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.

@WoahBodyforrrm sending you all the best. What a horrific time you must be going through.

I couldn’t agree with you more regarding some of the posts on here.

@ChipotleBlessing I agree. Many millions of vulnerable throughout the country. There are many people who are not as vulnerable and have access to a car etc who are still taking a lot of slots though, as is clear in this thread

I totally agree with the OP. However there have been several threads on this topic and the selfishness of some posters would make you despair. Even when it is explained to them over and over why these slots are a lifeline to vulnerable people and badly needed by other groups who have difficulty getting to a supermarket they will still come back with "well you see (insert non essential reason)"

I went to the supermarket last week and felt incredibly guilty for being out.

Have got a delivery slot this week but feel incredibly guilty that I could be taking a slot from a vulnerable person.

I don’t know what the best thing to do is. I did send a message to all the neighbours saying we had a delivery and to let me know if anyone wants me to add anything and a
couple have taken me up on it.

Ocado does seem to have improved their online system now. Try them again

Also someone I know mention Cook, frozen ready meals, might they be able to deliver to your DF? I’ve also heard that Iceland are good

Hope you manage to sort something out soon

It’s v stressful isn’t it.

With Tesco it seems slots
are released for the same week at random times so worth keep checking in. I managed to get my mum one for Friday (she’s on vulnerable shielding list). Those same slots weren’t showing for me. I’ve managed to get myself one in three weeks by logging on just before midnight.

I don’t know what to do.

I’m due to give birth soon and now the confirmation has come out about vertical transmission im more scared than ever

I have been staying home as advised since before lockdown

DH has been home since lockdown but has occasionally gone to the shops as we couldn’t get slots.

I’d much rather now we are just weeks away from birth not have any risk of getting ill and passing it to nhs staff or midwives when I am there so would rather have a delivery slot if at all possible as each time DH goes to shop he’s more at risk at bringing it home to me

But he’s not classed as vulnerable just me.

If I was earlier in pregnancy and not due to meet any midwives I would be less concerned but I really don’t want to be the cause of reduced nhs staff when they are so needed

Sainsbury’s (in my area at least) have slots for mon /tues next week now.

I had a click and collect slot booked for Tesco for this coming Friday and I’ve just cancelled it after reading this thread

It seems to vary regionally, monsterjam.

@Rebelwithallthecause reading your posts - you sound pretty vulnerable too. I would have thought you’re someone who quite rightly needs a clock and collect slot.

Sending you lots of best wishes with your pregnancy. You sound like a very kind person to give up your click and collect slot, even though you’re in a vulnerable position right now.

We have a village circular email. We have a “hedge fund” City family in the village with teenage DC. Obviously loads of money and several cars. We are 2 miles from a small supermarket and 5 miles from a bigger one. They said they would use their deliveries for older people in the village as well as themselves, which they did. They have now given up their delivery slot. Obviously if they kept the slot, and everyone else who didn’t need one, the 1.4 million identified vulnerable people couldn’t get one. However I think the answer is to shop if you can and shop for neighbours if they are unable to go. My DMs neighbours are shopping for her. She’s 96.

My Mum is one of the shielded ones. I've got an online delivery booked because Sainsbury's sent me an email saying there wer its available. I can only imagine they emailed me because I am customer who used delivery prior to all this. My genuine question is am I meant to release the slot or am I ok to have it as I'm also shopping for my vulnerable Mum?

Around us there are quite a few catering suppliers who are diversifying to do individual deliveries.
Also local shops like butchers are delivering.
Our florist is doing veg boxes.
Can you join Facebook groups for his local area, that's how I found out about ours

If he is shielded and has a letter then he should register with the supermarkets. Each of them now have slots for this group. I know several shielded people who are now on these lists and entitled to one shop a week.

I shop in Sainsbury's and they sent me an email that all the vulnerable have taken their slots and they have some left. There were loads left so I booked one last week. Again this week I had a look and there were loads left.

Kingis - exactly the same here.

@beebijobes I don't envisage having the cough for months. And I doubt it is CV but who knows? The advice says you can go out after seven days anyway, if you still have a cough so long as you don't have a fever. But I am not sure any supermarket (or the other shoppers) will appreciate someone coughing all over their shop, regardless of the NHS advice!

I'm being asked not to use supermarket deliveries, but nobody is suggesting a viable alternative. If there was an alternative, then I would use it and leave the delivery slots for other people.

I'm a picker for a supermarket and I have several opinions on this thread.

1. Any and anything sold online that you want to buy - carry on - as a picker I'm happy to pick it for you. We work hard and we get the items picked. We have the systems to be able to restrict items, so don't worry about it. Who are we to judge what is an essential item - we can't and we (usually) dont. Remember bread and beer were never rationed in the 2nd world war.

2. I'm also a volunteer helpline operator on my two days off for the local area to me, the phone-lines are very quiet so people aren't that aware of what's been organised locally for vulnerable people. You don't have to "prove" that you are vulnerable to ask for help - it's a freely given service, because how would people be able to prove that their household has symptomatic people in it - we trust that people are doing the right thing (Staying home if symptoms, household symptoms or shielding if vulnerable / at high risk)

3. Councils / GP’s / Social services are working hard and together to help - do call if you need to highlight someone - and help should be forthcoming

4. Supermarket delivery services are not going to be able to service everybody who wants a home delivery, that’s the nature of the capacity that the system has, so do look at alternatives if possible - but don’t assume that because you weren’t able to book a slot when you tried that there won’t be any - keep checking because you are chasing a moving target.

5. People are doing their best (Even if you think they are not meeting your/government standards). Concentrate on what you can control - that’s your household and your behaviour. In the words of the great Marcus Arelius “You have power over your mind, not outside events - realise this and you will find strength”

6. Relates to #5 - people are scared and we are reacting with fear - try and recognise that in others and yourself and be mindful and try and act, rather than re-act to events, be compassionate to yourself and others who are doing the best they can.

I’m back at work tomorrow - I start my shift at 4am. I hope you all find solutions, that although not your first choice, work for you at this time.

@ikeairgin : If everyone was as calm and level headed as you, the whole thing would run so much more smoothly.
Thank you for all your efforts.
You are a star.👍

Agree very sensible post, and thank you!

@ikeairgin absolutely loved this post. What a lovely person you are and how level headed.

Where in the country is he? It varies but here there's a local butcher delivering meat, veg, eggs, bread and homemade ready meals, back where I'm from theres a group of restaurants offering 7 packs of ready meals for £20 including delivery

I believe I do need my delivery slots, the OP might look at my situation and feel I am undeserving and should release my slots. Until the OP is in charge of allocating deliveries I'll keep my home delivery.