Major pet peeve, just me?

[DaisyChain505]

It really bugs me when I see whole families doing the weekly food shop in supermarkets.

The aisle are jam packed with whole families doing the food shop. Why is it necessary for both parents and the kids to all be there to do it?

They take up more space, the kids are ultimately in other shoppers way as they don’t have any spacial or situational awareness and are just wondering around aimlessly and it must be a more stressful trip for the parents compared to if one parent stayed home with the kids and the other went and did the food shop solo.

Maybe that’s all the parents can muster for a family day out - sad but true !

But totally agree - most kids hate shopping and there is no reason at all for it to be a family outing !
If a grown adult isn’t capable of going shopping alone then that’s pretty pathetic !

I totally agree with you - it's different if one of the parents works at weekends (although online shopping is still an option).

But a load of MNers are going to come and sat you are unreasonable because how on earth do kids learn to shop if you don't do a family outing to the supermarket every Saturday morning.

See also retired people who shop on Saturday mornings when they have the whole week to do it.

While retired people 'have the whole week to do' their shopping, many like myself can't carry heavy loads and so we shop on an almost daily basis. It's not how we like to do it as it's certainly not easy nor fun when the supermarket is filled with families (apparently on a day our?!)

How else are the kids supposed to sneak crap snacks into the trolley?

I actively avoid taking my kids shopping but found myself in a tight spot a few weeks ago when my big food shop order was actually scheduled for the following week and I only realised when I was checking my order while picking my autistic 7 year old up from school. We had no food at home so I had to take him food shopping with his baby brother and I was a trembling wreck at the end of it. I'd never go as a whole family though I'd have got a takeaway

My kids love the supermarket, but I'd NEVER intentionally take them if I had the option to leave them with someone else! I hate it!

We do pop in as a family only if, for example we're on a day out and want to grab a drink or something. Or if we're calling in somewhere on the way home to get something in for tea, it's way worse staying in the car with them.

Big shops? No way.

I often solo parent so have to take them with me if I need to restock, and it's always horrible 😂 online shopping all the way!

@igelkott2026

See also retired people who shop on Saturday mornings when they have the whole week to do it.

You have a very limited understanding of what us retired people are doing during the week! Not working means more time to socialise or entertain or visit family or travel or exercise or go to the gym etc. Which might mean we need to go and do some shopping on a Saturday or a Sunday.

Heaven forfend we should be tainting the aisles of your supermarket

My kids love going shopping and helping. Yes they are a bit annoying but I’d rather they came, got some conversation and knowledge about shopping, costs and where things come from than just stayed at home with the other parent. I tend to only take one at a time but sometimes need them both to come. I don’t really get the hate.

LOL! Really?! What have I just read?! 😂

@DaisyChain505 I agree with you. Only one parent needs to go do the shopping. No-one needs to take the whole family with them!

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YANBU. None of the families I have ever seen are having an enjoyable experience. They are not getting involved in the process.

One of my friend’s mothers is in her eighties and does her supermarket shop on a Saturday morning and goes to the hairdressers in the afternoon because that’s what she has always done. It’s madness.

I don't think I've ever really thought about this. I personally hate when my DH comes shopping because he costs me a fortune 😂 But I always bring the kids, the exception being the Christmas shop. Granted my kids fit in the trolley so not taking up room but they'll still come when they are too big for trolley.

We work FT and DH gets some house chores done whilst I have the kids with me shopping. It means we have more time as a family otherwise we would be splitting our entire weekend.

How can you tell they’re retired, just by looking?

I couldn’t agree more. I used to work on checkouts in Waitrose on Saturday mornings and it’s baffling that a couple need to shop together, let alone with kids in tow. It would be fathers more than mothers who’d think it SO cute to sit or stand a toddler on the belt for a little ride (“Excuse me, this conveyor belt is for food, not your child’s shoes and sticky fingers”), kids being allowed to open snacks and drinks and fruit on the way round and parents getting huffy when I asked if I might scan the empty wrapper, school age children skidding around with trolleys as if they’re go-karts or battering rams, kids of 9 or 10 sitting IN trolleys despite clear signs on the trolley handle forbidding it. Why can’t one adult do the family’s shopping? Why take everyone along so they can all choose what they fancy? It’s pathetic.

@BatchCookBabe what do you mean? Do you really think that being retired just means sitting at home doing fuck all?!

I’m sorry but that’s ludicrous. My mother is 84. She plays first two croquet clubs, she has a boyfriend she goes out with three times a week, she has countless friends, she has a big garden that she loves to spend time in, she goes on mini breaks to European cities. And more but she definitely has time to go to the shops during the week.

So? Just because she might have the time doesn't mean she would want to!

Perhaps you'd like to ban all those of aged over 66 from shops at the weekend?

Our local supermarket has fully stocked shelves by 9.00 on Saturday morning, but during the week it's several hours later. So although I don't work I go Saturday morning.

Online shopping is available. I don't know why these people moaning on MN about other shoppers being in the supermarket don't just get it delivered and save themselves the stress of encountering old people and families shopping at the "wrong" time and with the "wrong" number of people.

Not at all, and I never SAID that! But saying that as a retired person, you are sooo busy with your hobbies, exercising, meeting friends, going to the gym, entertaining visitors, and 'travelling' (in the week,) that you can't possibly do your food shopping in the week - and HAVE to do it at the weekend - is ludicrous! 😂

I work part time - 2 days a week, and do many of those things most weeks, and I also 'travel' occasionally, and inexplicably, I still manage to do my food shopping in the week! I don't WANT to do it on a Saturday. It's too bloody busy!

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I totally get the solo parenting thing. It’s when I see both parents there with the kids, it just feels totally unnecessary. One stay home, one go shopping.

OP I couldn’t agree more! Im ill just now so slightly less patient. My local supermarket was filled with parents trying to wrangle their kids and make sure they were all together!
There was toddlers kicking off because they weren’t allowed things. Teens walking about glued to their phone so getting in everyone’s way and one little one lying on the floor in the middle of the meat aisle playing with a toy car 🤯 while everyone else tried to avoid him
all parents were very ineffective in getting they kids to play ball and get out the way!
shopping felt like it took twice the time it should. They should have adult only shopping time 😂

LOL, why SHOULD they?! 😆

I don't HAVE to do it at the weekend. Most of the time I don't. But sometimes I choose to go at the weekend as that's the only time I have.

Oh dear. Why don’t you get your shopping delivered so you can avoid the general public you misery. Who are you to tell families and pensioners when they shop and who they take with them?!

It’s madness, isn’t it. The only time we’ve ever done this is after a family day out when we all happen to be in the car anyway and need a bit of food, but never for a full family shop.

Just been to M&S, went to try stuff on and had to squeeze through 4 men with trollies, all standing bored and I assume waiting for their wives. There’s loads of stuff they could be off doing- why are some couples so attached? I guess it’s quite cute