Customers in supermarket queues buying 2 items

[justasking111]

After a week of emptying cupboards reluctantly went out this morning. Standing in Tesco queue, two over 70s ladies behind me. one had given the other a lift. What do you need the driver said, oh just some cheese and a newspaper. They were not switched on by social distancing either despite the clear marks on the pavement.

Now I do think if you are over 70 and determined to get out well on your head be it. But for two items, for christs sake.

AIBU I being unreasonable to think that if you go to a supermarket it is to seriously stock up not for 2 items?

Fays

Ffs

I understood you could just go out for essential food shopping only.
I agree some people just don't get it and don't know or follow the social distancing in the supermarket either even when it is being announced on the sound system. Some people seem to think it doesn't apply to them!
Over 70's with high risk issues are meant to be sheilding.

so the posters point is they are vulnerable as they are older and to expose yourself in a huge super market just for cheese and a newspaper....... I wouldn't if I was old to be honest. but it's up to them non of our business I suppose

Over 600 people died two days ago. If the mortality rate is about 1%, that means two weeks ago 60,000 people contracted the virus. In lockdown. The next day, another 60,000 people contacted the virus as 600 people also died yesterday. And so on. These people are catching the virus in lockdown. The only places people are supposed to be going in any great numbers is the supermarket. It’s easy to catch. I would not be visiting any shops unless it was absolutely essential and I couldn’t possibly avoid it. I don’t think a newspaper counts. So daft.

I think people are going to work in great numbers also.

Furfockssake and the millions of people still going to work, of course.

I think the next stages of coming out of lockdown will be all about managing our own risk. So you can self isolate/shield if you want but also you can decide to see your friends outdoors or walk your dog 3 times a day if you want. (These are my examples as Boris hasn't announced anything yet)

Some people are lower risk than others . You can be an over 70 who lives alone and only want to see another person over 70 who lives alone. Their risk is very different to an over 70 who has children working for the NHS with infectious patients.

Going to the shop for cheese and a newspaper might not be a choice that you make but you don't know this person. She might feel the mental benefit of going out (this might be the first time in days or weeks) or she might be buying so that an abusive spouse doesn't kick off.

I am lucky enough to get a weekly delivery but some items are unavailable or restricted so I still have to go out occasionally for just a couple of items

I went to B&M yesterday as I needed disinfectant, bleach, shower gel, and then thought bugger it, so picked up a new peg basket, pegs and was gonna get some garden furniture too (they didn’t have any). So after 7 years of having a very dangerous garden that I couldn’t use and it finally being completed last weekend, I thought I’d try my luck in purchasing some. Seems everyone else has had the same idea in buying garden furniture but never mind. I’ll buy mine whenever it is in stock. Not like I get to enjoy the weather at home anyway, I’m always in a sweaty uniform trying to keep people safe and obeying the rules (albeit the latter is usually to no avail!). It’s at the point where nobody listens and does as they please anyway

We are a family of 6 and we are doing the weekly shop online, as I have a condition which results in my immune system being compromised. This can cause problems with my breathing, which does sometimes happen. We get our shop with Tesco and we can only get 80 items. (Their rules).This includes limited numbers per certain items, such as 3 tins of beans. This is per week, so we end up running out of certain items, and my husband has to go and get extra bits and pieces that we need. Some days it might be another loaf of bread and a couple of extra tins of beans, plus a newspaper while he is there anyway. Yesterday he also bought a 'with sympathy' card as one of our neighbour has just lost his wife to cancer.
I think lots of people are doing small trips to the shops for extra food bits, and probably picking up the odd 'non essential' thing here and there. I think the card my hubby bought IS an essential thing as it is a way to show an emotionally vulnerable neighbour support, which he especially needs right now. We put our phone number in the card incase he should need anything. Someone seeing my hubby by the greeting cards could have thought, 'ugh he doesn't need to be browsing the cards...' but with most situations, there is always a bigger picture. It is sad that this whole situation as turned a lot of people so judgey, and made them forget there might be more to something than just what they see.

