Page 5 | Noticed Supermarkets feel glum?

Neverendingdust · 2022-08-03T21:50:16+00:00

I don’t think I’m imagining this but I’ve started to notice over the last month or two an almost gloomy muted atmosphere in the supermarkets where I live. It’s pretty noticeable that people are now conscious of the rising prices, the mood is almost somber and tense as they’re shopping. Has anyone else noticed similar? M&S, Sainsburys, Tesco and Co Op all feel very different, you can tell people are worried about the prices they’re seeing. That excitement of popping treats into the trolley has gone for so many, doing the weekly shop has now become a challenge to simply spend the least amount but make the shop last longer. Peoples behaviour has changed massively. Does anyone work in any of the stores and noticed the same?

tiger2691 · 04/08/2022 09:35

I've noticed people wandering around looking dazed and confused, I'm one of them! A nice little chat with staff and customers/ strangers often lightens the mood.

VanillaImpulse · 04/08/2022 09:42

karomakulture
I was in London and the bit with all the really fuck off expensive shops was dead. I really think it's only people from the Middle East propping these places up at present.
But yeah, Tesco, also depresses me. Why are we paying so much more than even six months ago?

Seriously?

The war in Ukraine ring any bells?
*
Seriously?! Do people actually believe the bullshit that this is anything to do with Ukraine?!

A lot of the shops are doing it because they know they can get away with it. It's all over the news that everything is going up so it's expected. I was shocked to see a loaf of sliced Hovis was £1.10 in Lidl. Usually I'd think fuck that, I'll get it elsewhere but now I know everywhere will be the same. Yes some things have become more expensive to produce but don't believe for one second that it's everything.*

Sparklingbrook · 04/08/2022 09:48

I think a lot of people after Covid have realised it’s actually less hassle to just do mail order and you don’t have to browse any more.
I never really go shopping just to have a look around any more , I do that from my sofa.
So the death of the high street is all my fault obviously.

thebellagio · 04/08/2022 09:51

I've now started using the hand held scanners when I shop. Before, I would just put whatever I wanted in the trolly and then think "shit that was a lot this week" but now I'm actively thinking about how much I'm spending, and we are both in good jobs. I'm keeping track of how much I'm spending as I go round the shop, and I'm no longer taking advantage of any 2 for deals... etc (unless they are good deals) in case it adds too much to my total. I reckon just by changing my awareness, I've probably saved £20 per shop by doing that - which is quite scary really! It shows how much we've taken cheap food for granted

I'm genuinely terrified by how people on low incomes are managing. Its an absolute shit show.

By my reckoning, each weekly shop has gone up by about £20 recently (on the basis everything seems to have increased by 20-30p). So if I shop every 10 days on average, that's probably an extra £60 per month compared to last year?

It now costs an extra £15 to fill the car with petrol, so twice a month, that's an additional £30 on top

My energy has gone up from £80 per month to £160pm and I had to argue with British Gas to stop them putting it up to £250 pm which is what it will be come October...

Thank fuck I've got 4 years left of my mortgage term, because people coming to an end of their fixed terms could easily see their costs increase by another £200pm because of the interest rate rises.

So, by my finger in the air calculations, compared to last year/18 months ago, the basic cover of living could easily have increased by £640 per month.

It's not difficult to see how this is absolutely catastrophic. And the government aren't doing a single thing to help anyone. Huge numbers of people are going to be plunged into poverty and it's not going to be a slow burn. It's going to be diving head first into extreme poverty.

SweetPetrichor · 04/08/2022 10:02

I can’t say I’ve noticed, although I don’t pay much attention to others when shopping!

Bubblebubblebah · 04/08/2022 10:03

The only difference I noticed is the veg and fruit is more shite than usual and not particularly great selection.

Bubblebubblebah · 04/08/2022 10:05

Ukelele101 · 03/08/2022 22:58

I was in Morrisons today and there was a lady putting the reduced to clear stuff out. There were barriers around her which I have never seen before. I wanted to have a nosy at what was there but thought I’d return in a bit…I went down the next aisle to look at some other stuff and returned to it…..five full shelves cleared in a minute! I’ve not seen that before.

That's very common. We have a lady who learned how to block access (it's already awkward due to wall) for everyone else....
On the other hand, other shop has shitload of yellow sticker stuff lying there all the time. It's usually meat, veg and vegan stuff which doesn't get taken

Sux2buthen · 04/08/2022 10:07

GuyMontag · 03/08/2022 23:59

Yes, I think more people feel stressed when shopping now. I certainly bloody do!

I was in the Co op the other week and Living On A Prayer came on. It spoke to me, I swear. Really, hear me out - I looked around and I could sort of see other people were thinking the same thing. Singing or humming along to it with feeling, like it was an anthem of the times or something, people catching each other's eye and looking wryly around. Then a different song came on and the moment was over but I was definitely not alone.

