If you're quite comfortably off...

[ILikeyourHairyHands]

Can I suggest you do something?

Which is what I've been doing, (I may get a flaming here, maybe not).

Why not buy your food from small suppliers online? There's lots of next-day availability, it helps support small businesses, you can stay out of the supermarket and thereby ease the situation for others, and you get loads of great things to eat and drink?

What's not to like?

It might seem a bit 'let them eat cake', but I like eating nice food and I want all the small producers to still exist when this is all over. So instead of hitting the already overburdened supermarkets, get online, look for local and artisan producers and suppliers, and spend some money with them.

I am doing this. I suggest looking out for local support groups that are springing up, there's a whatsapp group been set up for my local streets and people are posting about the many local cafes, bakers etc that are now going to deliver direct to buyer.

www.seasonsfruitandveg.co.uk

They do fruit and veg boxes (local produce where possible), milk, flour, bread, sugar, cereal... etc etc.

Still delivering mostly to Bedfordshire 😊

Thanks hairy hands, will check some of those out. It'll also be Interesting to see if my local farmers market (every 2 weeks) is still on.

Great suggestion! I've just tried half a dozen of small businesses and none of them are delivering - too overwhelmed with demand!

The reason we are well off is partly because I don’t spend —waste— money on more expensive artisan local produce, but buy Sainsburys basics.

A cafe that I go to regularly has turned itself into a takeaway. They don’t deliver to my part of Glasgow but DS1 ( now unemployed) is going to drive over next week and collect some meals.
I have also used a local Indian that makes food for the freezer. It was pricier than normal but DH and I can probably get 4 meals from 2 portions.

This just did make me think if Farmdrop but too late no new subscribers

Ok Loch, just keep hoarding your cash then!

I said it was only a suggestion. One that could help keep small businesses alive whilst benefiting those with more cash because you get to eat great food.

It's not a command.

Riverford too I should have thought of this earlier!

I have always supported my local milkman/dairy and he was telling me yesterday he has picked up a number of new customers as a result of this week's supermarket chaos. He also will deliver eggs and fruit juices.

My local post office sells eggs from a nearby farm and also honey and the eggs are cheaper and much nicer than supermarket ones.

The bakery on my village main street has always done a roaring trade - you should see the queues on a Saturday morning - and I am sure he is not about to go out of business.

Always have enjoyed supporting local businesses where I can.

Oh and I have just remembered. We have a fish van who comes to our street every Thursday for 20 years. AFAIK he only has one customer ( in our street, not in total) If he comes next week I will definitely buy some fish from him.

allhailthegingerninja thank you for reminding me my milkman delivers eggs!

I used a local farm shop this week for the first time in ages for vegetables, meat and cheese and have decided that I am going continue using them from now on, even when things calm down. Their produce was so fresh and sold loose instead of wrapped in plastic and a much nicer shopping experience all round. I had got lazy and stopped using them in favour of the everything under one roof supermarket, but now I'm retired and can afford to spend more time and money on fresh food I will start supporting my local shops. I will look at the sites you listed as well Op.

All the small online suppliers are doing very well out of this. I am in London where demand is obviously high and none of the places I have looked at are taking new customers.

But yes, it probably is better to spend £50 or north with small suppliers, they often offer free postage above that spend and most things can be either frozen, have long shelf-life and if you're a bit short of the free-postage spend they all have store-cupboard goods to bring it up. I've got tinned toms, beans, oils, herbs and booze from all of these that keeps my spend up, gives free delivery and stocks my cupboards.

Maybe not in London Content, but there are many small producers outside the capital that need support.

And I use London suppliers Not, Berry Brothers have supplied my wine for years!

There are lots on www.thefoodmarket.com. Thanks OP, sounds like a plan.

Our local butcher also supplies eggs and vegetables so I have set up a weekly order with him. It's handy as he passes my house to get home (we live in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farms). They are lovely people who take great pride in producing good food so I am more than happy to go on supporting them.

Our local milk delivery company isn't taking new customers anymore because they've had so many.

There aren't any independent food shops in my boring corner of suburbia. I'm feeling quite jealous of all the people who live near farm shops and bakeries and things - it makes me nostalgic for popping into all the friendly little shops on the village high street near my grandparents' house when I was a child! My local supermarket has actually stayed fairly well stocked, but they don't ask after how the puppies are doing when you walk in!

Thanks so much for the suggestions!

If anyone on here has any similar suggestions for suppliers in the north east please let me know

Sod buying online, look up your local farm shops or commercial type places that are left with tonnes of food that will go to waste now the restaurants are to close.

I had this exact thought this morning, selfishly thinking it would be a way to secure a regular supply, but none of them are accepting orders from new customers due to unprecedented demand.

After DH went to 6 shops today in search or meat & cheese, this is great. Thank you @ILikeyourHairyHands

I don’t spend —waste— money on more expensive artisan local produce, but buy Sainsburys basic

Which is fine when they have stocks. I’ve had to be pretty inventive this week, I’ve discovered a local egg farm and a farm shop I didn’t know about. It was buy there or starve.