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Original poster

When will people realise the supermarket is NOT a place to have a lengthy chat in?

103 replies

LovelyLips · 08/01/2021 16:09

Every bloody lockdown I see the same thing.

Just come back from Waitrose which is pretty civilised because they keep numbers down.

BUT the same as before- a couple ( youngish maybe 30s) - standing chatting to another woman (same ageish) for ages and ages at the end of an aisle.

Don't they realise that a) they should shop alone unless there is some reason they can't and b) it's not a place to catch up for a 30-minute gossip?

Other people might be queuing in the cold to go in and can't other shoppers to come out.

I see this at every lockdown and it's always 'yummy mummy' types who hang around talking, yes, they wear masks but NO they are 2 metres apart. These 3 today were not from the same family and were standing very close together.

OP posts:
Meredithgrey1 · 08/01/2021 19:17

What astonishes me is how long a person or couple can browse a shelf. Often their trolley is also there as a barrier to others. Unless you were born yesterday, surely you know what bread or tea you want?

DH has several anaphylactic allergies, so if either of us are shopping we read the ingredients on everything because things frequently change from being safe to reading “may contain nuts” or another of his allergens.
I don’t read endless food packets for the fun of it. Just say “excuse me” if someone is lingering at a shelf and you just want to quickly grab something?

4Mongrels · 08/01/2021 19:18

I agree OP.

I feel so sorry for supermarket workers. I'm sure it must be hard for them when people are standing around chatting, not wearing face coverings correctly and not shopping alone. (I understand some people can't).

They have a right to be as safe as possible in the workplace and we can all play a small part in that.

Quaagars · 08/01/2021 19:18

Have your social interaction

Outside!

Don't know where you've been if you don't know that we're not supposed to be doing that either lol
At least if you see someone in Aisle 4 or whatever you're allowed to stop and say hello over the cooked chicken Grin
(At an acceptable social distance obvs)

2BDIs · 08/01/2021 19:20

Do you think its possible you could stop and think about others. I appreciate it annoys you but people have been so restricted for nearly a year and haven't seem friends and family since March or even before that. That chance encounter in a supermarket may be the only social contact they've had for such a long time. And yes it may inconvenience you bug if you've noticed they've stood at the end of the aisle 'having a 30 minute gossip' you clearly haven't been in and out as quick as possible with your shopping either.
Wind your neck in and accept not everyone is as self righteous as you are

Spiratedaway · 08/01/2021 19:23

@2BDIs

Do you think its possible you could stop and think about others. I appreciate it annoys you but people have been so restricted for nearly a year and haven't seem friends and family since March or even before that. That chance encounter in a supermarket may be the only social contact they've had for such a long time. And yes it may inconvenience you bug if you've noticed they've stood at the end of the aisle 'having a 30 minute gossip' you clearly haven't been in and out as quick as possible with your shopping either. Wind your neck in and accept not everyone is as self righteous as you are
Well said
LST · 08/01/2021 19:25

How do you know there wasn't a reason they were shopping together?

God I hate this is what the world has become.

upsidedownwavylegs · 08/01/2021 20:27

@userxx

Fucking hell, this thread is depressing. What's happened to people or were they always miserable judgemental twats ?
There’s always been a vocal minority on MN that despised other people having friends, and especially other women being friends with each other. They just have what they think is a better excuse for it now.
RunnerDown · 08/01/2021 23:41

@upsidedownwavylegs
Yep - that’s what’s it’s all about. Nothing to do with us being in the middle of a pandemic and wanting to keep everyone as safe as possible.

XenoBitch · 08/01/2021 23:44

During my weekly Tesco shop, I witnessed two chaps have a lengthy conversation. Both were in the queue for the pharmacy. Were they meant to look the opposite way and not talk to eachother?

EngineeringFix · 08/01/2021 23:45

I love chatting to friends, aquaintances and randoms at the supermarket .. normally.

Right now it's a wave and I talk outside if I see people. I miss the normal interaction too. It's miserable really. But it's not forever.

Quaagars · 08/01/2021 23:47

@XenoBitch

During my weekly Tesco shop, I witnessed two chaps have a lengthy conversation. Both were in the queue for the pharmacy. Were they meant to look the opposite way and not talk to eachother?
You're supposed to duck into the next aisle and hide so they don't see you. Obvs
WhiteChocCheesecakeRocks · 08/01/2021 23:48

My friends mum works in a supermarket. She would normally see her sister weekly for dinner etc but can't.
So her sister goes into the supermarket whilst friends mum is sorting the clothing section she works on and goes in for a long chat Daily on the shifts she works doesn't buy anything as she shops in a diff supermarket all be Because she can! Because it's not against the rules to go to the supermarket

EngineeringFix · 08/01/2021 23:56

Look, the more you talk the more virus you can potentially spread.

So it seems obvious to me to restrict my talking indoors in public shared areas with little ventilation. But I take it from this thread this seems unreasonable and ott to most people.

