Tabloids/social media shaming people buying ‘non-essentials’

[PotsofChoc]

Anyone noticed a spate of photos appearing of people out shopping for non-essentials? The Daily Mail (I know, I know) has an article and photos shaming people out shopping for things like blinds and paint. I actually need to go out to somewhere like B&M or The range to get rabbit food/hay and cat litter, thought I might get a pot of paint whilst there. Is this ok? I am getting paranoid about being ‘snapped’.

It's not enough that we are locked down, we must be absolutely miserable whilst doing it. Because it's not a holiday, dontcha know?!

I take anything on FB with a pinch of salt, half the eejits on that sort of post haven't got the brains they were born with.

If no one buys crisps or biscuits or wine and instead only buys shelf stable items like rice and beans, there won’t be enough rice and beans to go around. Buying crisps is actually helping your neighbors :)

Under what shopping circumstances do The Daily Mail think they are getting purchased??

When I am allowed out again after being ill I plan to try a supermarket trip on the off chance I can get some food in but as it is also my childs birthday I will be getting some chocolate and cake if I can. I am not so cruel as to leave a child with no treats for their birthday if I am already at the supermarket buying essentials.

I thought wine and chocolate WAS essential

[Bad Mangoes] (off to turn myself in to FB)

@Curiosity101 Apologies if it came as such, I am just generally a bit fed up people telling other people what they can or cannot put in their trolleys/baskets. I think we all need a bit of empathy and understand essential for you may not beessential for me and vice versa.

What is going on at the moment is a witch hunt on people who are shopping. You spoke about rule breakers. But... no one asks shoppers about their circumstances, therefore no one cannot tell if they break the rules or not (maybe the item is essential to them?), and why they buy product X or Y. Because it's easier to plaster their face all over media and shame them for buying something which the author deemed inessential and imagine they are breaking the rule instead of thinking that maybe they really needed whatever it was. Everyone seemingly feels the need to make a judgement on what others should buy. On another thread a lady was shocked someone purchased themselves a scented candle...
It's frustrating. Makes me think of the beginnings of communism in China, end of free speech and neighbours telling on each other, and sadly, we're seemingly aiming in the same direction.

There seems to be some confusion over essential trip to the supermarket and essential items.
It is the essential trip that is important. Who cares if you fill you trolley with wine and chocolate or quinoa and avocados? (Assuming these items are not limited)
I went on Friday and Had all manner of stuff in my trolley including chocolate and wine.
The point is to limit the number of trips eg once per week or 10 days.

The Mail Online is unhinged. I wish it would fuck off with invading people's privacy, printing make-up bollocks about non-existent police check-points, and generally having frothing orgasms about the general population not cowering miserably in fall-out shelters.

It's not enough that we are locked down, we must be absolutely miserable whilst doing it. Because it's not a holiday, dontcha know?!

Yes, it’s some strange, puritanical virtue signalling from people who don’t seem to understand that the current situation actually isn’t intended to be punitive. I’ve seen it more on MN than anywhere else unfortunately, definitely quite a few people here who would love to live in some kind of police state, ratting up their neighbours for buying a packet of non essential chocolate digestives while getting in their groceries! It’s pathetic.

IMO if you’re able to get a few treats in along with your pasta and toilet roll then go for it. If looking forward to a chocolate bar or a glass of wine is what gets someone through a day of WFH and trying to home educate dc and worrying about elderly relatives, then so be it. Small pleasures are important during difficult times.

Ironically, when I was in China nobody cared what I bought. As a foreigner it was assumed my trolley would be full of weird crap!

Im not surprised that the Daily Mail are acting like Nazi's given its history...

Under what shopping circumstances do The Daily Mail think they are getting purchased??

Excellent point! There will be online readers of course, but I bet they haven't stopped printing and distributing hard copies have they. Hardly essential.

I noticed today when I picked up some ibuprofen for my damaged knee, that the 'non essential' shelves are dwindling and not being restocked, I assume the deliveries are focussed on essentials now, because they keep being sold out. I bought some chocolate today with bread/milk/meds and topped gas up (the most essential really) and some biscuits. They were actually one of the things not restricted on number of items. I suppose once it's gone it's gone, which is fair enough because the deliveries need to be focused on essentials.
I'd have something to say if I were 'shamed' for buying chocolate, especially as 75% of people where I live are totally ignoring the gov advice and rules, wouldn't know 2 metres if it bit them on the arse and don't know where their kids are most of the day because they're roaming the streets. I'm complying far more even buying a bar of bloody chocolate that's non essential by only going if I need something essential (gas, meds) and observing the restrictions put in place.

Dh just returned from Lidl having purchased large quantities of playmobil and jelly sweets (plus some carrots, milk and tomatoes). All very essential!

Someone on my FB shared a post saying people shouldn't use footpaths as farmers might catch cv.

I've deleted the fb app from my phone.

How sad I'm struggling a lot right now so have given myself some tasks to do like finally painting my bedroom and the toilet now I feel like an idiot for even thinking of doing it. I am trying my best to occupy two kids and a newborn baby I have no garden I am tired I am stressed my kids are missing their friends. I'm doing everything I can yet I feel like a piece of shit I don't even know what the point of this comment I'm making is. I am just tired now of everyone bitching and making snide little comments about how other people are spending their time. I could cry honestly.

I was on the phone to an old friend yesterday and I was saying how fortunate I was to have a big open field AT THE END OF MY OWN STREET to walk my dog once a day...apparently we are not allowed to go to fields and shouldn't be going out at all.

Even after explaining I think they don't want people travelling to fields in other areas etc and this one is literally in my street, and that the whole point is we stay away from other people and in a small village that is not an issue, even at said field, you'd think I was criminal!

I know it's not shopping related but I have been extremely vigilant even before lock down however now vilified for taking my dog for a walk once a day in an empty space, seconds away from my house!

Lack of common sense seems to be the issue!

I think it's pretty awful.
My dd has a birthday this week and I have no guilt about picking a gift from the supermarket for her.
I bet those newspaper editors are buying non-essentials like cigarettes, makeup, flowers, alcohol and snacks at the supermarkets except that they aren't going to shame each other

Is this ok? I am getting paranoid about being ‘snapped’.

There will be a fair few claims for invasion of privacy once this is all over mark my words. Not just the gratuitous suggestion that people are acting unlawfully in some cases but potentially defamation claims if as a result people start getting attacked by neighbours/public and suffer real reputational damage.

And the police drones will be a whole other thing. Even prior to this there were cases involving unlawful surveillance - this for example:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7344889/Nude-sunbather-suing-police-200-000-officer-jailed-using-helicopter-film-her.html

@Tonyaster

I have seen pleas from farmers to stay away from the actual farm yard/animal barns and farm house if the footpath goes through it, but mainly because of the sheer number of people I think, increasing the risk. I've been walking on footpaths to get to shop/walk dog but stayed away from the actual farm yard itself as requested.

My local Morrison's is on an industrial estate that has a Boots and B&M. It's possible that these people did something similar and visited more than one shop in the same trip.

I've ordered some nice skincare things, nice things for having a bath and some books. I might as well enjoy lock down if I can.