To think Sainsburys delivery guys should help me pack?

[KatDubs261]

I am wondering what other peoples experiences are with their deliveries. Every time a guy brings my shopping, he plants it down and steps back for me to pack it all.

I dont get them often and order a big shop when I do so it is quite awkward him just standing here while I do it all. AIBU to think they could help?

Part of my issue is being late 20s I look young but actually have a chronic condition that really tired me out. They probably think 'oh she can do it herself' but tonight I am especially exhausted (they arrive in half an hour)

We had a delivery from Sainsburys a few weeks ago and he said all drivers are supposed to ask if you want help provided you’ve got bags by the door

I use a wheelchair. Both sainsburys and tesco where I am now bring it loose, regardless. I put bags by my front door, open it and move away and they pack it in my bags and I move it when they leave.
The Equality Act requires they do that as a reasonable adjustment. I think Tesco at least says they will carry it into the kitchen for disabled people on their corona info on the website, certainly some of the drivers have offered.

If you feel comfortable, maybe put a note in the delivery instructions? I did that about giving me time to get to the door.

I'm self isolating at the moment and put two big laundry baskets outside which the Sainsbury's guy filled up before ringing the bell. I made a note in the delivery info that we are isolating.

I’d just be grateful for a delivery right now. I’ve ordered online for 7 years and now have to go bloody shopping because all the slots have gone.

Laundry baskets are the best thing to use. If you ask for help, they will provide it as far as they can 'safely'. I do feel for you, looking young and fit and constantly feeling you are being assessed as it were. It adds an extra stress to life, but its not your fault and trust me most people are nice and do want to help.

@WellWeAreFuckedNow

There's a lot of ableism on this thread! I hope none of you get sick or disabled. The world is shit when you are and covid has removed what tiny bits of accessibility that was present.

I'm in the same boat OP? I cannot carry the crates so have to take items out one at a time and it takes an age. Definitely consider a wheeled crate or something to fill at the door then wheel to kitchen and leave it whilst you rest.

@WellWeAreFuckedNow

I’m sick and disabled but still think OP is BU. I understand that the delivery drivers not unpacking is protecting me. I’m in the shielded group and I’d worry about a driver who has been to various places.

My Asda delivery driver said it's a sackable offence for him to come into my block of flats. I had to carry 3 crates of food up 2 flights of stairs.

Surely you can just move the food out of the crates into the hall or somewhere and then move them to their right rooms after the guy has gone?

The op can't move the food out of crates herself due to health issues. She says this in her op. If it was in bags it would be ok but Sainsbury's have now gone bagless. As have Tesco's incidentally (they have liners but that isn't bags) while at the same time telling their staff not to deliver into the house due to covid. It's the double whammy of that that is preventing the op from shopping.

They have to stand back at the moment but I agree it is a pain as I've had to use sainsbury's a couple of times over the last few months for a big shop and they are the inky ones who do not have the option of paying for bags . They are totally bagless and I think that's ridiculous at the moment with everything going in to mut even give people a choice

Exactly, @inthesameboatatmo, especially when you consider that your items from Sainsbury's generally come shrink wrapped and covered in all kinds of plastic which they've made no change to, but they say they're doing their bit for the environment by making a change that massively excludes disabled people, presumably because it's no effort for them.

I don't think they can at the moment, but i think they should have an option to maybe drop it into some large boxes you keep outside and then ring the doorbell, especially for those with hidden conditions

From Sainsbury’s FAQs on the app:
Safety is our highest priority and our colleagues will continue to follow social distancing guidelines and will not enter your home when they deliver your order but can assist you in transferring your order from the totes to your own bags or containers.

@Stealhsquirrelnutkin The drivers don't pack the crates. These are prepacked in store by the pickers not the drivers. They just remove the appropriately labelled crate and deliver to the door.

Yes. I know that. The crates are usually packed properly. The problem arises when you ask the driver to transfer the items from the crate and into laundry baskets or IKEA bags.

Sainsbury's website says "our drivers can help our elderly and vulnerable customers transfer their shopping into bags if needed."

I wrote above that I disliked asking them to do this since it made their job harder, and then I added that this becomes even more uncomfortable when the driver transfers the soft fruit, eggs and other fragile items first and then lays the milk, cans and packets of laundry detergent on top of them.

Having to repeatedly ask the same bloke to please move the heavy items first, only to have him start laying the tomatoes and bananas on the bottom of the second laundry basket and move towards dropping a load of tins on top of them, is what made me suspect there was method in his madness, and that he was either making his own entertainment, indulging in a passive aggressive protest, or trying to discourage me from asking him to do the transfer for me.

If it only happened with one driver I'd just write him off as a bit dim, but when 3 different drivers do the same thing it seems a bit suspicious. Some married men manage to get themselves banned from doing laundry or loading the dishwasher after making a series of infuriating "mistakes" and I can't help suspecting that these delivery blokes are trying for the same result.

I assume the delivery drivers are not currently allowed to touch the produce at all. Minimises risk for both you and them if few people as possible has handles your shopping. Use a different support that delivers in bags then it's easier to remove. You might find also that they weren't actually meant to unload it before but were using their discretion, but now more tv an ever it's important that they must follow guidance or risk their jobs as well as their health. If it's their policy not to handle the shopping it's unfair of you to ask them to do so.

With Tesco I order it with bags on a large order as it’s quicker to unload. Otherwise they do just have to wait til it’s done. During lockdown the orders automatically came in bags to make the unpacking quicker as I think they were making a lot of deliveries then.

Not sure on Sainsbury’s but there is an option to leave extra information on Tesco for those who need assistance.

@J1112

Get your shopping delivered with Tesco as they use large plastic liners/bags so easy to get it in (not environmentally friendly I know but I do re-use the bags) 😀

oh are you meant to carry them in with the liners?

Tesco has large plastic bag tray liners. My delivery drivers will lift the bags out and onto my hall floor and I pull them into the living room.

@JamminDoughnuts yes! I don’t get it delivered with bags/liners every week but sometimes I do if kids are home (easier and quicker to get shopping in bags with two disabled children) but yeah I’ve always been under the impression that you lift the bags out and keep them. Only because the drivers have been giving me ideas on how to re-use them 🤣

@KatDubs261. Ignore all the snippy comments! Definitely ring Sainsburys & ask if they can put a note on your deliveries. Ask your driver today if he could help you. Must of them are willing if they know that's what you would like. Standing back us default as that's what most people would prefer.

Take care 🌷