I’d love to but I can’t get out physically to the shops this year as I’m shielding. Shopping wise I have to go with whatever supermarket puts me as priority for a delivery slot. Part of my condition includes food intolerances which supermarket free from sections are better equipped to deal with at a cheaper cost than health food shops.
A big issue I’ve found is that lots of independent shops locally have no online presence. I’d support them if they did. The Hardware store, the Independent card and gift shops etc. I can’t “save the high street” if I can’t get out to the shops.
I placed a large telephone order with my local butcher during the first lockdown and the meat was hands down the worst I have tasted in many many years. I refuse to buy from them again. We have a local farm shop but they are too expensive and don’t deliver. I placed two veg box orders from different green grocers during lockdown one... the first was extortionate and they gave me the oldest veg they could find it seems, rotten potatoes, soft carrots etc, bananas that only lasted two days, charged me £2 for a swede the size of a tennis ball etc. The second was a million times better but I genuinely couldn’t afford it week in week out as the price was triple what I’d pay at the supermarket and there was a minimum order limit of £25 for just fruit and veg. I’m on a zero hours contract and unable to work outside of the home at the moment. I’m single so £100 per month on just fruit and veg that perished faster than the supermarket equivalent doesn’t make much sense for me to continue with. There’s no independent nearby that will deliver frozen foods, cleaning products etc.
Gift wise, my family don’t appreciate “tat” so no photo frames, candles or trinkets. We usually get each other clothes, electricals and fragrance as well as some books and tickets to gigs/plays/experiences. We have independent clothes shops nearby that generally sell cheap things imported from India or Vietnam at a huge mark up and that are often one size, so too big, the returns policy is store credit only etc. No independent electronics shop. Yes we have an independent perfume shop but Boots and Debenhams have generous rewards points schemes and frequent offers which are much cheaper. We do have an independent book shop but again, can’t afford £15/£20 on one book per family member when you get 3 for £5 in The Works. I do sometimes order off Hive though. There’s not really anything like an independent Ticketmaster but we do often buy gift vouchers for local theatres and independent cinemas.
It is a lovely idea in principle but in practice it is harder if you’ve got a limited budget and have to shop where you can afford and the extra problems of shielding this year.