It's just a good song 😬

Sux2buthen · 04/08/2022 10:12

When the heatwave was here I recall standing in the coop at the empty freezer lolly shelves.
Ice ice baby came on the speakers, we all looked at each other with tears in our eyes, united.
Then everybody clapped

Sorry to the Bon jovi pp, the story just tickled me

Sparklingbrook · 04/08/2022 10:17

No music in our nearest Waitrose-only at the Wine Bar in there.

iBrows · 04/08/2022 10:35

GuyMontag · 03/08/2022 23:59

Yes, I think more people feel stressed when shopping now. I certainly bloody do!

I was in the Co op the other week and Living On A Prayer came on. It spoke to me, I swear. Really, hear me out - I looked around and I could sort of see other people were thinking the same thing. Singing or humming along to it with feeling, like it was an anthem of the times or something, people catching each other's eye and looking wryly around. Then a different song came on and the moment was over but I was definitely not alone.

This has really tickled me

RampantIvy · 04/08/2022 10:45

So the death of the high street is all my fault obviously.

Unfortunately, because so many people prefer to shop online this is exactly why the high street is dying.

I prefer to try clothes on, see and feel the fabric, try samples of skincare and make up and try shoes on before buying (because I have awkward feet). It is getting harder and harder for me to do this now.

It is quicker and easier for me to window shop online before going to the shops than to buy loads of different sizes then queue in the post office to return stuff and reorder.

I was in Wakefield yesterday, and what was once a buzzing town centre was depressing and run down with so many empty shops and gangs of youths in some parts.

gogohmm · 04/08/2022 10:49

Not noticed it myself but it's an area with a lot of second homes and affluent retirees/downsizers. We mostly shop in lidl anyway

Sparklingbrook · 04/08/2022 10:51

RampantIvy · 04/08/2022 10:45

So the death of the high street is all my fault obviously.

Unfortunately, because so many people prefer to shop online this is exactly why the high street is dying.

I prefer to try clothes on, see and feel the fabric, try samples of skincare and make up and try shoes on before buying (because I have awkward feet). It is getting harder and harder for me to do this now.

It is quicker and easier for me to window shop online before going to the shops than to buy loads of different sizes then queue in the post office to return stuff and reorder.

I was in Wakefield yesterday, and what was once a buzzing town centre was depressing and run down with so many empty shops and gangs of youths in some parts.

I never set foot in a changing room,I find them stressful and like to try stuff on with other clothes/shoes I own already. I get it all delivered and send back what I don't like/want.
A lot of couriers will collect from your house if need be, but I just take it back to the store generally.
That said I know which shops sell the sizes that will definitely fit me so I stick to them so the sending back is minimal now.

I haven't done clothes shopping for fun since my teens, but I love a poke around shops like The Range/Dunelm and home stuff so I'm keeping those going but they are all out of town.

Dotjones · 04/08/2022 10:59

RampantIvy · 04/08/2022 10:45

So the death of the high street is all my fault obviously.

Unfortunately, because so many people prefer to shop online this is exactly why the high street is dying.

I prefer to try clothes on, see and feel the fabric, try samples of skincare and make up and try shoes on before buying (because I have awkward feet). It is getting harder and harder for me to do this now.

It is quicker and easier for me to window shop online before going to the shops than to buy loads of different sizes then queue in the post office to return stuff and reorder.

I was in Wakefield yesterday, and what was once a buzzing town centre was depressing and run down with so many empty shops and gangs of youths in some parts.

Sorry that's rubbish. The High Street is dying because they won't price match against Amazon and other major online retailers. If High Street shops want business they just need to ensure that their prices are cheaper or at least no more expensive than online. If I'm buying a bluray I'll pop to HMV, find it's 25% more expensive than on Amazon, and go back home. When times are tight I'd rather wait a day for it to be delivered if it saves me money.

I also hate trying on clothes in shops, never been keen on changing rooms since I realised that many of them have CCTV in them to deter shoplifters. Yes the cameras are usually positioned so that they don't reveal much to the men monitoring them, but it still makes me feel uncomfortable given that sometimes the footage gets leaked onto porn sites.

yardstickbarbedstick · 04/08/2022 11:00

I have noticed my own trolley hasn't been full for ages, whereas before I'd be doing the balancing act trying to fit everything in.
We have a largw family so usually do £60-£80 shops and a couple of months ago I think, before I really knew anything about the price rises, war in Ukraine, brexit (I'm a very anxious person and I have avoided news. Especially worrisome news) I was paying £100+ which shocked me and DH. So we have started doing smaller, more every day shops.
LUCKILY we live walking distance to the supermarket so we just don't take the bus anymore (needed for a big shop) and that stops us putting things in the trolley because we have to carry it home which isn't far (10/15 mins) but is far enough to ache your arms.

