The shops yesterday and today are packed......how is this?

[SaffronQuoda]

I thought people were struggling with money yet yesterday and today the High Street where I live was swarming with people and both Sainsburys were packed. SE of England.

Sainsbury’s, a shop where people buy food, packed?! Streets, upon which people walk to and from places, packed?!

CoL crisis is obviously bullshit then

Illuminati confirmed. 🔺

People's houses are a bit nippy right now.

Christmas shopping / black Friday shopping? ..... or food shopping if in Sainsburys!
Having said that my Tescos was hammered Saturday morning and I did wonder why 🤣

Went to a large shopping centre at the weekend, absolutely packed, car parks overflowing. I did think though that no one was in the clothes shops, so maybe people are doing their Christmas shopping but not buying anything else.

Fucks sake, not this bollocks again.

Christmas shopping/ sale shopping... Some people save for Christmas, some people stick it on credit. Not everyone is struggling.

Doesn't mean this crisis is not happening

TFF is right, the shops are lovely & warm!

Because contrary to popular belief not everybody is on the breadline.

I'd imagine that maybe those that are really struggling weren't the ones out spending money and eating out. 67 million people live the UK, no one has suggested that every single one is struggling.

Let me guess, you're a Tory?

It’s Black Friday week.

I know what you mean, OP.

City centre car parks rammed full at the weekend. Shops bustling, restaurants, hairdressers, nail bars full ... The answer is that there is still a lot of money circulating and a large percentage of people can weather the storm.

Of course a lot of people are struggling but the majority of Britons aren't warming their value brand beans over a candle.

Everyone was out buying eggs.

@SaffronQuodaat the shops, just as you were.

I will try to explain this very slowly.
The low paid who were getting by before, are now struggling due to the cost of living crisis. I doubt you would have seen them in numbers at the shopping centre.

The well paid and relatively wealthy are partly insulated from the cost of living crisis. Their disposable income is greater to start with, and this might have been squeezed a bit, but they still have money available for Christmas and groceries.

The cost of living crisis doesn't necessarily equate to no one going anywhere, OP. Even if the shops are packed, people buying things, especially basic things like food, doesn't equate to there not being an issue. Christmas is coming, people will still be purchasing, but I imagine overall expenditure is down - still buying presents for people, but fewer or spending less than last year on them.

Also, some people are less affected than others. I am very fortunate in that my lifestyle hasn't drastically changed (yet), I imagine there are many others in my position who have been able to absorb price rises so far, but that doesn't mean that others, who may have had less of a buffer or another circumstantial change, aren't severely affected or that it isn't happening.

I had to go to get groceries as I am just back from holiday 😉 and today to get one thing to pay for the car parking as I was getting my nails done😉. I guess it's not long until Christmas really.

Same as you probably, it's not rocket science

I went to my local shopping centre a week or so ago to collect my new glasses. My DD 12 weeks needed a bottle so I sat for around half an hour in a seating/rest area. Of course, tiny babies attract attention and I had a lot of over 60s come and sit in the surrounding seats over the 30 mins we were there. Everyone one of them told me had either walked or used their bus pass to come and browse the shops to keep warm. Not one of them had a shopping bag with any items.

Personally I think poor people should stay at home and stop buying Christmas presents for friends and family. They shouldn't be allowed to go Christmas shopping. Haven't they got emergency candles to light at home and baked beans to heat up?

Seriously, a credit crunch still means that people want to give their kids a good Christmas even if it means spending less or going into debt. They still go to shops. They may just be doing a socialising shop where you go round with your mates but end up spending 2.99. I've done that when I'm skint. Also, it's nearly Black Friday so people are trying to save a few quid.

There are a lot of people around with plenty of money to spend. They're out enjoying themselves as they usually do.

I actually bought candles in Sainsbo to offset my parking charge.

On MN so far I think we've had:
Pubs are packed-so no cost of living crisis
Theatres are packed-so no cost of living crisis
Now we have supermarkets are packed-so no cost of living crisis.

Could we get all the others out of the way in one thread please:
Car parks
Cinema
Shopping centres
Centre Parks
any other suggestions?

Agree with this.

This must be at least the third thread on this very subject this week alone.