To get my shopping delivered when not vulnerable

[CBAtoWalk]

So I started using online shopping a few years ago. Me and DH don’t drive, and although there is a medium sized Tesco a few minutes walk away, I found I was spending too much going every few days, so started doing a big shop online every 10 days. Saved loads of money, started meal planning. Really happy with the service from Tesco.

When lockdown started back in March/April I stopped online shopping as slots were few and far between, and I also received an email saying to leave slots for elderly/vulnerable/shielding.

I was perfectly able to get to the shops. The queues were sometimes 40-50 minutes or more, but I was furloughed and no kids so had all the time in the world to wait.

After a few months my Tesco managed to massively increase slots available. I came off furlough and started using online again, and now can get a slot easily, even next day. unlike with Waitrose that have 1 click and collect every 3 months.

However, I’ve seen on several recent threads here that it’s wrong to book groceries deliveries if you can get to the shops yourself. Who is BU?

YABU you are healthy and mobile, get your lazy arse to the shops woman! Others need the slots.

YANBU there are plenty of slots in your area, why not use them for your own convenience.

adjusts hard hat

I would not feel at all guilty as I am a regular weekly Ocado shopper and have a delivery every Friday I would have been really annoyed to not get my regular slot to accommodate customers who would desert them as soon as they were able to go out. Companies need to look after their regular high spenders as we are their future profits!!

I use online supermarket deliveries in the way I use any internet delivery service - for my convenience, when it suits me to do so. I can't imagine the people doing the deliveries care who they deliver to and I need not justify my reasons to anyone for doing so. So YANBU at all.

Yanbu. There are a lot more slots available now so I can't see that you would be taking a slot from a vulnerable person

It's fine, especially if you don't drive! I've had no car since the end of last week and it's an absolute pain in the neck having to go to the supermarket every few days to buy as much as you can carry.

As others said I don’t think it’s quite the same as it was at the start of pandemic when vulnerable people couldn’t get slots (I remember there was a news piece about a woman who bought up all the slots and sold them at a profit!).

Supermarkets aren’t like they were, there isn’t queuing for 30-40 mins anymore, a lot of vulnerable people have been or are in the process of being vaccinated, there seem to be more slots available. I wouldn’t think badly of anyone getting it delivered, vulnerable or not.

Personally getting to the supermarket once a week is the only shake up I have in my monotonous lockdown routine - so I like going

I've shopped online for the past 7 years, and continued to do so, even throughout lock down. I will always do it as it makes my life easier. My bil is now a Tescos delivery driver, he said loads of them were taken on last year, during the first lock down. There are plenty of vans/drivers, this is reflected in more availability slots.

I’ve used shopping deliveries for years but I did stop during the first lockdown when they asked people who weren’t vulnerable to go to the shops but my understanding now is that they’re not asking that any more; that’s a good variety of slots available in my area and often more than they used to pre covid so I don’t feel bad for doing it

@LaLoba

Those of us considered CEV get priority slots which you can’t book unless you’re on “the list”. You aren’t taking a slot from anyone who is shielding. Surely the fewer people out in the shops the better? Can’t see an issue.

This.

Back in the spring it was difficult getting slots even if you were shielding. But the number of slots has increased enormously, and we have access to special slots on top of those which are generally available. So if you can get a slot then use it - it's surely best for everyone to avoid shops etc if they can at the moment?

Although we are in lockdown again, things aren't as bad and unorganised as the first time so I'd use a slot if it was available too.

We’ve shopped online throughout as we always did previously.

The message is stay home unless absolutely necessary to leave or to exercise and it’s not necessary to leave to get shopping if you order online. The less people in shops, the less spread and the safer staff are.

Less people out and about the better 🤷‍♀️

We’ve used Ocado for years and I’ve been lucky to use them throughout lock down and not had to go to the supermarket. My husband is vulnerable though. He’s 55 with asthma, lung damage and some immune system issues. However if he wasn’t to be honest, I think I’d still habe used them. If we were younger though, I wouldn’t have.

