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Original poster

The ‘essential’ police - please stop

284 replies

TheDogIsKeepingMeSane · 04/04/2020 16:50

Until we are issued what is deemed an essential shopping item ANY food/drink item is ok to buy.
I’ve been working today outside. It’s hot.
On my way home I stopped at my local independent shop & bought myself 2 bottles of cold beer.
I live alone & work alone & it felt great to chat with the shop owner (2m apart) .
When I left the shop a cyclist said me ‘ hardly an essential item is it’

Just stop it .
I’m ashamed of what my fellow human beings have become.

The beer is cold & I shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed for buying it

OP posts:
Sunshine1239 · 04/04/2020 18:40

Nipping the shop is nothing in the scheme of things

They’re are literally thousands of non essential people forced to go to work everyday because their employers won’t shut

In my work I’m forced to work alongside hundreds in close contact and it’s all non essential so nipping the shop and seeing that one person on the counter is nothing by comparison

TinklyLittleLaugh · 04/04/2020 18:44

In my work I’m forced to work alongside hundreds in close contact and it’s all non essential so nipping the shop and seeing that one person on the counter is nothing by comparison

Yeah fuck that person on the counter; if I’m being forced to be at risk, then I’ll sure as hell put her at risk too. Hmm

everythingisginandroses · 04/04/2020 18:47

On another thread, one of the joy police was advising us not to spend money on non-essentials during lockdown because we don't know what's round the corner economically, we need to simplify our lives, etc. I opted not to get into a fight at the time, but really some folk need to shut their beaks. I am just recovering from probable CV19, and if I (or anyone else) want to support my local brewery or bookseller via an online delivery, or buy some wine/chocolate/flowers with our household shopping, that's our call.

StrangerDays · 04/04/2020 18:49

The whole point is to limit the number of people you have to get close to.

It's this point that lots of people are missing. It's not about what you're buying, as such, but limiting the number of times you visit a shop.

I'm of the mind that the better we all adhere to the guidelines, the quicker we can get back to normal. @Wolfiefan is right, the more people decide to 'pop' here and there, the more we run the risk of a stricter lockdown. We're all in this together.

StrangerDays · 04/04/2020 18:53

the joy police was advising us not to spend money on non-essentials during lockdown because we don't know what's round the corner economically, we need to simplify our lives, etc

I'd say that was sensible advice; sadly we're only at the beginning of this pandemic and although it's hard to imagine things getting worse, it's not all that unlikely that it won't. :(

But you're right, it's absolutely your individual right to spend as you wish, I really see the sense in supporting local business right now, I'm concerned about the inevitable negative impact of the economy too. That's the tough part of this whole situation, balancing everything up. It's bloody hard.

HoffiCoffi13 · 04/04/2020 18:55

the joy police was advising us not to spend money on non-essentials during lockdown because we don't know what's round the corner economically, we need to simplify our lives, etc

£8 on a bottle of wine isn’t going to affect whether I can pay my £1500 mortgage or not. If we’re screwed, we’re screwed. A bottle of wine and a pack of mini eggs won’t change that.

CrazyToast · 04/04/2020 18:56

The virus doesn't care if you're buying bread, veg, or chocolate. If you go to the shop then you are more at risk. Therefore, you have to weigh the risk against the need- be that to eat, or to feel a bit better by having a beer or chocolate.

If beer/chocolate/makeup or whatever, is more important to you than the risk to your life and your family's life which you incurr by going, then that's your choice, but there's no point in arguing on MN about whether it is essential. The answers won't change the risk or protect you from it.

StrangerDays · 04/04/2020 18:59

£8 on a bottle of wine isn’t going to affect whether I can pay my £1500 mortgage or not.

But surely that sort of thinking leads to more unnecessary spending that then perhaps will impact being able to meet your mortgage payments?

Mlou32 · 04/04/2020 18:59

Dear God. How dumbed down and dim have some people become that they can't use their common sense and decide what is an essential item and what isn't... Also can we not use common sense and say that for example alcohol is fine if it's in within the weeekly shop. However if you're leaving the house to buy alcohol alone, then that is a non essential trip. Why do grown adults need this kind of thing explained to them?

Cohle · 04/04/2020 19:00

I don't give a shit what people buy, but I think we should all be shopping as infrequently as possible.

