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Original poster

Food delivery slots

36 replies

screamer1 · 22/03/2020 22:09

There's NO slots on any supermarket for the next month. Will they bring out new ones? How are we meant to get food if we're isolating?

OP posts:
TheReelSlimShady · 22/03/2020 22:12

This is going to become a real issue. If people are self isolating, or vulnerable and not meant to go out shopping, how are they going to eat if they don't have people around to do it for them - not everyone has family or friends nearby, or neighbours who can help.

I'm glad these community support hubs that have been announced , maybe they are being given a mass block of delivery slots to ensure food gets to the vulnerable?

MinesaBottle · 22/03/2020 22:13

I hope so as I’m not sure how they’d otherwise prioritize the vulnerable. The sites don’t take your age or health status when you sign up!

woodhill · 22/03/2020 22:19

I wish all the sites would step up their delivery side or click &collects. It's so frustrating

Petiolaris · 22/03/2020 22:19

My town has a group of volunteers who are fetching food for people who can’t get it delivered. The catch is you need cash to pay for it. If you don’t have cash in the house then you’re stuck because you’re not going to give a volunteer your bank card!

TeaLibrary · 22/03/2020 22:21

It's a real worry. I am NHS staff and my Mum is profoundly disabled. We rely on online grocery slots. The first problem is booking a slot as nowhere appears to have any, the second problem is that a lot of online orders are delivered without a lot of what has been ordered. We desperately need the panic buying to stop.

TheReelSlimShady · 22/03/2020 22:22

My town has a group of volunteers who are fetching food for people who can’t get it delivered. The catch is you need cash to pay for it. If you don’t have cash in the house then you’re stuck because you’re not going to give a volunteer your bank card!

I was wondering how this was going to work as well e.g. shopping for neighbours / friends etc. Not everyone uses online banking, and not everyone can afford to just buy groceries for each other indefinitely without payment!

Daisydoesnt · 22/03/2020 22:25

Just on the community support hubs, I have a feeling from watching the briefing this afternoon that it won’t be you give them a shopping list and then its all delivered to you by a supermarket, if that’s what you might think. Rather I have a feeling that it will be a generic box of groceries that will be dropped on your doorstep. The minister said that over time they hoped the system could be finessed to take into consideration people’s particular needs/ dietary requirements etc. I don’t think certainly initially it will be that sophisticated but at least people won’t go hungry and they won’t have to go to the shops themselves.

Sparklingbrook · 22/03/2020 22:27

The thing with supermarket deliveries is that they can't suddenly magic up thousands of new vans and drivers can they? Plus people to pick their order.
Delivery drivers aren't immune either, they may be self isolating.

Eireni · 22/03/2020 22:31

Click & collect could step up fairly easily though, no?

Jerseygaly · 22/03/2020 22:33

I agree it's a mess. My parents 1 with cold can't get a slot. I did warn them at least a week ago.
I've got one booked for next Monday (asthmatic) but no idea what will turn up.
Basically people need to be able to get one every 2w.
People shouldn't be allowed in the warehouses that they should have as thousands of people are contaminating it. Gloves and masks on for staff.

How can you plan if you don't know what you will get.?!?

Would make more sense if you all in one village say had slots after each other.
I think click and collect has to be the way for anyone with a car.
Really you shouldn't even have to get out.

I guess though adults could live ages without bread and milk and fruit etc. The issue is kids really.

Also people want it uht milk and bread flour and yeast but you can't even get those.

I would honestly but less if I knew what I ordered was locked in and coming

Defender90 · 22/03/2020 22:34

Yeah for the supermarkets (we are 30 miles from any) it's almost a month before we can book a delivery.

The local premier store, butcher and grocer are offering delivery (the grocer always does, but the other two have for this time). Worth looking into smaller local business?

TheReelSlimShady · 22/03/2020 22:37

The local premier store, butcher and grocer are offering delivery (the grocer always does, but the other two have for this time). Worth looking into smaller local business?

I think this is where we need a concentrated national campaign so there is a single website point of contact to know who is offering what as it's all a bit adhoc.

I'm sure I was reading somewhere government was looking to try and get tech firms to help - this is something I think those whizzes could easily do!

Oopsinamechangedagain2020 · 22/03/2020 22:51

It's crazy. I've set my alarm for midnight to get a slot on what will be the last available date.

I think the supermarkets will be the main spreader of the virus now that the schools are shut!

Sparklingbrook · 22/03/2020 22:53

Click & collect could step up fairly easily though, no?

This would still need to be picked by staff and I am guessing there's a limit as to how much they can do. When I last did C&C at Tesco there was still a time window to pick it up and there can only be so many of those available?

TheReelSlimShady · 22/03/2020 22:57

Now that supermarkets are allowed to talk to each other, maybe they could get together and designate one supermarket in each area to be click and collect only? So physically shut one store to allow safe picking, and then set up mobile pick up stations in the car park?

AlmaWhittaker · 22/03/2020 23:02

'' I think click and collect has to be the way for anyone with a car.
Really you shouldn't even have to get out.''

I'm in France and ordered online for collection ('drive') yesterday. New rule is you punch in your order number, open your boot and leave printout of order in the boot, and get back into your car. Staff arrive with shopping, put it into boot, shout bonne journée and close boot for you. Worked well. Also, it's only possible to order 3 days in advance (Auchan, probably different in other supermarkets), so no backlogs, I got a slot for the 3rd day on my first attempt. Some things were out of stock but not many.

browzingss · 22/03/2020 23:04

The catch is you need cash to pay for it.

Why? Bank transfer (or Paypal for credit cards) is surely more safe anyway, cash runs the risk of transmission

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 22/03/2020 23:09

I did our standard order for payday before things got serious, and went back into it yesterday to add a couple of things - pretty much everything that was in my trolley is out of stock now anyway. We tend to do one big order at the beginning of the month, then usually a smaller one midway through. We are able to get to shops (currently well, touch wood) but don’t have a car so it would mean lots of trips on foot. My DP says we should cancel the slot for a vulnerable person to have.

applemango9 · 22/03/2020 23:13

One of my friends sent a message when the delivery slot is available. So I managed to get one today. It’s hard to get a slot indeed. I agree with OP. This issue has to be sorted out.

Petiolaris · 22/03/2020 23:14

How is an elderly person supposed to do a bank transfer or use Paypal? My parents and their friends certainly don’t have online banking or Paypal accounts.

Lifesavesocialdistance · 22/03/2020 23:17

I can't get one and used to have a regular Tuesday delivery
I feel let down by ocado actually they allowed thousands of new people registrations.

Lifesavesocialdistance · 22/03/2020 23:19

Alma

System like that seem so easy and logical in other countries and so hard and difficult to achieve in the UK.

I wonder if we can tweet that system to the food man in no 10.

Sparklingbrook · 22/03/2020 23:19

If they are going to learn to use a website to order groceries, they will have to learn to use a bank website to make payments.

My parents are nearly 80 and although they didn't find it easy to start with have got the hang of it.

SnoozyLou · 22/03/2020 23:25

I'm signed up with Tesco for a £10 a month direct debit for delivery. I think it's a bit off seeing as though I can't even place an order, but I can't cancel my subscription either.

Petiolaris · 22/03/2020 23:49

If they are going to learn to use a website to order groceries, they will have to learn to use a bank website to make payments.
They aren’t going to use a website. They don’t have internet, smartphones or computers. Lots of elderly go to the shops with a list. The community group in my area is taking their lists and shopping for them, but they can only do that if the person has cash in the house.

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