Coronavirus essential shopping

[Mgby1]

Really frustrated with what people would consider essentials. I am trying to keep my family as safe as I can (only going out to work, children only playing in garden). Working in a shop it's really pissing me off that people think they can stroll around on their phones taking their time whilst people are queuing outside. Wouldn't bother me so much if they are actually coming in for essential items but adults are coming in for a bar of chocolate! It's just ridiculous and I dont think we should be putting ourselves at risk cos of some stupid people. Any other people in retail that refuse to sell non essentials? Xx

[Randomschoolworker19]

As always it's about common sense.

Buying chocolate and other treat items as part of your normal weekly shop. Absolutely fine.

Going to the shop just to get a chocolate bar or ice cream when you could have gotten those with your last shop or your next weekly shop. Stupid.

Sadly I think common sense is severely lacking these days.

[JackJackIncredible]

I get where you’re coming from but this policing from other members of society isn’t going to go down well with others.

[TheGreatWave]

Yesterday the local police force were 'having words' with people at the local retail park about their purchases and deeming them non essential and telling them to go home. Items like a log burner or paint.

The shop is open, the shop sells those items so I am not sure they can then police what people actually then buy.

[Notso]

@Teacher12345 I went to the local co-op last week for some items I would say are essentials. They had no teabags, only skimmed milk so I didn't buy it, no flour, the yoghurts and butter were really expensive so I didn't buy them and the only fruit left was pears and bananas.
I bought a pack of bananas and some sweets. No doubt someone thought I was making a non essential trip out,

[Teacher12345]

@Notso, I'm sure they did! You will be judged by some but so what? You know what you went in for. It's not your fault they didn't have it.
I think the shop keepers can tell the difference though based on whether you actually look around or head for the sweets and then the till.

[ShanghaiDiva]

I think as supply chains have adapted most of us should now be able to get everything we need when we shop.
I was at Tesco’s on thursday and it was pretty decent, some gaps and no pasta but considerably better than the week before.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

I get a newspaper most days. Sometimes it's all I get. Dunno what the staff think, but it's not for me, it's for my elderly neighbour who isn't great with the internet.

Some people are being idiots, but it's easy judge without knowing the full picture.

[ilovecakeandwine]

Isn't this the 158th thread on this subject?

[dottiedodah]

I think this is a dangerous path to go down TBH .Obviously I feel for you and am thankful I am not in your position. However chocolate could be seen as an "essential" item in Lockdown ,to give comfort at a difficult time! Maybe they popped out to buy something essential in a different shop .Same can be said with Alcohol or Ciggies as well plus they are dangerous to your health.We are not yet under house arrest, and a few treats may mean someone can get through this a bit more easily .

[ShanghaiDiva]

We need to reduce our contact with other people. Buying chocolate etc is fine, but buy seven bars and go once per week, not daily.

[thesedaysarescary]

So many people are just selfish. They are used to going and getting what they want when they want they have no idea how to behave now. You can leave your house for food or medicine this should be as infrequently as possible. They just don't get that means buy your chocolate when you are doing your weekly shop. Places like the range and b&m are busy every single day with shoppers browsing for paint and garden stuff. They just don't care.

[TheGreatWave]

Places like the range and b&m are busy every single day with shoppers browsing for paint and garden stuff. They just don't care.

Your ire is directed at the wrong place. If these places are open then people will go, you (general) can't then argue the toss about what is and what isn't essential. (Looking at you Cleveland Police) The government policy allows these places to open, so either they need to tell them to shut or tell them that they can only sell certain items. Or even better the shops need to make the decision to close or put their own restrictions in place.

[TheGreatWave]

I haven't been stopped by the police btw.

[Hopefulmidwife]

I'm getting really bloody sick of people telling us what is or isn't essential. Maybe a chocolate bar is essential if they've been at work and had a bad day, you don't know that they aren't still working. Me and my partner both work for the NHS and we need something to get us by so in our shop I bought disaranno and an Easter egg - is that allowed?
most people are adhering to the rules. They are isolating and if going out then they are socially distancing. They have to live. I live in a flat with 2 rooms and a bathroom, no garden. If something is going to help aid my mental health whilst we are isolating I will use it. I am sick of this.

[HeIenaDove]

APascutulbure
@APascuTulbure
·
Apr 1
Friend's husband's car vandalised by the curtain twitching brigade, irritated he was leaving home too often.

He was going to the lab at
@LSTMnews
to work on a new way of diagnosing coronavirus.

Please don't make your daily exercise jumping to conclusions!

twitter.com/APascuTulbure/status/1245429379859087360?s=20

[Gilead]

I hate this judging. Paint may stop someone having a drink they shouldn’t have, gardening to ease anxiety. Chocolate for diabetics in an emergency, or for my dd who has to come off her medication every seven to ten days for a day and has a huge crash. If you’re working in the shop anyway then thank you, but stop inspecting baskets.

[RhymingRabbit3]

Could it be that they came in for something else but it wasn't available. My DH went to the corner shop the other (first time in at least 2 weeks) for milk and fruit as we had run out of both. They had no fruit - literally none - and only had expensive organic milk or goats milk.

I wouldnt have an issue with someone buying chocolate as part of a bigger shop but it does seem a bit silly to come in just for that, if that's really what they did.

[Ponoka7]

"but we also have families coming in for just ice lollies"

My DD has raging tonsillitis, (diagnosed and CV ruled out). The only thing she can manage is icelollies. Lidl, where i was getting essentials only had ones with alcohol in and were too expensive. So i went to a small local shop over the road and bought three boxes (they have plenty).

I've bought Easter decorations in other shops, because they haven't had what I wanted and I'd already picked them up.

It's a tough one to police.

[NervousInYorkshire]

Popping out to get just a can of Coke / a cereal bar would probably count as essential for me - I have diabetes and experience hypoglycemia.
Luckily I've got a stash of enough multi packs to last if I need to self isolate...

[Ihopeyourcakeisshit]

On here today it has been stated that bread and milk and flour are not essential products, oh and neither are other carbohydrate based products. We're buggered really.

[user1353245678533567]

Assuming this is in England.

The law does not say you can only buy "essential foods". It says:

to obtain basic necessities, including food and medical supplies for those in the same household (including any pets or animals in the household) or for vulnerable persons and supplies for the essential upkeep, maintenance and functioning of the household, or the household of a vulnerable person, or to obtain money, including from any business listed in Part 3 of Schedule 2;

Food. It says food. Chocolate is food.

[user1353245678533567]

And arguably paint falls within supplies for the essential upkeep, maintenance and functioning of the household. E.g. Exterior paints are there to protect the underlying structure from damage by the elements.

[Feefifoo]

I've come to the conclusion that some people just can't be reasoned with, people need to educate themselves on what this lockdown is about and why it's in place. Many people seem to be treating it like some holiday! It's very serious and people are losing their lives!!!

[BenjiB]

I spoke to the owner of our local small shop. He said if people only came in for “essential” items then he’d lose his business. The people that come in for their paper or other small items are what keeps his small shop going.

[Waxonwaxoff0]

I literally live next door to a shop. I go in for things like milk/bread that run out in between doing my main shop at the big supermarket. It's a Tesco express so I use the self service, so I pretty much can do it without having contact with anyone.