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Original poster

So, how bad is it near you?

141 replies

LoudestRoar · 22/12/2018 11:32

DH was in Asda by 8am thos morning, and he said it was carnage.

The local town centre has had hour long queues for the car parks the last couple of days, with warnings it's going to be worse this weekend.
Luckily, we're all done now, but is any one else stuck in the chaos?

OP posts:
Heismyopendoor · 22/12/2018 12:28

Was at Glasgow fort on Thursday afternoon but left around 7pm, at that point Cara were almost back up onto the motorway. So glad I went early lol.

Tomorrow I’m going to M&S for around 5.30am 😂 wish me luck

User5trillion · 22/12/2018 12:28

Got to aldi for 8am when it opened. Joined a queue of 60 or so people. Shop was well stocked but they were continually restocking so crates and trolleys everywhere making moving down the aisles difficult. I now have all the food, so no going to a shop.until at least jan now.

8misskitty8 · 22/12/2018 12:30

I walked down to our Tesco at about 9.30. Just needed to get a few bits and bobs as I’m going to the in-laws this year for Christmas dinner.

It was busy round the veg and meat section. I bypassed the sausage/pig in blanket aisle as it was heaving with people and trolleys. There is a co-op round the corner from me so I’ll nip round this afternoon to get a pack.

But when i was leaving the car park was beginning to get packed. Didn’t help that I watched a woman park over 4 spaces with her car. (Disabled parking was available before someone says that was her reason ! Lol)

FrogFairy · 22/12/2018 12:32

I went to ALDI straight from work yesterday and it was quieter than a normal Friday evening. Young man on the till said it had been bedlam earlier in the day. Then went to Lidl which was almost empty.

ikltownofboothlehem · 22/12/2018 12:35

I live near the Trafford Centre. It's like End of Days.

ChesterGreySideboard · 22/12/2018 12:37

My Ocado shop is coming tomorrow

Mine has been. No missing, no substitutions.

juneau · 22/12/2018 12:38

I thought our local Sainsburys was going to be carnage this morning when I saw how busy the car park was, but I got a space, no queuing inside, and I got what I needed and left. The only real difference I saw was lots of husbands and kids all trailing round after a harried looking mum. Why the hell she didn't just leave them all at home I don't know ...

PurpleMountain · 22/12/2018 12:38

Was at tesco at 8am this morning with my grown up daughter - we were in an out in 45 mins - the longest part was waiting for a space at the bleep your own shopping tills - but didn't get a trolley check... for once!

It was busy but there was plenty of stock and everyone was taking their time - no pushing or shoving

Ollivander84 · 22/12/2018 12:39

I'm at work. Our manager went to buy us all a McFlurry from Asda and said it was carnage

brizzledrizzle · 22/12/2018 12:40

Fine apart from a seriously selfish, rude woman in the supermarket this morning when I was doing a couple of last minute gifts. A woman was in front of me with a trolley full to the brim and I had a basket with 5 things. She looked at my basket, commented how I hardly had anything but didn't offer to let me go first. I put my basket on the end of the conveyor and was about to unload when her daughter turned up with a second full trolley and put the divider across and started to unload it, whereupon there was a collective groan from the people behind me and I told her to go to the end of the queue and was sworn at for my sins, she refused but I put her item that she'd shoved in front of my stuff back in her trolley and put my five items on the belt.

Her mother was doing all the shopping for the xmas lunch tomorrow and paid for it, the daughter said to the queue it was great that Mum was paying for it all for her. The Mum said that she wanted her daughter to use the Mum's loyalty card with her shopping so she got the points but the daughter refused and said she wanted the points herself.

Cheeky fuckery in the extreme from the pair of them.

Bishalisha · 22/12/2018 12:41

Went to Waitrose at 8pm last night and it was quiet and fully stocked. The cashier said they’d bought in extra staff thinking they were going to be busy!

