So called "sssential items"

I am disgusted with the heavy handedness of some police officers who seem to be taking the rules around this awful situation to a whole other level.

Stopping the children from playing in their own garden? A man arrested for delivering shopping to his elderly auntie and picking a plant up at the same time? Really ? This is a good use of police time ?

Why would you deny a child a chocolate egg? Or someone a few plants? God knows we have little to smile about these days.

I bought bedding plants yesterday as I had to be out to go to the surgery anyway, and they were for sale - my garden has been my saviour during this time and I am enjoying making it look even better!

If the items are on sale then you should be able to buy them - if 'someone' thinks they aren't essentials then the supermarkets should be told to take them off the shelves, end of!

That's exactly what I thought it was all about, Hithere - advising people not to pop out again to the shops if they forget a few items that they want but don't need.

Next week or possibly the week after, as I am only going out once a week, on a Fridy to collect shopping and meds, I will need fuel. As I live approx 10 miles from the nearest fuel station I am going to have to travel regardless - my daughter lives in that town, I haven't seen her or my grandchildren for weeks so I will be popping there too to talk to them through the window, I will be there anyway and she is struggling with a newborn and a toddler never seeing anyone - her partner works in Social Care and is a keyworker at a Care Home - we are all very worried about that as one of the staff has ended up in ICU! I could never forgive myself if something happened to her or the babies and I hadn't seen them when I will be there anyway for an essential item!

We're all different, what is essential to one, is maybe not essential to another

I don't think it's folk popping a bar of choccy or a copy of Gardeners Weekly into their trolly that is the issue.

Crates of beer, bottles of vodka and house parties more of a worry.

KY Jelly??? Failing that, wine, gin, tonic water oh and a few lemons and MORE wine! Happy Easter Everybody! xx

The person who is worried about ordering plants on line but doesn’t want to waste essential delivery needn’t worry because the delivery companies are keeping people in jobs and it is Essential to keep the economy going . If we don’t buy stuff the economy will be badly hit. I ordered 3 plants for my garden , 3 days later my postman delivered them. Royal Mail are all working so why not?

There are many reasons why some items eg compost would be considered essential for some who, maybe are fighting depression or other invisible battles. So many food items could be considered non- essential eg biscuits. We have become a greedy, selfish society and we have learned to be incredibly intolerant & judgemental without care for those who are weaker. Thank God for the Food banks, but they and other front line carers are struggling to get the real essential goods. We have it so good compared to those fighting the same battle in other countries. It would be good if the TV or newspapers followed a real family in crisis.

I think we have two type of categories in essential items

1. Regarding physical health
2. Mental health

No. 1 is a little bit more clear to define- food, cleaning supplies, etc

The hardest thing is to define what items belong to no. 2 category. Safeguarding our mental health is key as well but it may put others in danger at the same time.

My seeds arrived today, about three weeks after the order went in, which was understandable because they had had to change their working practices and recruit staff to replace those who are at home for various reasons to do with the current situation.

A kind Gransnetter offered to send me some if mine failed to arrive - Gransnet at its best!

Why do people keep spreading these ridiculous rumours? There are so many 'non-stories' in papers, where something is misunderstood (as here) or somebody has a wild idea. By the time you've read them, there's obviously nothing to them!

My friend has set up a group to match volunteers to people needing things. Her most frustrating part is having to deal with complaints ie the lady who wanted cracked black pepper only from Aldi, and the person who asked for a different buddy because she wanted her food from Waitrose and the volunteer went to Tesco. Different people have different expectations even in these strange times

I think "essentials" are different for all of us, but I do think when doing your normal weekly shopping, if it is usually wine or beer etc then it should be classed as essential.About closing Garden Centres, I think they are an essential part of life at the moment if you have a garden, and gardening is a kind of therapy, they can close the cafe and keep the Garden Centre open if people keep their distance what is the difference buying outside and buying in a more occupied supermarket, surely a Garden Centre is better and healthier outside shopping.

Hetty58 how true. The media are responsible for so much that is frightening and false. They twist anything they can to make sensational copy. Journalists at the five o clock briefing on Covid19 seem to waste time rephrasing the same question in different ways when they already have the answer, and then print what they have heard in sensational terms. An MP was recently asked about some statistics; he responded that they weren't available at that time but would be, hopefully, in the next day or so. This was translated as 'MP forced to admit he had no idea'. Forced? Admit? He simply answered a question; this is the kind of irresponsible journalism that creates anxiety.

Our local supermarket only allows one basket per customer. It's surprising how that concentrates the mind on only buying what you actually need! I'm trying to only go out every four days, so on 'large milk days' that's pretty much all I can buy.

Lulubelle500, it rather blasts the recommendation to only shop once a week out of the water. I doubt a family of four could get a week's shopping in a basket. As your example shows even, you cannot manage it.

A thought. As many of you know, I am in the US and in shelter at home state - only essential trips till June

Wouldn't the rule of once a week for groceries put the public more at risk?

Here, more people are allowed to "hoard" or stockpile food because we normally do shopping monthly or 2x a month and we have the space to store it.
So for some of us, that practice, post covid, hasn't changed that much.
I am talking frozen food and non perishables.
Isn't shopping less often minimize the changes of spreading it around?

My son’s friend was fined £30 for buying a bottle of wine ( that was all he’d bought)! Policeman was outside the supermarket, and told him wine was not essential! Next time he’ll buy a loaf and carton of milk as well!

In my local supermarket they are announcing " no browsing " which makes sense as there are a queue of people outside waiting to get in.

On our local Facebook page there were people that had been stopped by police whilst out driving and asked where they are going, if it was non essential they were told to go home.

Can't see this. As long as we are not going overboard with our shopping ie no more than three of the same item is my Tesco rule, why not buy what ever you want although some shops selling non essentials are closed.

Psalmody
Compost maybe essential for those fighting depression???Biscuits however you see as non essential ??? Nothing lifts me out of my 'lows' like a biscuit or two and a cuppa. You can keep your compost.

The large brewers here have started home deliveries as have some of the wine suppliers,
Thursday when I was coming in 2 of the students on the top floor were going out, they shouted hello and asked after my health then said "do you need any wine for the weekend".
They know I cannot carry much and also know I like a nice white.
If the Police started policing shopping here there would be riots.
People do one shop here and what is in it is their business.

Can I use this thread next time somebody claims that Jobseekers Allowance of £73 per week is enough to buy "essentials"?

Honestly, if you get something from a volunteer but it is not the supermarket of your choice, you would be written out of my list to be helped so fast - ungrateful person

Exception if it is for medical reasons such as allergy, gluten.
If it is because you prefer one supermarket over another that provides the same item - beggars can not be choosers