To be shocked at how dystopian going shopping feels now?

[GratefulLove]

Today I went shopping in my town centre for the first time since early March. I just could not process how different it all is now. Last time I was in town I remember picking up a box of paracetamol and some hand sanitiser in Boots "just in case" but aside from that it all felt normal albeit a little like the calm before the storm.

Today though. Hand sanitiser everywhere, one-way systems, floor markings. Obviously I knew all this existed from social media and the news but seeing my town, my familiar town so completely different has floored me in a way I didn't expect. Shops selling hand sanitiser and masks - I expected this in Boots and other pharmacies but I didn't expect Primark to have rows and rows of hand sanitiser by the tills. I didn't expect shopping to feel so clinical, it felt like a hospital visit.

I was in one shop and there were a group of young children playing and joking around with each other. They did not have masks on and seeing them playing around just looked so normal and then I looked around and saw all the adults with masks just looking expressionless and almost soulless. It just looked so frightening.

We are months into this pandemic and I still can't believe this is all real. It still feels like a film. I don't know, with the daily conferences now a thing of the past and headlines now involving more topics than just the coronavirus it kind of felt like things were slowly getting back to normal but this really cemented that they are nowhere near normal.

Also I just want to say how much I appreciate all retail workers.

And yy re the expressionless faces - just darting and furtive eyes

LMAO! Darting and furtive eyes. Brilliant.

Mumsnetters are crazy.

It's true..some unfortunate people have scary and serious beady eyes it. People need to smize more.

I used to love going shopping with friends & then lunch somewhere pre Covid.
Now I bloody hate it. It's joyless, you can't try things on or test make up. Having to do the 2 metre dance with other customers but I suppose on the flip side that has been quite funny at times & have had a laugh with follow customers about how the world has gone mad (even though we are all mainly following the health & safety rules & understand why)
And it's blooming too hot having to wear a mask in this hot weather.

Roll on normal normality - can't wait.

I prefer it to the manic scrum that used to be my Tesco’s on a Saturday

Yes, I used to like browsing round the shops but now it just reminds me of The Handmaids Tale with people scurrying about, heads down. Unfortunately it hasn't curbed my spendthrift ways as I just buy everything online now.

Maybe we should all use this as an opportunity to find hobbies that don't involve browsing for and buying useless shit we don't need.

Do those of you saying it's not forever really believe it's not going to be forever? I'm genuinely asking because I can't see the way back from this. Covid is going no where and the way the press have terrified so many people; even once there is a suitable vaccine (if ever) I can see so many people will not feel comfortable enough to go back to how it was before so that will increase the pressure on the government to keep certain restrictions and rules like mask wearing in place.

You need to calm down; you’re too emotional.

I actually prefer it this way; it’s more orderly, places are cleaner, people are keeping their distance. It makes shopping so much easier and a much smoother experience.

Where the fuck do you people live?? In London shopping is exactly the same as it ever was, except for more people in masks (seeing people in masks wasn’t uncommon before as Asian tourists have always worn them).

I mean really, “disembodied PA voices.” None of the supermarkets near me have any of these announcements, and disembodied PA voices have always been an omnipresent part of supermarket shopping advertising deals and suchlike. I actually made a complaint in Sainsbury’s last year because the PA announcements saying “At Sainsbury’s we care about saving you money” were so extremely loud. You have to be listening very carefully to tell the difference between the kind of announcements they made pre-COVID, and the announcements a minority of shops are making now.

Do those of you saying it's not forever really believe it's not going to be forever? I'm genuinely asking because I can't see the way back from this.

Frenchpastry You need to do some research on historical pandemics and stop letting the media scare you into your opinions.

“No way back from this”. Honestly 🤦‍♀️ We’ve had pandemics throughout history and we’ve always recovered. This one is no different.

I was in one shop and there were a group of young children playing and joking around with each other. They did not have masks on and seeing them playing around just looked so normal and then I looked around and saw all the adults with masks just looking expressionless and almost soulless. It just looked so frightening.

Welcome to Britain under Boris.

'expressionless and almost soulless' is such an odd observation.

Are the eyes not the window to the soul?

Shopping isn't supposed to be soulful, joyful, or meaningful. It is supposed to be a practical activity in which you exchange the money you spend your life's time and energy making for goods you need. Perhaps this is a good time to reflect on what value we're getting in those transactions, and put our soul energies elsewhere.

YANBU

My local shopping centre has removed all the benches and it makes me furious. I even wrote a complaint and got a pathetic reply.

In John Lewis all the chairs and sofas have signs on them telling people not to sit on them.

As someone with temporary mobility problems (PGP) this makes it incredibly difficult and stressful for me to go to the shops. I imagine that it is the same for many people with mobility issues that are not severe enough for a wheelchair but still require them to be able to sit and rest occasionally.

Apparently we can't be trusted to sit on seats and benches sensibly any more.

It's fucking insulting and discriminatory.

Oh and many toilets are still closed too, just to add insult to injury.

More stress and inconvenience for everyone and especially people with bowel/bladder problems.

But fuck people with health problems and disabilities, right?!

@AnotherEmma

Oh and many toilets are still closed too, just to add insult to injury.

More stress and inconvenience for everyone and especially people with bowel/bladder problems.

But fuck people with health problems and disabilities, right?!

Yep, no other illness is as important as covid. Really pisses me off.

@PhilCornwall1

I was in one shop and there were a group of young children playing and joking around with each other. They did not have masks on and seeing them playing around just looked so normal and then I looked around and saw all the adults with masks just looking expressionless and almost soulless. It just looked so frightening.

Welcome to Britain under Boris.

You realise that COVID is a global pandemic and masks are being worn fairly much everywhere?

I haven’t been in a clothes shop or proper shopping center yet but been most other shops and food places I’d normally go and honestly it feels pretty much normal now . Maybe because Iv being going to them this whole time it feels far more normal now Or I just got used to it ? At the start when it was Massive queues and floor markers it felt odd but now seems pretty much the same as usual

I completely get you. I stand in queues to get into shops or when there and think “how the heck did we get here”. I think it’s because you can’t see people smiling so it feels soulless and sad. And I also agree about browsing. You feel you can’t touch. You can’t try on clothes. So we buy less. This will kill so many shops.

I want a huge shopper anyway but this is the nail in the coffin for me. I am still supporting the local small shops in my village though as best I can.

I also agree about toilets. I have a prolapse and constantly need to go. I am relatively flexible so at least can try to find a bush in a park - a nightmare in itself but do-able. I waited half an hour in a queue in bloody costa the other day just to use their loo and they told me they had shut them all! It really is disability discrimination and this will be keeping thousands of people at home.

And don’t get me started on the moronic decision to close all toilets except one meaning everyone uses the same one over and over?

You realise that COVID is a global pandemic and masks are being worn fairly much everywhere?

God, is it? I'm surprised to hear that.

I understand what you mean. I haven’t been out much since this started. During lockdown I was still working and it was normal at work and I could almost forget the reality of the pandemic - until I went to the shops and all the changes and queues etc. Then it started feeling fairly normal and I was just starting to get out more and then masks became mandatory and it feels weird and wrong again. Which means I’ll likely only got out when I have no choice. I am enjoying eating out though, that feels more normal than anything else once in and sat down.

I don’t particularly like seeing everyone in masks either. It makes it all a bit to real, and is a constant reminder of what is going on.