Sorry, Casdon. Totally disagree. I didn't learn to drive until I was 35. I did all my shopping in a new town walking everywhere, including with two babies/toddlers. Everything was in the town centre - including the corner shops!
In impoverished inner city areas supermarkets are few and far between. Street markets are often more prevalent and easier to access.
Visit a few. You will find a lot of mothers with small children there. Especially in inner city areas where there are more people from ethnically diverse populations who are used to market shopping and prefer it.
I currently shop in the market in a country town. Essentially the market is one large veg stall and a few other associated food specialists. The veg stall has one huge table covered in plastic bowls. Each has: a dozen oranges, 2 lbs onions, a large bunch of grapes, a butternut squash. All priced at a Ā£1.00. It is food getting just beyond selling on the stall. I stock up there. While soft fruit, tomatoes etc may only be good for another 4 or 5 days. If I buy onions, or the squash, or root vegetables, apples, even oranges, they are still good for at least a week. The stall has a better selection of exotic fruit and veg than the local Sainsbury's and Waitrose - and at a fraction of the price.
Mattress causing back pain - or is it me getting old?? Advice please.