I visited a "Tesco Metro" at about 16.00 today and they were operating a "one in one out" system which I have never seen before at that particular store.
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Supermarkets and Covid-19
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Supermarkets will remain open so there is no need for home deliveries.
perhaps people don’t want to deal with the chaos at supermarkets...or due to their job they are limited when they could get to a supermarket.
Baxenden Bank
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It's not lunacy if you want to eat and cannot / dare not go into a store in person.
Tuesday 10th is the next available slot at my nearest Tesco, plenty of slots from that day forwards. My advice to anyone is to simply book well ahead, place a few items in your basket, then fill it up close to the delivery date.
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Thanks, but I cannot physically carry home a whole weeks groceries, household cleaning and personal care products. I know, I tried it from March until July. Government instruction is to stay at home and make as few trips as possible. I could shop several times per week, but I suggest that is a greater transmission risk than having a home delivery. Click and Collect may reduce the transmission risk but doesn't solve the carrying home issue.
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Skimpot flyer
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We need a bit of humour in these depressing times...
Boris has engaged the military to head-off the imminent crisis in the retail sector
Boris has engaged the military to head-off the imminent crisis in the retail sector
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birchesgreen
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Was no sign of panic shopping in M&S Food today but there were a couple of PCSOs patrolling about inside and i overheard them say the word "mask" so i guess they were looking for anti-mask infidels. Later on at The Fort the queue outside Primark stretched for over 100m, blimey.
WelshBluebird
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You say that with pretty high certainty despite not knowing anyone else's situation.
Not everybody drives or lives near a supermarket, not everyone is physically able to carry shopping back, etc etc.
I checked yesterday and for me Tesco wasn't showing any availability at all for the next 3 weeks. Asda don't have anything until the 15th.
But I do what you suggested anyway so one of the 15th is fine for me as I am good up until then.
Indeed. Supermarkets will remain open and (in England) will sell their full range of products. You are allowed to make a journey for 'essential shopping', this includes making the journey by public transport.
I'm assuming the messaging will also be somewhat similar to last time. Supermarket delivery capacity although increased is not infinite. It was being pitched as being your duty if you're fit and healthy to go to the supermarket in person to free up delivery slots for those who cannot.
Clearly there isn't a finite capacity for home delivery but supermarkets have increased up home delivery and click and collect slots significantly this year. I don't recall it being pitched as it being your duty to go to a supermarket in person if you were fit and well but what I do remember is supermarkets prioritising the elderly and vulnerable.
If everyone shops as normal there won't be a problem.
I left work 15 mins early today. I needed several items from Iceland and while all could have waited until next week back in March stores were wiped out. Of three possible stores I chose one as yesterday I had seen an item for a Christmas gift on Wilko's website.
First the town centre was very quiet, no sign of a rush to shop before Thursday. Wilko was quiet, at most ten shoppers. They didn't have the item nor was there a marked shelf space, not surprising as not a large store, but overall typical stock levels. Only three other customers in Iceland and again typical stock levels so no obvious panic buying yesterday or earlier today. I then quickly went to Waitrose thinking while unlikely they might just have the gift item. They didn't but something caught my eye as an alternative. The store was quiet and overall again no signs of major panic buying.
Unless anything unforeseen I now only need Aldi, Tesco and the Post Office until 3rd December. I bought Christmas cards a couple of weeks ago.
My car is booked for a service at a main dealer next week. I'm presuming while the showroom and sales have to close the workshops will stay open. Practically if delayed not an issue as 5000 miles early, just 12 months so needed to avoid any warranty issues if a claim arises.
First the town centre was very quiet, no sign of a rush to shop before Thursday. Wilko was quiet, at most ten shoppers. They didn't have the item nor was there a marked shelf space, not surprising as not a large store, but overall typical stock levels. Only three other customers in Iceland and again typical stock levels so no obvious panic buying yesterday or earlier today. I then quickly went to Waitrose thinking while unlikely they might just have the gift item. They didn't but something caught my eye as an alternative. The store was quiet and overall again no signs of major panic buying.
Unless anything unforeseen I now only need Aldi, Tesco and the Post Office until 3rd December. I bought Christmas cards a couple of weeks ago.
My car is booked for a service at a main dealer next week. I'm presuming while the showroom and sales have to close the workshops will stay open. Practically if delayed not an issue as 5000 miles early, just 12 months so needed to avoid any warranty issues if a claim arises.
