to find supermarkets oddly comforting places?

[Corvuscorax]

OK, am being slightly unreasonable as I don't have to go that often (shop online and/or DH goes to one near his work). But I find them weirdly comforting, I like nosing at other families shopping together and I like the rows and rows of nicely organised food.....IABU aren't I? (Morrisons or Sainburies in case anyone wants to know!)

Lol BeetleBug I used to fantasise about getting locked in a supermarket when I was little. Thought it would be amazing being there late at night with no one around...then supermarkets started opening 24 hrs and Tescos at midnight is creepy as fuck.

Corvuscorax, your thread reminded me of comment I once read in the paper suggesting that in times of national emergency, people should be instructed to gather at John Lewis!

I like midnight supermarkets, I have been in the middle of the night so many times, just for somewhere to walk the baby to make her sleep, and it's great. It's so weird being one of about 5 people in the whole place, it's all quiet and I can pretend I live there

Oh absolutely martha! The north would be screwed though. My nearest JL is an hour away :(

No wait, they're opening one in York next year, phew!

YANBU

I do enjoy food shopping though, mostly cos I love food and cooking.

When dc was tiny, I used to love going and shopping on my own at 8pm. Taking ages and walking up and down every aisle. It was my 'me' time. Possibly the saddest thing ever.

YABU

apart from sainsburys

my local one is lovely, really clean and massive wide aisles so always seems nice and quiet

and only naice people tend to go in there, in my one anyway

I love the IDEA of supermarkets and going around slinging whatever I like into the trolley...but when I get there I get all twitchy and nervous and spend ten minutes staring at the biscuit section before walking away with nothing.....always running into people I know! The only big supermarket in a tiny uni town so impossible to avoid people. If I'm with someone else it's better, I can coast on the trolley and not feel so self conscious.
It's strange but I can walk in feeling thin, not having eaten much that day, and then the minute I look at a pack of doughnuts or something I feel bloated and fat, physically sensing my stomach is swelling under my top, looking at all the food makes me feel anxious. It's peculiar because I have no issues with food really, am happy with my size and don't think I'd care that much if people would see me stuffing my face with junk food. It only happens in supermarkets.

That's strange quirrel! I'm the opposite, I can walk in not remotely hungry and be starving by the end of it. And woe betide the cheese counter if they have a little plate of cheese on sticks out. I will eat it all (subtly of course.)

Do love a bit of trolley coasting though

I make excuses to visit supermarkets and spend ages in there just browsing. I like the anonymity.

I also love Boots.

I understand why you feel that way.

Morrisons has a particularly old-fashioned feel.

Even the uniforms are a bit 80's. I haven't been to Sainsburys for about 8 years, but I remember it fondly.

I used to take my non-sleeping baby for midnight walks around our nearby 24 hour Sainsbury's. I remember seeng myself in a mirror panel and getting a fright - pyjamas under coat, wild hair, dark circles...

This is just one thing (along with pelvic floor tone - there are others) that changed for me almost immediately that I became a parent.
I used to like being in supermarkets. Just as you describe. Especially overseas
Now I absolutely cannot bear them. I have been in one today and felt utterly overwhelmed by the volume and range of products, and by the number of fellow shoppers.

Liquid state, I'm the same about Boots, could happily spend hours just browsing. With supermarkets, it depends which one. Lidl, Aldi, Asda & Tesco don't have a calming effect, but I can spend hours in Sainsburys.