Making a special trip for one specific item unless that item is truly essential (eg baby milk) at the moment isn't impressive.

coachman · 04/04/2020 19:05

Mumsnet really is a joyless place at the moment. People aren't going out to pubs, restaurants, parties, socialising at the moment. No birthday parties, weddings, celebrations. Many are worried about being ill, losing incomes, losing loved ones. If we want to have a few glasses of wine and some chocolate in front of the telly is that really so bad? (Just to confirm, I wouldn't be making a trip solely to buy these things!).

I'd hate to be as po faced as some people on here.

IcedPurple · 04/04/2020 19:08

Also can we not use common sense and say that for example alcohol is fine if it's in within the weeekly shop.

What 'weekly shop'? The current guidelines say it is OK to go shopping once a day. Not everyone is in a position to shop just weekly.

Flymetothetoon · 04/04/2020 19:09

Essential is open to interpretation.
Until the Government decrees otherwise - if it's available to buy then it can be bought.

Willowmartha1 · 04/04/2020 19:12

I agree. I need to do a big shop on Monday but I will feel bad if I don't race round only buying essential items !! I'm a single mum so it's hard for me to shop anyway but I'll be on my own on Monday when I go shopping. I hope no one is watching what I buy !! Surely we are allowed to shop as normal but just once a week ?

Cohle · 04/04/2020 19:14

Until the Government decrees otherwise - if it's available to buy then it can be bought.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. People are perfectly entitled to judge you if you behave poorly at times like these.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 04/04/2020 19:15

What 'weekly shop'? The current guidelines say it is OK to go shopping once a day. Not everyone is in a position to shop just weekly

Again, we are supposed to be going as infrequently as possible.

Mlou32 · 04/04/2020 19:18

@icedpurple goodness me... Most or at least many people do a weekly shop. However I'll be pedantically specific, shall I...? If you are going out to do your weekly/twice weekly/whatever shop, as long as you are going out to do your essential food shop, at whatever reasonable intervals that may be, bearing in mind the whole "as infrequently as possible" guideline, then it would be reasonable to add treats in along with your food shopping. However if you are going out for the sole reason to get treats ie alcohol, then that would be deemed an unnessential trip.

Nor do I know of anyone who would need to get shopping once a day for any other reason. Unless you'd care to enlighten me? Even when I was without transport and living some distance away from a shop, I was still able to get at least 3 days worth.

Furthermore, I very much doubt that if someone is that poor that they need to shop on a daily basis (and I do not know anyone who gets paid daily and so would need to go out shopping once a day) then I wouldn't think they would have the extra money to go out shopping specifically for alcohol.

HoffiCoffi13 · 04/04/2020 19:18

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. People are perfectly entitled to judge you if you behave poorly at times like these

Just because other people don’t think you should be buying something, doesn’t mean they are right.
I don’t buy tea. Never buy tea. Can’t fathom the thought that people see tea as an essential. I bet a lot of people consider it to be one though. And that’s fine, who am I to say otherwise?

Cohle · 04/04/2020 19:26

Just because other people don’t think you should be buying something, doesn’t mean they are right.

But the guidelines aren't about what you buy, they're about going out as infrequently as possible. Making a trip for one specific item is, in vast majority of cases, wholly unnecessary. And that includes tea.

Flymetothetoon · 04/04/2020 19:30

This reply has been deleted

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BeetrootRocks · 04/04/2020 19:31

Oh! Puritans. Cromwell. Not a history buff but went to see his house a while ago and learnt a lot.

Afterwards I wondered if it was why English, especially SE , have such lacklustre weddings compared to other cultures. We lost our culture down here, when it was suppressed. Seems the puritans are back...

GrumpiestOldWoman · 04/04/2020 19:32

If everyone popped to the shops for one 'essential' item every day we'd not be suppressing the spread of the virus. Those of us for whom daily shops aren't essential (sorry - I'd include beer unless part of a normal food shop) need to forego shopping at our preferred frequency to reduce the risk for people who do actually need to go more often.

Has it occurred to you that the reason they don't specify shopping only once a week or whatever is because some people genuinely can't do that, it's not for the benefit of those who fancy popping out for something?

BeetrootRocks · 04/04/2020 19:35

Erm

The comment on the other thread was milk and bread are not essential

If they aren't then literally nothing is

They are two of UK staple foods, prob along with eggs and cheese.

everythingisginandroses · 04/04/2020 19:35

I think we are pretty much all in agreement that trips to shops need to be planned, organised and infrequent as possible. No need for the fecking basket police, though!

Flymetothetoon · 04/04/2020 19:36

I've been out today for the first time in 2 weeks and you can be sure there were items in the trolley that some nitpicking fuckwits would have me hung , drawn and quartered for.

Fuck you!