Please do not take supermarket delivery slots unless NEEDED

[Chester1980]

This is a plea to anyone who is not vulnerable - please do not take delivery slots from supermarkets. My elderly father lives hundreds of miles away and I cannot get him a slot because they’re all unavailable. This is despite him having an NHS shielding letter. We can’t even get through to any customer services for help.

If you can get to a supermarket and you’re not vulnerable, please think of others who cannot get out and release your delivery slot.

Out of interest I looked up my local Morrison foodbox. They cost 35 pounds but are supposed to last 2 people for a week. Here they can deliver on 9th and 10th. Do shielded people still get the govt food boxes.

And if he can’t get a slot, book him a local grocer delivery rather than tell other people they are selfish. There’s so many things you could be doing except getting angry at other people also trying not to be ill.

I was trying to get on the Morrison’s website today and they had a waiting list...just to get on the website.

There’s usually about a 15-20 minute wait, not long really. I’ve managed to get delivery slots for the last few weeks and the next few, by trying in the middle of the night. Some advantage to not sleeping well I suppose.

Same Here Happy with my local Morrisons.
OP, can you arrange for this box to be delivered to your dad?

A few options OP:

• Join his local Facebook group and ask for help for him
• Join nextdoor.com and see if someone local will help
• Join covidmutualaid.org/ and see if someone local will help
• Call local shops and see if any will deliver - mate of mine finally found a local shop that would deiver and take payment over the phone for his vulnerable Mum

@HappyHammy yes, but you have to apply on the website, you will be approved though if shielded. They don't send them out automatically because some people are able to have someone to go shopping for them etc so would rather that than the box (but they are entitled to it).

I book slots for my father in law who lives 50 miles from us and is blind and can’t walk but not on the shielding list. There are lots of very vulnerable people who need delivery slots.

OP, I also got an Asda slot by waiting up until 3am. Could you try that?

I live in an area where you just cannot get a delivery slot (I have looked out of interest bang on midnight whilst up feeding DC3). Here lots of independent corner shops, butchers and greengrocers are happily delivering to those who cannot get out. Can you ring round a few near your dads and pay over the phone.

I am a supermarket worker who has recently started helping out with home shopping in my store (working a mixture of nights on top of my usual hours to help fulfill the enormous amount of demand for online shopping, as well as looking after my dc on very little sleep but that’s a whole other thread!).

The amount of non essentials people are ordering is frustrating, things like oven gloves, Easter eggs, padded envelopes etc. I know it may not seem like a problem when you’re also ordering essential items to grab a couple of extra bits on top, but it takes time for someone to pack all this stuff up, thus taking time away from being able to take on more orders from potentially vulnerable people. So as well as not enough slots available for vulnerable people, some that have been able to book slots are not being considerate in their ordering.

If he is on gone vulnerable list, having to stay in for 12 weeks then go to the Gov site, sign up for the food box for him, a few days later he will be contacted about priority slots by certain supermarkets.

If supermarkets are not happy to supply non essential items then perhaps they should remove them from online ordering and only have essential items available

The amount of non essentials people are ordering is frustrating, things like oven gloves, Easter eggs, padded envelopes etc.

I’ve ordered Easter eggs on my online shop. If shops keep selling them, people will order them. Take it up with management if you think it’s wrong.

Ocado seem to be keeping their slots for people who need them the most and only release ones that haven't been taken up at 6pm each day for delivery the following day. So can you set an alarm for 6pm tomorrow and get him a slot that way?

Roadrunner maybe it's a vulnerable person who wants to buy the Easter eggs?

Can you get your dad referred to the GoodSam NHS volunteer scheme? An HCP has do it.
www.goodsamapp.org/NHS
It will link him with volunteers in his area.

Local Facebook pages are a great option. I joined the one in the town where my parents live & there are lots of people shopping for others - l've managed to get deliveries sorted for mine but I am confident these lovely people would help if needed. I'm helping my neighbours, picked a prescription up for them today. People are happy to help if asked.

Have you tried the Morrisons essential food box? Delivered by DPD?
www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/boxes

Thanks so much for this! I have 2 elderly aunts in their 80s and 200 iles away and struggling to get them food delivered - if I can do this this is a gamechanger!

@Maybe111 what are you talking about?? The OP wants the slot for her elderly father, she lives 100 miles away and can't shop for him. Hence he's vulnerable.

@AmIAWeed if my husband and I are in contact with people at work, and looking after keyworkers’ children, do you think we only care about ourselves? Do you also want us going to the shops when we are most likely to be carrying the virus (5 people in my department have had it)?

You shouldn’t be judging people in this way.

I bought Easter eggs in my online shop for my DC on behalf of their father who lives abroad, and would usually be spoiling them rotten for his two weeks with them over the Easter holidays. Instead they won’t see him until god knows when, and he sent me money to buy them two big eggs to make up in some way for not being with him. I bloody well hope the picker wasn’t rolling their eyes, if it’s for sale in the site what makes it any more or less essential than anything else?

Why the fuck should I do that, putting myself at risk why you won't even give up a slot??

Agree but until someone does free up a slot (unlikely) and OP's dad can access it, he'll need help from a community volunteer.

hello
We had the exact same problem. Sainsburys sorted it out.
Try thi snumber for advice : 0800 052 5500
Best of luck

You think my management is responsible for what’s available online to order? It’s a decision made centrally. Also the man hours used to remove items available to order from each store is probably better used elsewhere at the moment. I’m just pointing out that if people were a little more considerate in their ordering, there would be time to fullfill more orders and more slots available to the vulnerable.