However I have a friend who is late fifties and cev and she’s went every week throughout as it was her only way to get out. She had the option of slots and didn’t use them. It’s her choice really.

@Randominternetbitch

Word to the wise OP, don’t make your life decisions based on the pontification of strangers on the internet.

I like that, very wise words

If you aren't sure surely you check with the supermarkets not random who have nothing to do with slot availability.

Theres loads of slots here. I got a tesco shop afternoon for this morning and they had loads of hourly slots on throughout the day.

Yesterday afternoon i meant

I get a big monthly Sainsburys home delivery because i dont drive. In between i shop on foot at either Tesco (couldnt get a delivery slot with them) or Co-op.Im absolutely entitled to do this, i am not on the vulnerable list so dont get priority but i always seem to get a slot when i need one.

I've had a weekly slot for years, and carried on throughout the first and subsequent lockdowns. Slots have always been plentiful and Sainsburys actually did a trial where I was given a dedicated weekly slot through the height of it. At the time I shopped for 3 families so saw it we were keeping at least 3 adults out of the supermarket.

To the poster above who said Waitrose haven't increased their slots that isn't true. The store I work in has increased delivery slots by 300% and the majority of staff in most days are picking orders. They also offer collection too.
My local store (I work in a different town) also now has delivery when previously it would have been covered by the store I work in therefore creating even more slots.
Staff from John Lewis came to help during lockdown driving vans and picking orders.
The stores are all doing their best. Staff are off shielding from supermarkets too so we have less staff but customers complain that there aren't enough slots. We have to school our kids, keep healthy and work too. The shops have been doing everything they can to increase spaces. Personally I think if you can shop safely you should and leave the slots for vulnerable people who can't get out. But obviously that will be different in different areas.

Definitely YANBU. But if you're feeling slightly guilty you could always click and collect, that's what I've been doing. Although that's not for moral reasons, just because I can't get organised enough to book a slot that far in advance, whereas click and collect is almost always available for the following day!

(I picked up an order today at 7am which I placed at 10.30pm last night, god bless Tesco)

I hate online shopping so only used it when we were isolating. But plenty of non-shielding/not-elderly/not-isolating neighbours do get regular deliveries, the Tesco van is here on a nearly daily basis.

I work in a supermarket, I still get & have always got my food shopping delivered to me. I don't drive. The slots were increased during the first LD anyway and now the store I work for are extending their home shopping.

YANBU.

Where I live slots aren’t in huge demand anymore and there’s always availability even for the next day so YANBU.

I’m similar. None of us are vulnerable but I get my shopping delivered due to living in the middle of nowhere (we do drive but going shopping is time consuming), we have two dc with additional needs and because I simply hate shopping 🤣 I did shop in store a bit more last year when slots were hard to find but always able to get slots now. Just can’t be that fussy with slot times anymore. Carry on online shopping op. Those who are vulnerable can get priority slots anyway so you are not taking slots off anyone.

@CakeIsMyFavouriteAndBest

To the poster above who said Waitrose haven't increased their slots that isn't true. The store I work in has increased delivery slots by 300% and the majority of staff in most days are picking orders. They also offer collection too. My local store (I work in a different town) also now has delivery when previously it would have been covered by the store I work in therefore creating even more slots. Staff from John Lewis came to help during lockdown driving vans and picking orders. The stores are all doing their best. Staff are off shielding from supermarkets too so we have less staff but customers complain that there aren't enough slots. We have to school our kids, keep healthy and work too. The shops have been doing everything they can to increase spaces. Personally I think if you can shop safely you should and leave the slots for vulnerable people who can't get out. But obviously that will be different in different areas.

This is good to hear though I haven't been able to get a slot with them since last June. I've just checked again and it shows 8 days worth all fully booked. It's a shame so I've had to move to Sainsburys. Perhaps it's just my area.