While I think it is pointless and the over 70s should stay in, people are allowed to go out and buy a newspaper each day. Best not to judge people for buying a few items, they might be poor. Many are going to different shops, as not all of them have everything. Best not to judge people at all. My friend went to buy 1 item for me which I cannot buy online, sensitive washing up liquid because I could only get normal online and after a few weeks, my hands are very flared up.

I'm afraid age isn't the problem here. I have a "friend" despite having the most horrendous cancer two years ago, which she is in remission from, is convinced that this virus thing is a hoax- scaremongering- and in any case more people die of cancer, and she survived that. She is in her early fifties. She is on the NHS at risk list but, despite being told to self isolate and having guaranteed home delivery once a week, still tours the shops and supermarkets daily to get exactly what she wants.

Perhaps they don’t have the banking facilities to shop online or they haven’t got a gadget to do so.

I agree, queuing at a supermarket for cheese and newspaper is not ideal and is increasing their risk and delaying admission for the people behind them. They’d have been better off going to the local newsagent or petrol station shop. But as PPs have said, we can’t police what others are doing.

As long as the majority of the population follow the regulations, we will keep the virus statistics falling.

My dad was going out every day for his paper until my sister bought him a daily delivery. He isn’t tech savvy and wants to read the local news, family notices, etc. TV news is 90% Covid-19 focused and the papers are the only alternative for him.

I understood you could just go out for essential food shopping only.

Since mid April:
Shoppers are permitted to collect basic food and items from friends.
Trips to hardware stores to buy supplies for home renovations are also now allowed.
People can go to supermarkets to buy several days worth of food as well luxury items such as alcohol.
Trips to the shops to get smaller loads of staple items - such as newspapers, pet food and loaves of breads - are now permitted.

Over 70's with high risk issues are meant to be sheilding.
You do know not all over 70s are high risk with bad health?
I know some over 70s with better health than many younger people I know.

How can you tell just by looking at someone how old they are or if they have underlying health issues and should be shielding?
A relative of mine looks about 70, they are actually 90. Nobody believes them if they dont know them!

I get why the age is relevant because the elderly are more risk as more likely to have health issues. Been made quite clear to only go out if need essentials and to go out as little as possible....I am the same, dont use the delivery slots because the elderly are less likely to get out....but when I see people like OP has just mentioned it winds me up! Surely just one of the women could've got the cheese and paper for the other old lady instead of her going aswell. People are just stupid. The fewer people that are out the less chance of spreading this virus

Over 70s DO NOT need to ‘shield’. I’m sick to death of this fucking myth! If you are ‘vulnerable’ - and that includes all the under 70s lardies wobbling around that is different but, fit healthy people of any age just need to exercise the same social distancing as everyone else.

The rampant ageism is nauseating!

@MyWitzEnd

Started early?! Not judging by the way, just made me laugh

Maybe they needed just those specific items? Or had already bought the bulk of their shopping elsewhere, but the other shop was out of those particular items? It also has to be remembered that, while 2 items may be at the extreme end of the scale, the ability to stock up on one shopping trip may be limited for people who don't drive, especially at a time when public transport may be unavailable or unsafe.

The only places people are supposed to be going in any great numbers is the supermarket. It’s easy to catch. I would not be visiting any shops unless it was absolutely essential and I couldn’t possibly avoid it.

Good job all those people who have to work in supermarkets with fuck all protection are not taking the same stance then isnt it?

They may have only had money for those two items until they got another payment of their pension. Many pensioners live in poverty. Also please don't start judging people like this it's really annoying.

@user1490954378 that’s outrageous that Tesco are dictating how many items you buy! Ours doesn’t, or at least I haven’t seen any notices about restrictions of this kind. In the beginning of lockdown there were limits on some types of products but not the total quantity of items in general!

Apply for a Clubcard for another family member and use the self scan facility - get one scanner for each card and when you hit your 80 items, switch to second scanner!! Just a thought. I do two scanner shopping as I do dad’s along with my own.