Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Familys shopping together

213 replies

Amira19 · 10/01/2021 11:32

Went to my local Morrisons yesterday and it was crazy, family's of 5 plus shopping together despite the schools closing to prevent spread , groups of people blocking aisles gossiping to each other trying to get past whilst keeping distance. I thought the whole point was to reduce the number of people going into the shops. I heard the staff getting frustrated with the situation. ( single parents of course should shop with dc but this was groups of families, seems like its going to be never ending)

OP posts:
Amira19 · 10/01/2021 14:47

UpMySt you just need to stay at home with the toddler whilst you're dh goes shopping.

OP posts:
Funkypolar · 10/01/2021 14:47

Shoot them on site!

UpMySt · 10/01/2021 14:52

@rainbowunicorn normally that's the case when there's bits and bobs to collect but when it's fortnightly big shopping he is useless even when I give him a list. I'm better at spotting deals than he is or he would buy items especially meat or bread that is about to go off where I don't have a big freezer. Most of the time if we are out together, I will pop in the small express store and leave the toddler with DH outside as it's quicker and no point bringing them in together in those narrow isles in the express stores but when there's a big shop it's just easier and quicker especially the carrying the shopping part where DH would carry it and I would take the toddler upstairs. But I also see where people are coming from with shopping with families which I often spot that too with teenagers and couples and in one instance there was a old lady either mum or mil with the family so it sometimes includes the support bubbles as well.

Nicknamegoeshere · 10/01/2021 14:52

We have three kids ranging from 7 months to 13 years. It's quite simple for families with two parents really - one stays at home with the kids and the other one goes shopping. If you both drive it doesn't even have to be the same person Smile

Nicknamegoeshere · 10/01/2021 14:53

You're not only protecting others but your own family too ateotd.

User158340 · 10/01/2021 14:54

@Pastanred

there's no rules against it so people can go as family if they want

the fear has gone for most - you can no longer compare to March, we are in a totally different situation now

The situation is a lot worse now
UghNotThisAgain36 · 10/01/2021 14:59

My mum works in a huge Asda and they are not allowed to enforce it any longer, and I don't blame them. The staff don't get paid enough to be abused by empty-headed, cunty members of the public who can't see the effects of the pandemic. The staff have been coughed and spat at, hit and screamed at by a lot of people, including parents who cannot bare to be parted from little Timmy (whose Dad/Mum is standing there too) or able-bodied couples so joined at the hip they can't read packets alone. I get shopping delivered as its less risky all around. My DC haven't been inside a shop since early November.

You can't trust the general public to have common sense. Give them an inch, and they will take a mile. Its easier just to stay out of shops, they aren't a family day out.

Northernsoulgirl45 · 10/01/2021 15:00

we go as a family. I don't care if we catch covid in tesco 🤷‍♀️

What a selfish attitude. I hope you never get to realise how wrong you are.

User158340 · 10/01/2021 15:01

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Nicknamegoeshere · 10/01/2021 15:01

The problem is that people will argue there is no rule when it suits them and a rule when it doesn't. Hence why so many people are taking the mick with shopping and school places.
If our government actually grew some and tightened things up the situation would improve enormously. You can't leave it up to the general public to make the right choices - not all of them will. Especially if it inconveniences them.
If the government had toughened up restrictions from the get go we wouldn't be in this terrible mess in the first place.

User158340 · 10/01/2021 15:03

@Nicknamegoeshere

The problem is that people will argue there is no rule when it suits them and a rule when it doesn't. Hence why so many people are taking the mick with shopping and school places. If our government actually grew some and tightened things up the situation would improve enormously. You can't leave it up to the general public to make the right choices - not all of them will. Especially if it inconveniences them. If the government had toughened up restrictions from the get go we wouldn't be in this terrible mess in the first place.
Boris is too much of a coward.
Nicknamegoeshere · 10/01/2021 15:07

@User158340 Absolutely agree. As a barrister once said to me "To ensure someone adheres to an arrangement you have to give them zero wiggle room."

GingerNorthernLass · 10/01/2021 15:12

@Strawberrypancakes

What’s the actual rules on this though? A friend of mine doesn’t drive but hadn’t left the house for days so went with her DH and had to take the kids. That seems fine to me.
Either she or her DH shops and the other stays in the car with the kids. It's not rocket science, is it?
Nicknamegoeshere · 10/01/2021 15:18

But it not the "rules" so you can do what you like(!) It's only a serious pandemic which is just getting worse.

