Taking grocery slots you don't need

[CaterpillarInTheGarden]

Was on a Skype group chat with inlaws and DH's aunt was saying she has booked tesco delivery slots. She is in her early 50s, and her and her 18 year old daughter are not in a vulnerable group. They have no underlying health conditions. I asked if she was shopping for elderly neighbours or vulnerable people or parents with young children who can't get to the shops. She said no of course not . Giving a short laugh as if I was asking a ridiculous question. So I questioned why is she taking delivery slots when she can easily go to the shops because she is not elderly, vulnerable, does not have young children and has a car. I said it was shelfish as people who need them are struggling to get them. She just made a huffing sound, said I was being ridiculous and that she doesn't want to wait in the supermarket queues. Everyone else in chat went silent and didn't say anything. I feel guilty enough using delivery slots and am thinking I should stop using them when we don't have a car, have a young toddler and I would need to walk 35 minutes to the supermarket and have asthma and would need to make a few trips a week to get bulky items like nappies. If I had a car I would definitely not be using supermarket delivery. She also spent alot of time complaining she has had to cancel her holiday. Didn't ask how anyone else was and showed zero concern for how it might be effecting others in the country.

Exactly what @Samara77

I find it interesting that many of the people accusing others of being selfish are actually all about themselves.

None of us want to die or lose loved ones from Covid-19 but we can’t assume that any of us are at zero risk of contracting it and becoming seriously ill.

I could go to the supermarket because I can’t get a slot or because I’m leaving for the more vulnerable but could still die.

None of us know what’s going to happen.

We are all doing our best to look after ourselves and our families.

What Samara77 said.

We've had a weekly Ocado slot for 12 years. We were recently informed that we have been removed from being automatically able to book, but can try to book a slot anyway. When we tried, there were lots of slots available. At this point it would be ridiculous for us not to book, and go out to shop when there doesn't seem to be a problem with availability in our area. If that changes, then we will go out instead.

@ACertainSupermarket lol at cooking from scratch being a stealth boast! Its just what I do, of course this pandemic has affected me and my lifestyle but at the moment I am perfectly able to cook as I have always done with fresh food daily. I just booked my delivery for next week and as long as I can book delivery I will.

I really am afraid that there will be cases of old folk found dead, alone in their beds at home. And if there are, I hope some people will take a good hard look in the mirror.

@ACertainSupermarket well that will be the governments fault because supermarkets can't deliver to 1.5 million people . They have never been built to deliver to such numbers not even anywhere close. Supermarkets aren't a government run service they are private companies .

Peppafrig Why do you expect everyone to have their food delivered? My issue is with the healthy younger people with cars who won't give up their routines to enable the supermarkets to help the most vulnerable.
Today for example onebof our Internet orders was 3 x 20 Smirnoff Ice. And its not the exception. I know an old person's order when I see it.

@ACertainSupermarket I thought you were saying that supermarkets should be delivering to the 1.5 million on the shielded list. Maybe the person ordering the Smirnoff is young but on the shielded list too . So would be entitled to use the service as a vulnerable person. Who knows .

Very ageist.

Just FYI. My brother is early 30's and sheilded. (has a letter)

I love that everyone assumes those who have slots are being selfish.

I spent an HOUR going through my delivery on Monday just separating, antibacterial wiping and packing the shopping to put in my car, along with my baby ready to deliver to people who can't get slots who are vulnerable and or sheilding.

The supermarkets are doing their best and the majority of citizens are too.

Stop snipping at eachother. What a miserable way to spend the day.

@ACertinSupermarket you are being ridiculous! Last night when I booked my slot there were loads available, and many are still available today. I have booked one delivery for my household. If people die at home alone in their beds what does my food delivery have to do with it? I am ordering healthy food not a load of rubbish or booze so its not a waste of a slot. If the supermarkets feel this shouldn't be happening then they can stop deliveries to all but the elderly and refund my pass but they haven't. Judge away if it makes you feel better but you're being nonsensical.

“ If the supermarkets feel this shouldn't be happening then they can stop deliveries to all but the elderly and refund my pass but they haven't.”

I kinda agree with this. If the deliveries were only for the vulnerable, elderly etc, then all supermarkets should stop all deliveries to non-vulnerable people. However, they’re not doing this, so people shouldn’t feel guilty at getting internet deliveries.

The trouble is supermarkets would have a impossible task only delivering to certain people. So many people fall into the vulnerable category. We know of the 1.5 million with shielding lettters. But out with that we have everyone else who uses online shopping for reasons that don't make them more high risk for covid19. Those with mental health issues ,blind people, people with physical disabilities, people with strokes etc the list goes on and on. To the point that most households would have someone in their household in one of those categories.