JamTuesday · 04/08/2022 11:10

In London I haven't noticed much different.
I see your Living on a Prayer, and raise you with Common People:

I took her to a supermarket
I don't know why but I had to start it somewhere
So it started there
I said "pretend you got no money"
And she just laughed and said "oh, you're so funny"
I said "yeah...
Well, I can't see anyone else smiling in here
Are you sure?"

A toddler sized Jarvis Cocker in the trolley holding on to the bars of his cage.

Nothing as grim as a supermarket in Hulme/Moss Side in the early 80s where I used to sing this to myself:

Beneath the old iron bridges, across the Victorian parks,
& all the frightened people running home before dark,
Past the Saturday morning cinema--
that lies crumbling to the ground,
& the piss stinking shopping centre in the new side of town.
I've come to smell the seasons change, & watch the city,
as the sun goes down again.

Here comes another winter, of long shadows & high hopes,
Here comes another winter, waitin for utopia,
waitin for hell to freeze over.

JamTuesday · 04/08/2022 11:11

actually 1986

RampantIvy · 04/08/2022 11:12

I don't buy clothes, shoes and untried skincare from Amazon, so I have to disagree with you @Dotjones. It isn't just about price for me.

I do buy from Amazon BTW, just not the things I mentioned before for the reasons I have already stated.

I have often seen an item of clothing online and thought I would like it only to find that in reality the material is flimsy or the sizing is way out. So I will stick to researching online for clothes, new skincare and shoes and trying and buying in real shops. I don't have an issue with changing rooms in shops. I also can't afford to buy 20 or so pairs of shoes online to find the holy grail of a comfortable pair.

Deguster · 04/08/2022 11:34

Bloody rammed from opening till closing in our local M&S food store. Don’t think any of the hordes in there are on the bones of their arse!

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by price and quality of Ocado fresh produce.

Blanketpolicy · 04/08/2022 11:34

I havent been in a supermarket for ages. I do tesco delivery saver and get a £40 shop twice a week, I like the twice a week deliveries as food is fresher and I can adjust meal plans easily and there is much less waste. I have cut back on non essentials and I have noticed that a £40 shop is now much less food. Even the delivery driver has commented to say my order is small. I predict tesco, and other supermarkets, will up their minimum delivery amounts soon.

What I have also noticed through online shopping is products are getting smaller again by stealth. When they do this the product changes in the online shopping (drops out of my favourites), something you wont notice just picking up instore off the shelf. Very recent example is bertolli spread - stayed same price, same identical tub and size, but now 450g instead of 500g inside it and you will only notice if you look at the weight printed on the bottom.

thebellagio · 04/08/2022 11:37

For me, I have no choice but to shop online.

Our local town has been absolutely decimated. There's hardly any shops left. For every one shop open, it's next to three or four empty shops. Hugely depressing.

But the real reason that I literally can't shop in town is because they rigidly stick to 9am-5pm opening hours. If you work full time, there's an immediate five days a week where you can't go to the shops. My Saturday mornings are taken up by activities for my child and I don't get home till 3pm (again, only leaving me with 2 hours max shopping time, but it takes 30 mins to drive to my nearest town...)

And then on a Sunday, every single independent shop is closed. We have one fantastic street in the town which is packed full of independent traders, and some of those shops are FAB but I literally can't get to them when they are open.

The really frustraing part is every year, the borough council have late night shopping at Xmas. And they always shout about how it increases footfall in the town, but they only ever do it for 3 weeks in December!

I'm convinced that the reason why sites like Westfield survive is because the shops have accessible opening hours. If I could shop in an evening, I would happily do so! But because our town is stuck in the 1980s, I have to order things online, or travel to the retail parks out of town where the likes of Next have big outlets because they are the only places with convenient opening hours and free parking!

MarshaMelrose · 04/08/2022 13:46

Tesco absolutely need to have a recruitment drive and pay more if needed.

Not just pay more but improve their employment conditions. I was shocked at the holiday arrangements and recompense - or rather lack of. Hopefully, there will be some readjusting back to rewarding workers properly.

At my huge Asda, there are only 5 tills left and probably only one ever open at a time. The rest is self scan or self serve. It's ridiculous for those with huge trolleys and who don't self scan.

RampantIvy · 04/08/2022 14:03

Our local town has been absolutely decimated. There's hardly any shops left. For every one shop open, it's next to three or four empty shops. Hugely depressing.

That's what Wakefield was like yesterday. You are right about shopping malls. I'm only 20 minutes away from Meadowhall which has extended opening hours. We also have retail outlets with longer opening hours.

RichardOsmansXraySpecs · 04/08/2022 14:08

Also the parking at large retail parks/shopping centres is free unlike most small towns.