weekly Sainsbury visit, taking my time going round,, comparing prices, etc. Although I am nearly 79yrs old, did not feel I was going to change this behavior.

I do know the figures, and even for oldies like me, it is not a choice between staying in all the time, or dying.

So once a week I have given myself and my car a run out to my nearest Sainsbury, during the 8 - 9 am oldies hour. I do wear a face mask in there ( the only time that I wear that) more to re-assure other people, than I feel it does me any good.=). Never felt in any danger whatsoever there. Everybody, other shoppers and all staff are helpful and keep their distance.

Fear is such an all-consuming feeling - people do need to think about exactly what they are afraid of......Do they not go out at all during the bad year winter flu seasons?, etc. That can kill very many people.

It is being more accepted by many 'experts' that the open air is so much less dangerous than being indoors. yes, we are indoors at a supermarket, but it is a very large area. Would not suggest, just yet, for people to go on a bus for this, but if they can drive, or walk then it can do them a great deal of good.

I think it is a good place to go, safer that parks and beaches in some areas.

The first time can seem a bit daunting with security guards, screens, tape on the floor and queuing but these are all for safety.

I think when you stay indoors listening to the news it sounds worse than it is being out.

well i went yesterday and it did kind of cheer me up, just doing something, i even attempted a bit of hacking at the hedge later.
i had not been shopping for 3 weeks, and before that for 4 weeks. maybe i will attempt a 2 week interval next.
spent quite a bit but got extra items like toothbrushes and nuts which were reduced, and they had face masks and small hand sanitiser, so got a few of those too. it is a Lidl, not the nearest, but for various reasons that is the one i can face.
i am very affected by areas, surroundings, atmospheres, memories, associations. bit like walking through a mine-field, i have to be careful.
i was a bit concerned to see lots of young men on the street kissing each other 3 times. and small boys carrying goody bags from local mosque. i know it's eid, but this gathering and close greeting seems foolhardy; will the figures shoot up again in 2 weeks' time. my brother said a baptist church in germany re-opened and there followed a spike in cases.

I don't miss shopping as I've done it online for decades. I'm simply amazed that so many people actually risk catching a deadly virus - just to get the exact groceries they want. How do they avoid anxiety and sleep well at night?

Quite easily, thank you Hetty. Sensible and careful observation of how others are behaving, a large supermarket with wide aisles, proper queueing and sanitising opportunities all add up to a pretty safe experience once a week. Very dangerous to overthink security precautions.