Supermarkers still likely to be busy?

[Toomuchtooyoung01]

Do you think supermarkets will be busy as usual now? I am feeling nervous about going (in a Tier 4 area). I was thinking of going as soon as they open but do you think everyone will be also there at 6am first thing too? Quite an anxious person so trying to work out when would be the best time to go!

Yes, they’ll be even busier

I am in tier 4 and went to morrisons about 11ish this morning. Short queue and not rammed inside although quite busy it was manageable
I guess it varies from area to area
I had to get a few bits cos not going to my sisters anymore

I’m in Scotland and nipped into the supermarket for some onions this afternoon - I was surprised how quiet it was tbh. That was about 4.30.

Farm shops are not quieter options at the moment. We supply to farm shops and their orders are coming in thick and fast and very big orders so they must be incredibly busy, this month particularly farm shop orders have exploded

I think I’m going to go at 6am on Tuesday. Get it done and put the way. We’ve done 6am most years and is normally not too bad when we get there but by the time we have paid it’s getting busier

Well I've been out late recently at say 7 30 pm and it's extremely quiet but obviously the shop has had a full day of customers and it's highly likely some will have covid.

I'd prefer to go early when the store has been empty, bar shelf stacking...

I feel foolish because I was offered an ocado slot and I turned it down. I'd much rather avoid shops right now.

Talk about the perfect storm but at least we do have amazing on line shopping facilties.

Sainsbury’s was fine at midday today.

Reporting back from Tier 4....I went to Sainsbury's early this morning, got there at 6.15. Car park maybe 1/4 full, no queue to get in, busyish going around but absolutely fine, shelves fully stocked, got everything I wanted bar cheese footballs, no queue at the checkout. In and out in an hour, all done. Good luck OP!

The only thing I want to get this week is a Turkey. We have Sainsbury's in walking distance. I asked a member of staff and they said to try between 9 and 9.30am as that's when they are filling up the fresh food.

Waitrose car park was totally full this morning at 7.30 and cars turned away. I was just popping in to get a couple of things for baking but managed to get them at the local coop.

I think if people are sensible we should cope. I imagine that lots of the fresh stuff bought for the holidays - posh lettuce, tomatoes etc goes to waste anyway.

My husband went to Sainsbury's early this morning , very quiet and picked up a turkey . Central belt .

Just reporting back to say my Sainsbury’s order coming tonight has everything on it except they have subbed in more expensive wine, and there are a couple of things flagged as short shelf dates. They were for the freezer anyway though.

I nipped into Asda yesterday at 3pm just be or a birthday card and flowers, it was very busy but I was in and out in just a couple of minutes so the tills were ok.
I work in a supermarket and after the news today I’m so glad it’s my day off as I think it will be very very busy today, unfortunately I am working tues, weds, thurs 5am-2pm... I think it will be carnage 😞

Reporting back to advise I got to sainsbury's by 7am, busy but the shelves were extremely well stocked and didn't have to wait at the tills, as I was leaving they were just starting to ask people to queue outside.
I will say that there were lots of couples shopping together though!

My daughter works in a supermarket (not one of the big 4) and they normally take £22,000 by the end of the day. Today as of 1pm they had taken £20,000 and she's just turned up for her shift and said it's rammed.

After reading this thread I was a bit concerned about how mad it might be but we had very little panic buying or big queues here last time so was hopeful it would be similar. It was. A small queue for Waitrose which moved quickly and once inside busy but totally normal. Pretty well stocked and got what I needed. Saw no evidence of panic buying, plenty of loo rolls, pasta and fresh stuff.
Won't go again until next week. Tier 2 South West.
DS in Tier 4 outer London, so no longer coming to us for Xmas had to shop as no food in. Said it was fine when he went yesterday.

Ds1 worked at Sainsbury's 7am - 3pm. Said it was manic the whole time.

I think there will have been a few panic buyers but the majority of shoppers on Sunday/today will be people who were planning to spend Christmas with family and are now not able to rushing out to pick up some Christmas food as they have nothing in!
Ok that basis I do think it would be prudent to do Christmas food shop sooner rather than later as previously 2/3 families would have shared a jar of cranberry sauce for example but now all 3 families will have to go and buy a jar each meaning the predicted supply might not be enough. So in normal year tesco sell 1 million jars so that’s what they have in, now the will sell 2 million = not enough to go round.

But equally some of those extra households might decide not to have roast dinner and have pizza instead as someone else normally cooks for them so it might even out!

Just got back from M&S. No queue to get in, no queue at the till. Quite a few people in, but all very calm. Lots of stock.

DH does our shopping, said Sainsb was heaving this morning.
I bet it's super quiet now (evening).
I have no Idea why DH always shops in the mornings.

Went to local big Tesco early afternoon, steady as you'd expect but totally manageable. The nice lady at the scan as you shop was saying they were super busy early morning with a queue first thing but it had all calmed down by 9am.

Tier 4 here. Braved Tesco today, it was busy not heaving, could easily get a parking space (which is a novelty this time of the year). Got what we need and won't be going back for a couple of weeks at least. Our cupboards and cellar are well stocked. I figured best to do it all in one hit and not go back.