Clearly as this ramps up I'll have to sort out click and collect.Grin

Heffle · 08/01/2021 23:59

‘Yummy Mummy’ Hmm just walk past, OP

upsidedownwavylegs · 09/01/2021 08:12

[quote RunnerDown]@upsidedownwavylegs
Yep - that’s what’s it’s all about. Nothing to do with us being in the middle of a pandemic and wanting to keep everyone as safe as possible.[/quote]
I know. It’s pretty easy to tell that it’s got nothing to do with wanting to keep people safe.

justanotherneighinparadise · 09/01/2021 08:16

There’s always been a vocal minority on MN that despised other people having friends, and especially other women being friends with each other. They just have what they think is a better excuse for it now.

The introverts do love a pandemic.

Original poster
LovelyLips · 09/01/2021 08:51

TBH I'm shocked, saddened and sickened by the posts here- most of them.

Isn't it great after the biggest number of deaths ever in a day, to see such solidarity between women who are supposed to look out for each other.

I wasn't in the shop for 30 minutes. I was there for around 15 but they were still talking when I came out. So that's too long when older people are queuing outside to go in.

And they were not social distancing.

AND the supermarket has an announcement every few minutes asking customers to shop as quickly as they can.

You can come back with snide, nasty comments as much as you want and I don't care.

I'm making a valid point.

If you can't see it, or want to be nasty, bully for you.

If you want to chat, go outside.

And for those who say 'oh but it's not allowed' well fuck you because it's definitely not allowed indoors even in a shop.

OP posts:
DdraigGoch · 09/01/2021 10:06

[quote hamstersarse]@BlueBlancmange

I think people are frightened. I think this type of post is driven purely by unregulated fear.

And it leads to illogical expectations on fellow citizens. The OP has posted that the YMs were talking for 30 minutes in one place, I just don't believe that to be true if she was being so fast in the supermarket, she wouldn't be in one place for 30 minutes to witness it.

Let's leave aside the massive stereotyping and clearly vindictive judgment of appearances....

But if that is gaslighting - fine, I'll take it.[/quote]
Nothing to do with being frightened. Covid or not, I haven't got the time to waste shivering in the queue outside while people block the aisle for a gossip. If you want to have a chat, get outside and go for a distanced walk.

annevonkleve · 09/01/2021 10:09

There’s always been a vocal minority on MN that despised other people having friends, and especially other women being friends with each other. They just have what they think is a better excuse for it now

Absolutely. Nothing to do with people standing around in griups (or walking in couples and blocking paths) at all. Just envy at the friendships.

I haven't actually seen women chatting, it's the family groups in supermarkets that annoy me, and the retired couples who have lengthy discussions about what sort of cake they want (and no, they're not reading the allergens information - funnily enough I can tell the difference between someone looking at a packet in some detail and just talking to their companion while blocking shelves).

If you do meet a friend in the supermarket, can't you get your shopping done and then have a quick chat outside out of everyone's way?

annevonkleve · 09/01/2021 10:10

The introverts do love a pandemic

I am sure there were a lot of people grateful there were no "compulsory" work Christmas parties (at least not face to face ones).

Oysterbabe · 09/01/2021 10:13

What a world we live in. 3 people bumping into eachother and having a conversation, whilst not looking like a sack of shit, sparks a vitriolic thread on Mumsnet. Wind your neck in OP, you don't know a thing about them.

Afeckinchoo · 09/01/2021 10:17

@2BDIs

Do you think its possible you could stop and think about others. I appreciate it annoys you but people have been so restricted for nearly a year and haven't seem friends and family since March or even before that. That chance encounter in a supermarket may be the only social contact they've had for such a long time. And yes it may inconvenience you bug if you've noticed they've stood at the end of the aisle 'having a 30 minute gossip' you clearly haven't been in and out as quick as possible with your shopping either. Wind your neck in and accept not everyone is as self righteous as you are
Do you think you could have some consideration for the poor sods standing outside in the cold, wet, snow, hail (all of which I experienced yesterday in a queue for the shop after a 12 hour nightshift run ragged) that they would quite like to get in the shop and get their food as quickly as possible so they can get home, warm and dry?! Or does this consideration only work one way to those who want a chat with someone they've not seen for a while? Never mind everyone else stood outside freezing their arses off, as long as they've got consideration for those who want a chat then all's ok, but shouldn't expect any in return.
BarbaraofSeville · 09/01/2021 10:23

Your mistake OP was making this about 'yummy mummy types in Waitrose'. The 'accidentally bumping into friends and family in supermarkets' ruse is widespread, so you could instead have complained about the groups of people in Asda who wouldn't look out of place on the Jeremy Kyle show, doing exactly the same thing and more people would have agreed with you.

There's a time and a place for having a nice chat with a friend or family member and in a supermarket when people are waiting outside to get in is not it. YANBU

Vivana · 09/01/2021 10:29

Social action can be done on the phone or computers or whatever but not standing in a supermarket gossiping while others try to get by.

Everleigh2021 · 09/01/2021 10:46

I’ve had to move people in at work ( non food essential store)

The abuse!! Blocking aisles means it bottlenecks very quickly but they barely realise with zero awareness

So that’s another situation I try to ignore. I’m off today but got low level abuse 4 times yesterday trying to keep up our covid compliance and keep everyone safe