Shopping in the Covid age

[Seeker]

Firstly, I need to inform you that I'm anti-social, not extremely so, but enough that I avoid crowds. Therefore, I would normally shop at Tescos at 6am and tolerate the 5 or 6 other customers. I use the local Tesco because it's close (just over 1 mile) and big, it is usually open 24 hours.

Imagine my horror when I arrived at 8am (Tesco's new opening time) and I discovered that the queue to get in the store stretched the length of the frontage, turned 90° and went the length of the building's side, U-turned and came half-way back again. I've been in shorter queues in Disneyland.

You were held 6ft back from the nearest person in the queue so socialising wasn't possible (assuming you even wanted to do so), my desire to live was wilting by this point.

Eventually I was allowed in and the ballet started - trying to get what you wanted whilst avoiding other shoppers and the pick-and-clickers was the closest thing to participating in Strictly come Dancing than I needed.

The product range was reduced as were some of the offers of "buy 2 for reduced price" - shelves were pretty full although the bananas had been plundered noticeably.

Tannoy messages informed you not to browse (what? why would you do that, don't you have a list?)

So, thinking I'd bought what I needed I headed for a checkout - nope - you now head for the alcohol (appropriately) at the far end of the store to join the queue to pay. Once ensconced in the leaving queue, I realised what I'd forgotten and was faced with the dilemma of leaving the queue and rejoining the mad hordes or abandoning the idea. Checking the queue length behind me, I chose the latter.

I spent about 3 times what I normally would because I never want to shop again.

[garynortheast]

Strewth Seeker! Just glad I live where I do. My shopping expedition today will be much easier. Daughter and I will go into Welshpool on the bike, each with a small list of essential items. Tesco and Aldi are opposite each other so she will do Tesco and I will go to Aldi. 10 minutes max for each of us and no queueing, then back on the bike, and return to the safety of our tiny village and home (and my garden!).

[L3nny]

You don't have robots to deliver your shopping? Do you live in the stone age?

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by L3nny

Do you live in the stone age?

Cleethorpes, so...yes.


North East Lincolnshire has a population of 158,921 (possibly a lot more in 9 months). I suspect we all chose to shop (at this Tesco) on Wednesday morning. I have enough food now for at least 3, maybe 4 weeks before the next traumatic trip - I'll try at 9pm next time (they now close at 10).

[Craig380]

My son works at Waitrose so we just tell him what we need

[yokohama]

There might be nothing left by 9pm.
My local Tesco is the largest supermarket in town, and the one most ravaged by the hordes.
I've started shopping at M&S. Granted it's a little more expensive but it's quiet, has fairly well stocked shelves and there's a nice lady on the door who wipes the basket/trolley handle with sanitiser before giving it to you.
There's also an even more expensive posh deli in the high street that has pretty much everything. Imported multicolour pasta? 500g for £3? No problem sir.
The local Wilco on the other hand is now a police state. Door security, black distance tape lines on the pavement and only 10 people allowed it at once - it's probably at least 2,500 square metres floorspace so plenty of virus-free breathing space for people who can be a#sed to queue to get in

[tonyk]

Originally Posted by garynortheast

Strewth Seeker! Just glad I live where I do. My shopping expedition today will be much easier. Daughter and I will go into Welshpool on the bike, each with a small list of essential items. Tesco and Aldi are opposite each other so she will do Tesco and I will go to Aldi. 10 minutes max for each of us and no queueing, then back on the bike, and return to the safety of our tiny village and home (and my garden!).

Question ? Did you leave your helmets on ? ... Or walk around with a full
Balaclava on , saves on the mouth cover.... I was wondering cos I would feel safer with my helmet on.

[Sir Trev]

The queue to get out sounds familiar to my experience in Morrisons on Tuesday. Getting there at midday there was no queue to get in but it took me longer to get out than it did to pick up the things we needed. Good now for a couple of weeks at least.

Good luck out there everyone.