To be fed up with shop shamers on here

[MonaLisaDoesntSmile]

Firstly, please dont think I encourage people going out three times a day to get some chocolate or ice cream or whatever. The guidance is clear to go as infrequently as possible (although unlike some people think, it's NOT to go shopping once a week or fortnight). However, the amount of people saying stuff along the lines - your shopping is not essential/ we did it, therefore everyone else can do it/you don't need this or that/ you can make your own bread* (whatever other item) is a bit shocking. In times when empathy is particularly important too.

So just to say, the reason while some people cannot just go out to shop once a month like you:

• some people have multiple food allergies and/or have limited diet, making shopping and finding the items needed more difficult.
• some shops around are not well stocked as those in other areas and essentials are not always available the time they go shopping
• not everyone has an industrial size fridge and freezer. I for one have no space to freeze 4 gallons of milk or 2 loafs of bread
• not everything people may need freezes well
• some delivery shops offer fresh produce which expire quickly. Our only delivery which we managed to sort out over the last two weeks had everything expiring within 2/3 days, with the bread expiring the next day, not a week like we hoped, we were not able to freeze all the stuff we wanted either. My two local small shops are notorious for selling fruit and veg which lasts 2-3 days is we're lucky
• not everyone had an amazingly stocked pantry before, nor space to buy a lot of items with long shelf life
• one's person essentials are not the same as other people- the fact someone do not consider something as essential does not mean it is also not essential for other people and the other way round
• not everyone has a car and can do a huge shop infrequently
• not everyone has an amazing support network
• not everyone is lucky to have enough money to make one big shop a fortnight
• not everyone has local shops which deliver to your doorstep- we have nothing in our area, no butchers, no corner shops do home deliveries so we depend on ourselves having to go out and actually hope we can buy what we need
• not everyone has equipment, know how and/or ingredients to make lets say bread or whatever else people think you can magically whip up on the spot.
• some people do not have a great support network, and asking strangers to do a huge shop is not always possible

I'm sure there are other reasons too, we all have different needs.

I think isntead of shouting at others that they dare to go out shopping, maybe lets just accept that without knowing the circumstances it may be best not to judge? Everyone is doing their best with what we have.

It’s not essential to go out to a supermarket every day just to pick up a newspaper. Fine if its a local shop and on the route of your daily excercise but some people are still not grasping the “stay at home” message unfortunately.

I never said it was. How do you differentiate between people going in you pick up a paper on their 'daily exercise' walk and people simply walking to the shop for a paper though?

It's perfectly fine to buy a newspaper.

Dd went to the local coop the other day. She was having a bit of exercise as she hadn't left the house in a week and thought she'd see if she could get some bread and bananas while she was out. They didn't have any so she bought me a tv magazine and some pasties - totally non-essential but she'd gone in the shop for essentials and thought she might as well buy something as she was already there.

@PhilCornwall1 Dialling 999 as we speak!

@MonaLisaDoesntSmile I'll forward my address to make it easier for them to visit.

Local shops are only letting a limited number of customers in at a time.
Why are underground stations not placing a similar limit at stations.

Depending on the layout of the supermarket then nipping in for paper/chocolate might not make that much difference?

They are often in an area of their own & you don't need to go through the whole supermarket.

Of course that's also dependent on how you get there & how many people you meet on the way & if social distancing is observed/possible.

But if you are in & out rather than moseying around the whole shop?

We are shopping for 4 different households including our own and as we can't make everyone wait until we are out of essentials before buying theirs we are shopping practically every other day for someone or another. Today DH went to get some bits for us an boughe some daffodils. Not essential to some but they make me smile when I see them 😄

I sent my DH to the shops for Percy Pigs the other day (I can hear the gasps!).

Bread was also on the list

Another bread recipe here, yeast free and very simple! Tastes lovely too I made some yesterday. Shared on fb by a local restaurant

I bought a hair dye yesterday, a pack of creme eggs, and a bottle of maybelline foundation. Also a bottle of wine. NONE of it was essential stuff.

Catch me if you can 'shopping police!'

But do remember... the store SOLD these items to me.

I picked up some daffodils when buying my bread and milk the other day. If I didn't they'd just be chucked out without brightening anyone's day.