BridgertonBride · 10/01/2021 15:25

@UpMySt

I went in yesterday with DH and toddler as I don't drive and DH was with toddler pushing the trolley while I was grabbing bits. When I shop alone with toddler it takes longer but when dh is with me, he occupies the toddler and we don't have to enter every isle as I run back and forth to the main middle isle with the essentials where they hang around and it takes less time and less time with packing at checkout too and of course I live on the 3rd floor of our flat with no lift so it means I don't have to leave toddler unsupervised in the car or in the house while I grab shopping bags.
does not entitle you to all go in store though, hardly a unique situation!!

staff don't want all 3 of you in there increasing their risk of infection, not hard to understand

MrsClatterbuck · 10/01/2021 15:25

@UpMySt

I went in yesterday with DH and toddler as I don't drive and DH was with toddler pushing the trolley while I was grabbing bits. When I shop alone with toddler it takes longer but when dh is with me, he occupies the toddler and we don't have to enter every isle as I run back and forth to the main middle isle with the essentials where they hang around and it takes less time and less time with packing at checkout too and of course I live on the 3rd floor of our flat with no lift so it means I don't have to leave toddler unsupervised in the car or in the house while I grab shopping bags.
Or your DH could stay in the car with the toddler
Kab30 · 10/01/2021 15:29

My partner and I shop together with my lo ...because I dont drive so cant get there without him..because he will pay if hes there lol x its quicker with us both going etc etc...x

fairydustandpixies · 10/01/2021 15:30

Saw this today in M&S. I don't shop for food there usually but reckoned it would be the quietest place to stock up on fresh produce. There were only a couple of people in the food hall, no queues for tills, but a family of four (parents and two young children) went in the shop just before me and were leisurely browsing the clothes (adults) sale rail.

It's a good job I was wearing a mask so they couldn't hear my muttered swearing...

So much for one adult only from a household to go shopping. I understand if it's a single parent family that you need to take your children but this lot were treating it like a day trip!

Kab30 · 10/01/2021 15:30

And also if he went on his own God knows what wed have x

LegoAndLolDolls · 10/01/2021 15:42

I think I have only been in a supermarket less than ten times since March. I just do click and collect because I dont feel comfortable with the constant judging. Judging what you buy, what you do, who your with etc. No fuck that thanks. I have four kids and quite frankly I would rather they was home alone than subject them to some screeming batshit banshee at Tesco.

The amount of people on FB posting their "discust" at the queue at 10am on a Sunday is hilarious. So its busy love/ mate but you dont count in the numbers? Your the saint at home trying a recipe from mud to save granny and avoid the shops? Ok then.....

There is nothing left in life but to judge others now and find everyone not coming up to their own saintly standards.

I follow the rules but getting in state about others that dont is like farting into the wind. People need to avoid stress and strokes ATM. Chill

UghNotThisAgain36 · 10/01/2021 15:45

The people who can't trust partners to shop 'coz they'd do it wrong'....sorry, thats pathetic. Jesus wept!

Adults should be able to shop for their own children and families without handholding in the actual shop. Write a list together with alternatives ffs. If its desperate and they are that useless, video call them. I could deal with one person on a loud video call to an adultchild in an aisle rather than four of you clogging up the aisles and spreading covid to my mother and her colleagues.

Waspnest · 10/01/2021 15:47

It annoys me more now - numbers are massively higher. Back in March there was a very good chance that no one else in the supermarket had Covid. Now there is an extremely high probability that someone does (1 in 30 do locally to me) so I want to be able to maintain proper social distancing, which is impossible with large family groups everywhere particularly when parents let their children run around (to be fair I avoid them by going late at night, but I shouldn't have to).

I agree.

But reading this thread makes me think frankly we're fucked. Just excuses after excuses.

MadameMinimes · 10/01/2021 15:50

Before COVID DP and I usually shopped together. We don’t use a car and so it makes carrying things easier. Now one of us goes and then if it’s a larger shop we text the other when we’re almost done. We meet at the edge of the car park and carry the bags back home together. It’s not fair on the staff or other shoppers to have two of us in store in the current climate. I understand why people might prefer to shop together but for most it isn’t necessary.

YellowandGreenToBeSeen · 10/01/2021 15:51

Pisses me off too OP. And those who go as a family because The Man isn’t capable of doing a weekly bloody shop need to catch themselves on. What an unattractive trait in a person. Imagine not being able to do a weekly bloody shop.

Unless there are disabilities, sole parent issues etc, go on your own.

StickTheKettleOnAlice · 10/01/2021 15:52

OP couples with kids have just as much right to shop together as a couple without kids. Fair enough if you're saying all adults should go alone...