How to Shop

[Meckity1]

I want to support smaller businesses, but don't want to be doing extra travel to get to them (thinking bakers, butchers). I also would really like to be able to call in at both Aldi and Tesco.

How do people make the decision about where to shop?

[Fleab1te]

I go to the local butchers. It's been busy but not when I've been. I also go to a fruit and veg shop next to a farm shop. I'll pop in at a local co-op on the way home. I don't know really. It's 3 different places but less crowded than a supermarket so hopefully lower risk. I think supporting local businesses is important. I haven't been to a supermarket in weeks but when I finally have to I'll probably get fruit and veg there too for that week.

[Happyspud]

Most local small veg and meat shops near me deliver. So I’ve had meat/milk/eggs/veg delivered from my local place to complement and help with the Tesco delivery limit.

[DressingGownofDoom]

When I'm driving to Tesco, I drive past the butchers and if it's empty I go in. If it's busy I don't. If the queue is too long at Tesco I go home and try again another time.

[Blondie1984]

One day I go to the local shops and get enough to last a few days (and freeze if needed) then a few day later go to Tesco and stock up on anything else that’s needed for the week

[Waxonwaxoff0]

A lot of the smaller local businesses will deliver. You could order your fresh produce from them for delivery and then pick up your other bits in Aldi/Tesco.

I can't afford to shop local at the moment as I'm on furlough so I'm sticking to the cheap supermarkets. I go to Aldi once a week and Asda once a week. Best time to go to the supermarket to avoid queues is midweek, late afternoon/evening.

[Meckity1]

I've had some deliveries from local shops, and they have been great. It's just I can't always get everything.

From Monday I should be able to go out (no symptoms here since 6th April) but I don't want to abuse that. I think I may make separate journeys and go during the day to the farm shop and later in week go to the supermarkets in the evenings.

I have to be gluten free (I get sick with gluten), and there are fussy eaters in the house. I'm just trying to balance wants and needs. I can't justify supermarket deliveries.

[abitoflight]

I'm a bit torn on this. If the advice is to go out as infrequently as possible, then surely that means in effect get it online or do a shop where you can get everything in one go? I could do this and only shop once a week but I really like my local greengrocer so I top up there. This isn't strictly necessary as I could manage but I don't like how the advice plays into the hands of the supermarkets rather than local small shops for most people who can drive and carry stuff all at once

[RingtheBells]

I make the decision by what is available in our town, there aren't any butchers or bakers, just Greggs which is not a small business and also shut. I get a Tesco slot when I can and my other shopping is done at Iceland or M&S which I pop in a couple of times a week on my exercise walk for fresh stuff, also these two shops don't seem to have much queue and the distancing seem ok in them. Our nice big Waitrose has huge queues but if I can't get a Tesco slot I would go there rather than Asda, we have no Tesco in town.

[Meckity1]

@RingtheBells I'm also torn about that. I live at the edge of Leeds, and so can get to a farm shop in around fifteen minutes. I could go to the city centre market in around fifteen minutes as well and it's not too far to go to Asda or Sainsburys but I'm scared of the drive to them (passed test a year ago). I'm honestly spoiled for choice. That's why I want to be careful.

Speaking of driving, I could do with driving regularly so I don't forget how, so I'm being careful to avoid temptation. The Tesco/Aldi stores are literally a few hundred yards away from each other and I would drive very near a farm shop to get there, they are around 20 minutes away in current traffic and it's an easy drive. But that's not supporting the more vulnerable business. Though it is reducing person to person contact.

[RingtheBells]

I would probably aim to go twice a week, I find once isn’t enough for fresh food, and alternate all the places you mention which also means your car will get driven regularly, also there should be less traffic on the road now

[Meckity1]

@RingtheBells - that sounds like a good plan, and I can go late to the supermarkets so hopefully keep a good distance there.

Now would be a perfect time to tackle motorways, but I'm being a good girl.