Oldraver · 22/12/2018 12:44

I was at a Sainsburys (not really out of choice) about 6.30 and it was quite quiet and the lights dimmed. Was a bit of a shock when they went on full and the Sainsburys ad at full blast. Cafe not open till 8am though (advertised as 7)

As I came through Oxford I went past two Park and Rides which were empty before 8am...thought they would be heaving

Peridot1 · 22/12/2018 12:44

No idea as I haven’t needed to go out!

Sainsbury’s delivery came yesterday. Will go and pick up turkey from farm shop tomorrow and get some veg. Anything else will be from our local Co-op.

I will need to pop into town for a couple of bits - might try tomorrow. Or might do early on Xmas eve.

IfNotNowBernard · 22/12/2018 12:45

I just can't understand going to a supermarket at 8 a.m on a Saturday! (Unless you're working there obvs).
I am going to pop into Asda a bit later and am getting the xmas day meat on Xmas eve ( will get whatever looks good).
I honestly can't think of anything much to do other than clean the bathroom because we got company coming Grin I didn't even bother to shop online.
We've only got 7 for Xmas day though. Maybe if it was more I'd be more stressed.

MerryChristmasArthur · 22/12/2018 12:49

It's not busy here at all. I think everyone has gone on vacation to the Alps though so that would explain it.
Went shopping yesterday & today and it was dead. Got everything I wanted and the shops were lovely & quiet.

FTFF · 22/12/2018 12:50

Just back from food shop, In and out of Asda in 25mins. It was busy but not chaos and got parked fine too.

I got up early to be at other shops for them opening, again it was busy but easy enough to park and wander round the shops, the roads aren't even that busy.

Maybe more people are organised and not needing last minute shopping lucky buggers

noblegiraffe · 22/12/2018 12:55

Sainsbury’s yesterday at 2:30pm was awful so I abandoned my trip and went back at 9:30pm when it was fine.

littlemisscomper · 22/12/2018 12:55

I'm too scared to go today! I went on Thursday and the checkout lady was really rude about the amount I was buying (we're having guests stay). She gave me an evil, held up a finger and said 'We're closed for ONE day!'
I replied, 'Oh, are you working Boxing Day?' to which she answered, shocked 'Oh, I'm not WORKING!'

I thought, 'yeah, you want to be slobbing out in your dressing gown eating crap on Boxing Day, rather than being here, well same for me!' Just because you CAN go shopping between Christmas and New Year doesn't mean you want to have to!

morningconstitutional2017 · 22/12/2018 12:55

It was perfectly reasonable. I parked at a small out of town shopping centre with a Lidl, small Tesco, etc and crossed the road to walk to M&S as their car park is usually chaotic on a Saturday morning all year round and I'd rather avoid it, no matter how many lanes of traffic I have to cross (traffic lights thankfully).

I change my usual shopping habits this time of year as I hate having to queue to get into or out of a car park which I'm sure is the case at the big Tesco near here.

theredjellybean · 22/12/2018 13:00

i am at work, near huge asda...its very quiet, quieter than a normal saturday

ResistanceIsNecessary · 22/12/2018 13:01

In Tesco this morning - reasonably quiet at 8.30. Stopped at Aldi on the way back as I'd forgotten something. It was busy but not any more than it normally is at that time.

Oliversmumsarmy · 22/12/2018 13:03

I go out Christmas Eve and do presents and food shopping.

It is very relaxing as there is no one around

wentmadinthecountry · 22/12/2018 13:03

In December (and at weekends) I only go near Waitrose - packs of grumpy families congregate to block the aisles of all the other supermarkets in my town.

NannyKasey · 22/12/2018 13:04

I'm waiting for the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse to appear as when I popped in to our local Sainsburys to get something for my Mum that Asda had run out of, people were stocking up for Armageddon!! If I need anything else I will go down this evening when it will be (hopefully) a bit quieter

notangelinajolie · 22/12/2018 13:05

I'm doing it on Christmas Eve. Tesco Turkeys are always half price and the aisles are people free.

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