I've also noticed people on my local facebook spewing vitriol about "essentials". It's obviously bringing the worst out in some people.

I don't blame shop workers for being annoyed at people taking the piss with scratch cards and newspapers. It's multiple people, every day, increasing the risk of catching it, for something that is absolutely not essential.

This sums up most of my thinking. There seems a big difference between buying a range of frivolous items when out shopping for things you need and starting off a whole chain of contact for stuff you don't need.

I imagine I got some funny looks today in m and s buying a single croissant. I was on the way to the pharmacy and then on my way to work.

I also bought a bottle of coke from boots last week. I was in there getting a prescription anyway.

You don't always know everyone's circumstances

Newsagents sell newspapers, magazines and chocolate. They are an essential business, allowed to trade.

Off licences sell wine, beer and spirits. They are an essential business, allowed to trade.

Many would say nothing these shops sell is 'essential' - nevertheless, they are an essential businesses, allowed to trade.

So why the judgment because people choose to buy a bottle of wine or a Mars Bar from them?

I'm going shopping 3 or 4 times a week, I have no choice. Occasionally, on our half walks, me and DH pop into our local craft beer shop and buy a couple of cans (social distancing, only 2 in the shop at any time, contactless payment and hand sanitizer on entry are all in operation). The man who owns the shop is the only member of staff.

It's getting absolutely ridiculous. So many people who didn't get the chance to be a perfect in school are loving this.

Be sensible, buy things which boost your spirits at this shit time, wash your hands and know you're not breaking any laws because your essentials are more than gruel and tracing paper toilet roll.

It is a bit ridiculous.

I did an essentials shop and felt guilty for getting some fresh herbs. It's obliviously not an essential, but while they shop is open and still stocking them there is no reason I shouldn't. Still felt stupidly guilty though.

Why do shops continue to sell scratchcards if they are so 'bad'? I don't buy them but I'm sorely tempted... just so that I can see the checkout assistant recoil in horror.

I’d say that social contact is less if someone is just going in to a supermarket and buying a paper, especially if using contactless, than someone wandering round the whole store. If maintaining social distance, what does it matter?

Newspapers are essential to convey news and information. That’s the purpose of them, except for the Daily Mail which is to scare everyone. Not everyone gets their news third hand from Facebook.

I’m tempted to buy a lottery ticket now.

I really can't see the issue with non-essentials if you're in there doing your shopping anyway. If I always buy wine/chocolate/flowers with my weekly shop what difference would it make not buying them now?
The problem is as someone said above, the people who are going shopping out of boredom.

The good news is that provided those who feel the need to push back on the current guidance are in the substantial minority it won't actually increase the death rate by much. ( and they can still have their essential daily paper or lottery ticket)

Well I need to go out for bread, milk and sanitary towels. So as I’m going to have to go anyway, I’m also going to buy chocolate, cake and Prosecco. And Zovirax, which could be argued isn’t essential either but it will make my mouth feel a bit better.
I don’t actually give a shit if people think I shouldn’t, I really have more important things to worry about right now. Why can’t we all just do what we do and be sensible about it? People have become really weird.

Agreed, if people socially distance it doesn’t matter if you’re there for a bar of chocolate or a tub of gruel.

Being in lockdown does not mean we have to exist of lentils and baked beans. I ordered two bars of Lindt, fajita seasoning and a jar of mayonnaise with my delivery this week. I don't really understand why we are supposed up feel guilty about a few treats. It's bad enough without having to make our hair shirts even hairier!

I go and get a paper 6 days week, and I might or might not pick up other things at the same time, and it's not my daily exercise.

I'm getting that paper for my elderly neighbour who isn't a big fan of the internet, but if the virus virtue signallers noticed, they'd all be up in arms.

So yeah, I'm fed up with the shop shamers. I've been honestly shocked at the number of curtain twitchers and over-zealous interpreters of vague guidelines that I realise I live amongst. It's almost more depressing than the virtual house arrest, tbh.

Are people actually objecting to treat items being added to essential items?
I'm only seeing people point out that small daily trips for fripperies aren't meant to be happening.
The two things don't seem the same ( disclosure my food shops have contained ice cream and chocolate)