Freightmaster
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DelayRepay
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I went to Waitrose yesterday afternoon. No queue, everything normal. Until I got to the loo roll aisle. Everything was sold out, with the exception of Christmas loo roll. So for the next few weeks I will be wiping my bum with pictures of Christmas trees.
Maybe it'll cheer me up..
On my way to Waitrose, I passed the garden centre. I was going to call in for some Christmas stuff, but their car park was full and their overflow carpark (basically a piece of waste ground) was filling up too. Not what I would expect on a wet Monday in November - I've only ever seen it like that before on the Spring bank holiday weekends. I decided to give it a miss as I didn't fancy queueing.
Maybe it'll cheer me up..
On my way to Waitrose, I passed the garden centre. I was going to call in for some Christmas stuff, but their car park was full and their overflow carpark (basically a piece of waste ground) was filling up too. Not what I would expect on a wet Monday in November - I've only ever seen it like that before on the Spring bank holiday weekends. I decided to give it a miss as I didn't fancy queueing.
Crazy, given that garden centres will not be required to close, and indeed all
of my regular ones have confirmed to their customers that they shall be staying open as usual throughout.
birchesgreen
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Oddly enough i had the same thing when i was in Waitrose on friday night, the only bog roll left was the christmas one! We have found the panic buyers' kryptonite?
Possibly because they now have a significant trade in Christmas related goods, - e.g. trees (real and artificial), decorations for such, various home accessories for indoor celebrations and of course garden related gifts, including plants.
If not required to close, and profit making, then I’m not sure that there is any need to close. I suspect things will be very different this time round - note how chains like McDonald’s who closed last time (without technically being required to as they were still allowed to remain open for takeaway) are still planning on remaining open for takeaway.
DelayRepay
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This garden centre will stay open according to their Facebook page, but the cafe will be closed.
I guess a lot of their customers might not realise - they remember the garden centres being closed last time, so want to buy their goods before Thursday. Some might also think that while the garden centre is open, buying a Christmas Tree is not really shopping for 'essential goods' and may feel uncomfortable leaving their home for that reason during the lockdown.
Some of the crowd may have been in the cafe, taking advantage of the last opportunity to have lunch out or coffee with a friend for a little while.
None of the garden centre cafes round here ever reopened.
Most of them around here have, although some with reduced capacity/
There are clearly a number of outlets which closed last time, which won't this time such as Mcdonald's which having learn't how to operate in a more covid safe way they should be able to stay open for takeaway, I expect a lot more non essential retail will try and stay open for click and collect this time around, Curry's are staying open for click and collect, Sainsbury's will keep some or all of the Argos stand alone stores open for click and collect rather than closing last time.
Most garages closed for repairs last time looks like they will be staying open this time.
Most garages closed for repairs last time looks like they will be staying open this time.
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Hopefully, the government is applying a bit of lateral thinking here. Buying natural fir trees is something that can be done outside, and unlikely to create transmission paths through human behaviour patterns. That would allow a large volume of already committed stock to be released to customers rather than shredded in January. Similarly the trade in seasonal flowers and plants, (edit. I know that poincettias need to be kept warmish, but garden centres normally take a lot more care of them anyway - unlike many supermarkets). As far as artificial trees, lights, ornamemts and other decorations go, the continued vigilance of outlets and their staff in maintaining the rules and recommended precautions*, (especially under the threat of forced closure) would be no worse than the continuing sales of non-essential confectionary and alcohol in supermarkets.
* whether individuals agree with the rules and recommendations is irrelevant, - they are part of the Government's conditions for any permitted trading.
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CaptainHaddock
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No shortage of bog roll in Sheffield yesterday. I called in at Home Bargains and picked up a pack of 18 which should see me safely through the lockdown. Though on the train home the guard did jokingly suggest I kept my pack of bog rolls hidden just in case I got mugged for them!
james60059
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To be honest, unless we need a major shop, our local corner shop stocks the essentials that we need, like cat food and loo roll, as well as a good selection of chilled and frozen food. I can't speak for everywhere else, but certainly in my area they have been unsung heroes.
HSTEd
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People instructed to go out as little as possible.
People start to buy more stuff on a given trip to the shop and order more for delivery.
Politicians and the like complain about people "hoarding".
They are doing precisely what they were instructed to do.
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