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Original poster

What’s the deal with whole families going shopping together?

259 replies

Enfys1982 · 05/08/2023 17:12

Is it just me who find this really odd and slightly codependent? My mum hated us coming shopping with her as I think she partly enjoyed the peace quiet and we’d get under her feet. As would my Dad! Even now she won’t take him shopping with her. Yesterday in Sainsburys I was struck by how many families there were doing their shopping together. Both parents and kids. I saw one family with a mum dad and three kids plus a baby in a buggy, and another with parents kids and even grandparents. A few weeks ago I was in Primark and there was a family of four shopping together, mum wanted to buy something and instead of the dad and kids waiting they all went through the tills together. I mean surely they didn’t all need to do that?

Is this a new thing?

OP posts:
cheerioagain · 05/08/2023 17:13

Agree. Why can’t one adult wait at home unless in really exceptional circumstances

MoonLion · 05/08/2023 17:14

I agree OP but I don't think it's a new thing. I've always seen families doing this.

Comedycook · 05/08/2023 17:15

Agree....I go food shopping alone or with my dc. Dh wouldn't want to come along and I wouldn't want him to.

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Families
Jamtartforme · 05/08/2023 17:16

🍿

IronCandle · 05/08/2023 17:16

I thought it was normal. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Forgoodnesssakewhatnow · 05/08/2023 17:16

If you’re skint, it’s an activity. Kids can be pretty easily occupied by the bright things in shops.

(I do think it’s terribly inefficient when both parents accompany one child to a birthday party though. Shouldn’t one of you be revelling in silence?!)

AllPlayedOut · 05/08/2023 17:16

I find it odd that people give a shit so long as everyone is behaving and being considerate to other shoppers and staff.

MrsHsGirl · 05/08/2023 17:17

We don't usually but today we took DS to do the big shop just to get him out of the house because the weather is so crap and we are running out of ideas!

mathanxiety · 05/08/2023 17:17

This is not a new thing.

When I see it I always wonder if the woman is suffering financial abuse.

bettymoo212 · 05/08/2023 17:17

What’s wrong with it? 🤷🏻‍♀️

bettymoo212 · 05/08/2023 17:18

mathanxiety · 05/08/2023 17:17

This is not a new thing.

When I see it I always wonder if the woman is suffering financial abuse.

Eh?

Morechocmorechoc · 05/08/2023 17:19

It's nice people will do it together rather than one stuck at home with the kids

cruffinsmuffin · 05/08/2023 17:19

😂 we normally go food shopping together, or to all sorts of shop together. It's spending time together even doing mundane daily things.

Why is it odd and codependent?

itsmyp4rty · 05/08/2023 17:19

Only my OH drives and I like to pick my food and make decisions of what we buy so we both go, then we had to take dc with us until they were old enough to stay home alone.

SoRad · 05/08/2023 17:20

My mum works in asda as a home ahop picker and finds it very annoying when the whole family shop. Blocking aisles and kids being annoying

Original poster
Enfys1982 · 05/08/2023 17:21

@mathanxiety possibly. I hadn’t really considered that. A few times I’ve bumped into a work colleague on a family jolly with her husband and kids in Tesco but in her case I suspect it’s because her husband is inept and can’t cope with the kids on his own so they all go together.

OP posts:
Northernsoul72 · 05/08/2023 17:21

Totally agree

Theproofofthepudding · 05/08/2023 17:22

Don't get it either, I worked in Primark (including covid times) I often felt like I was an animal in a zoo the way whole families would gather around and cough and splutter at me. Never understood why multiple adults stood in the queue with a screaming or badly behaved kid either when one could be doing something a bit more interesting or even waiting outside while the other queued and paid

calmcoco · 05/08/2023 17:22

'My parents did X, surely every other family should do as my mum says?'

Newsflash: families are different.

We shopped together when we felt like it, because we wanted to.

bettymoo212 · 05/08/2023 17:22

cruffinsmuffin · 05/08/2023 17:19

😂 we normally go food shopping together, or to all sorts of shop together. It's spending time together even doing mundane daily things.

Why is it odd and codependent?

Same here. We often go to the supermarket on the way back from somewhere else, so all for of us (myself, husband and two young children) are there. And it’s usually me who pays for it. Bemused to think others consider it odd or even a sign of abuse.

MaxwellCat · 05/08/2023 17:22

I find it odd that this bugs people. I'm a single parent so my children have to come shopping with me but I miss going shopping with my ex as he could carry far more than me so now I'm very restricted with how much I can buy as I can't carry it all home.

Ponderingwindow · 05/08/2023 17:22

The only time we shop as a whole family is if we were already out for some other reason and we are making a quick stop.

The full shop with the full family baffles me. I don’t think I really notice the families where the children are behaving. The only ones that catch your attention are the families that cause chaos. They are the ones with kids running up and down the aisles, children screaming. There are probably plenty of well-behaved families that I pass without even realizing

Crikeyalmighty · 05/08/2023 17:22

In my 1st marriage I never once went shopping with H or DC - in my 2nd marriage H didn't come until my son was about 12 and old enough to be left at home- since then he does- he actually likes food shopping and as he drives and I don't- I don't mind

Finnygook · 05/08/2023 17:22

We sometimes go together, if it's a weekend for example and we both want to pick out some what we want to eat/see what takes our fancy. And we can't exactly leave the baby at home Grin soz!!

Dustycloth · 05/08/2023 17:23

mathanxiety · 05/08/2023 17:17

This is not a new thing.

When I see it I always wonder if the woman is suffering financial abuse.

Omg 😆