Can I ask supermarket to leave food on doorstep now it doesn’t come in bags?

[AutisticID]

My supermarket delivery gets delivered in crates that the drivers put on the doorstep whilst I decant into a big shopping bag, however I’m wary currently as recently the drivers haven’t been moving back very far or wearing masks etc. Has anyone got an alternative? If I leave a bag for life outside will they decant into it or will they be annoyed they have to unload the crates? Any suggestions welcome for contactless deliveries please!

Contact the supermarket and ask. They might find it just as fast to unload for you. So will be happy to decant in to your bags, though your own boxes would possibly be easier / faster.

We’ve been lucky recently as we’ve actually almost missed some deliveries and the drivers have very kindly left us the crates on the step and collected them the next week (although I’m not sure if they are supposed to!)

We do live on our own site though, so no one will take it on us.

That’s annoying, if they’re too close, mine usually stand miles back. I would ask your supermarket to ask them to step back if you don’t feel you can do it yourself. I imagine it’s a stressful / busy job for them and if every customer asked for this it would ultimately reduce the number of deliveries they could make.

Suggestion: say to the driver "Hi, I'm shielding, can I ask you to wait back there please whilst I just move this shopping into my bags? Yes, there by the gate thanks".

Ocado deliver in bags and tesco deliver in crate liners which they leave on the doorstep for me. Pretty sure asda also offer bags at the moment too.

Can you add bags as an option? I know with Asda you can. I know it's not ideal in terms of planet saving, but might be helpful for the moment

We get deliveries from Waitrose, who are still using ordinary bags, and Tesco who are using big ones. So we just ask them to leave it on the doorstep, no problem.

If they won't unload for you, fgs tell them to stand further back if they aren't already doing so. Go to the door in a mask yourself and tell them you need to be careful. Don't start unloading until they're far enough back.

I had a delivery from Asda while isolating. I left a message explaining and asked them to pack into bags that I left outside which they did.

Thank you for all your advice. It’s Sainsbury’s and they don’t seem to have an option to add bags (just a message saying they aren’t using bags to save on plastic waste which I do understand)
Thank you for the tip on what to say to them to get them to stand back *NotmeNono that is very helpful

I pack it into washing baskets - the nearest I have to crates. They do stand 2 metres away whilst I do it though.

There is a box to tick if self isolating - I don’t know if that means they will pack it into bags and leave it for you instead?

Same as kitty
I leave 3 washing baskets on the doormat. In the “additional instructions” box Sainsbury’s have online, I ask them to decant it all into my doorstep baskets and ring the doorbell when they’ve finished, so I can bring it in.
Works fine.

If you tick self isolating the delivery person just stands back a bit. Which was surprising. (Mine just hid around the side of my door )

Thanks Premiumbond I can try that.

I wear a mask when I open door but just politely ask if they could give you a little more space because you are vulnerable - (like the idea of wash baskets!) I have shopping bags near front door to unload

You just have to be very firm with them and ask them to stand well back or wait in the van. I've moved to click and collect and prefer it to home delivery for precisely this reason.

I’m sure they’d be happy to just dump it all on your doorstep and get the flock out of it.

Sainsburys have an option on website orders to ask for bags and an option to say you are self isolating. Perhaps they are only on the website and not available on their ap?

We leave stack-a-jack type boxes on the doorstep. I open the window a tiny bit to say hello. They unpack everything into my boxes and I bring it in when they have driven away. We use Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose and have been since the start of lockdown (shielding). There has never been any problem, and all three supermarkets have been great.

Not sure if this helps but I grab the crates and bring them into the kitchen - I say 'I'll be right back' and close the door to the driver. Unpack onto my kitchen table and bring the crates back (put them on the doorstep and step away). I mostly do it to avoid letting the heat out! No one has ever minded.

I’ve just had a look on Amazon for the foldable boxes - they are so expensive! I’m sure they used to be £4 in B&Q! Must be pandemic prices with everyone having the same idea!

I had a delivery from Sainsbury a few days ago. We are self-isolating and I put on the delivery notes that I would leave bags outside and they justbagged it up for me.

We use gardening flexitubs, obviously well cleaned of the garden gunk! They are available at reasonable prices, stack well, and......can be used in the garden when(!) this is all over

I’m relieved to see I’m not the only one who has felt this is a problem, I expected to be told IABU! I find the whole shopping experience so incredibly stressful, a contact free delivery would help so much! Some great tips here thank you.