I've got a couple of slots booked. 4 asthmatics live here. Plus I had pneumonia from a cold, my son has twice had pneumonia. Both of us hospitalised on oxygen. I don't think much of our chances of getting it mildly if we do get it. Trying to go out as little as possible. I took the kids out of school before they were shut down as soon as they said about asthmatics isolating for 12 weeks.

@greathat a perfect example of people who should very much continue to online shop. And point taken some people are including stuff for their neighbours etc, thank you for helping!
But fit, can drive, not a key worker. Sorry, but I will judge you. I'm sure you could care less about that.

@ACertainSupermarket thanks. Don't know what my chances will be of getting one in future though. We've got one on the 5th and 16th. Not sure after that!

Yabu. I have always used a delivery service for my monthly Tesco shopping mainly because i have 2 kids and im living alone.

Nevertheless its better to get a delivery service now to avoid more people being out.

And also theres a limit to what i can carry from the shops once , so its better to get everything delivered at once.

Yabu. I have always used a delivery service for my monthly Tesco shopping mainly because i have 2 kids and im living alone.

Nevertheless its better to get a delivery service now to avoid more people being out.

And also theres a limit to what i can carry from the shops once , so its better to get everything delivered at once.

If im certain someone that needs the slot is going to get it, I'm more than happy to give it up. But probably not.it would go to someone who might not be in the vulnerable group

I think people are dramatically underestimating the number of vulnerable people in the country. My experience from our store has been that in normal times over half the available delivery slots would've been taken by people in the vulnerable category with many many more (particularly elderly) vulnerable people shopping in store. These people are now looking for and booking deliveries which previously only accounted for between 10 and 15% of trade. I dont believe that there's been a mass influx of healthy people taking the delivery slots - I just dont think our country or any country was set up for such a seismic shift in shopping habits.

I've had an email from Waitrose offering slots. I'm vulnerable (age), but otherwise ok.

My DH is asthmatic, we will not go to the shops regardless of him not being severe enough for a letter. We didn't shop during the panic buying except setting up deliveries for over 70s families because we always keep full cupboards. Now vulnerable people are getting priority deliveries from supermarkets, slots are available all over the place and a few weeks in our fresh food was low so we got a delivery, including offering and buying some bits for neighbours. We have been asked to stay home where possible, there are slots, DH and I are not going to go out to the shops just because someone on the internet has decided they know better. There was brief chaos, but I don't know anyone now who wants a slot and can't find one, or hasn't set up with other local suppliers for deliveries instead.

We are sharing our slot with our 87 year old neighbour and 82 year old MIL - both have COPD and heart failure. They can't stay up til god knows when to book a slot, let alone handle the tech, so we book one, shop for us/them and split up the order and deliver it with distancing. (hard now we are limited to 80 items, but just about doable)

We would go shopping in the supermarket, but as we are both working and the supermarkets near us are shrinking their opening hours, it is hard to find a time to do it.

I personally think that those who do have shopping slots should just take a moment to think of those around them - what do they need? why not get them some bits and bobs?

This whole crisis seems to be bringing out the inner "head Girl" in all of us! OK so maybe your Aunt is being a bit selfish, but she will be one less person in a supermarket queue and she is not doing anything illegal! what with people "snitching" on their Neighbours for going out too often as well, we are not exactly "pulling together" here are we? Probably best not to fall out with Auntie ATM!

I don't feel that I am taking a slot off someone vulnerable and at risk. There are different layers of slots. Most vulnerable and elderly first, some supermarkets only deliver to them and I can't even access that. Then supermarkets who have blanked out days that I also have no access to. Then once all those people are covered the third layer- anyone else. I am in that layer, I go against everyone else in the same layer and circumstances as me to get a slot. I am not pushing in and taking a slot from someone more deserving from the layers above me. I got lucky and got a slot from the everyone else category. Yeah, lucky me. I am not going to feel guilty about that.

Of course, if they need to increase the number of slots for the first two layers then they should, of course if I was asked to actively give up my slot for someone in the first two layers I would I am not being selfish, I am booking a delivery slot in the everyone else category that I am within my right to book. If I didn't book it someone else in the exact sand situation as me would book it.

What about more click and collect slots? That would lessen the risk of having to go into the supermarket and maybe make it an acceptable risk for those who have slots but could do this. If the supermarket contacted all those with slots booked and offered to swap them for a click and collect slots to free up delivery for others that may work. The issue for those already with slots is that there are no click and collect slots available to swap with so the choice is no food or the (in some cases) unacceptabke risk of going into the supermarket. I also don't think passing judgement on what people buy is useful. If supermarkets have an issue with people buying booze to get through self isolation then they should stop selling it ( but they won't because profits). We should be supporting each other not having a pop.

It is click and collect I have got the last two weeks. The supermarket workers weren't very good at social distancing though, one ce right up to me with a crate and I had to quickly back away.