Can my husband take our two girls to buy shoes?

[HettySunshine]

At a supermarket?

One or other of us has been shopping alone all the way through but we need to get summer shoes for our dc and none of them have had their feet measured at in car goodness knows when.

He scoped out the shoes they want when he did the food shop yesterday so he know which ones and where they are. Is he okay to go in with them, go straight to the shoes, try them on and pay for them with the hand scan thing and then go again?

@FurForksSake
You can go and have a print with 5 of your friends. Of course you can take your own children to garden centre!

Signs I've seen say shop alone IF POSSIBLE, children and carers exempt in the small print.
Since, like many people, my choice would have been not eat, leave them alone in car or at home, or take them with me, I E taken them with me when I've had to shop for the past year. Its been fine throughout. Despite what some people think

As for shoes... There is likely a sign saying don't try on, but people are. Especially for children. My younger DD has gone through a few sizes in the past year. (12-13.5/1!)

I’d not be thinking twice about this, non essential retail is now open.

And fwiw I don’t think “getting them measured properly” is a legal requirement.

I’ve taken dd to the supermarket (Asda if it makes any difference) for new shoes and tried them on there. They had the little stools out for people to sit on so presumed it was fine.

Sainsbury’s have shoes with markings on the bottom to help you judge where their toes should be which is where we ended up when Asda didn’t have what we needed.

Maybe the OP wants/needs to buy a pair of shoes for £10 as opposed to £40 upwards? Independent shoe shop FFS...

@UCOinanOCG

I agree with PP that you really need to get their feet measured properly first. You don't have to buy the shoe shops shoes if you would prefer supermarket ones but tbh if you can afford it I would prioritise at least one pair of properly fitted shoes for them.

How dare you?! Op has not asked for advice on where she should buy her children shoes from!She asked if they go to supermarket. Maybe they can't afford shoes from shoe shops! Mind your own business.

Our supermarket won't let you try on clothes or shoes. But you can go to a shoe shop and spend an hour having your feet measured and trying on 10 pairs of shoes no problem. No logic whatsoever.

Well that’s a complete over reaction @CervixHaver.

@UCOinanOCG explicitly suggested just going to get them measured and then buying in a supermarket.

[quote LolaNova]@4pawsgood
What about single parents, working parents, breastfeeding mums etc? It’s simply not practical, especially with numbers so low and easing of restrictions, to be enforcing any such rule.[/quote]
Yeah. @LolaNova I still felt uncomfortable though. My children are old enough to be left at home which makes a difference.
I’m just sharing my experience, as so many people are saying it’s completely fine, I wouldn’t want the OP’s partner to get a shock when he gets there.

I'm a bit bewildered by this question. Where I live shops are open as normal again and people are shopping in the way they used to. The only difference is that people are wearing masks. I'm in England.

@CervixHaver I was clear that getting shoes from the supermarket is absolutely fine if you can't afford the ones from shoe shops. I know how expensive children's shoes can be. But it would make sense for the children to have their feet measured before buying any shoes from anywhere.

@Remmy123

Why wouldn't he be able to go to a shop with his two kid's .. im finding this question quite bizarre and even more bizarre you are asking a bunch of strangers from the internet.

I find this bizarre too. Why would you not take them to get their feet measured? Shops are open so you can do this. My 11 month old had hers measured in clarks by appointment a few weeks ago. My DS got his measured in schuh but then I bought shoes elsewhere. Nobody batted an eyelid at me taking my 3 children shoe shopping and we didn't dash about like we shouldn't be out in public.

I know changing rooms are closed in the supermarkets here but there’s nothing to say you can’t try on shoes. I tried a pair of boots at Christmas in Tesco. The only shop I know that has/had restrictions on shoes is Primark.
But the fact that shoe shops are open now then I don’t think it’d be a problem.

I’ve also seen children in supermarkets throughout as its not always possible to leave them home plus children’s shoes are totally essential!

Some of the shoe retailers have a free printable foot measuring template that could help you gauge their size. I used the Startrite one for school shoes. Obviously it might not be as accurate if you aren't buying their shoes but it's worked well for dc.

I had my daughter’s shoes fitted today. There were families queuing out if the door. They said they’d been rammed since they were allowed to open. Still find it baffling that children’s shoes weren’t essential retail.

Many supermarkets do say "shop alone if possible" but in your case it is not possible because you need to try on the shoes. This is perfectly reasonable now that non-essential shopping is permitted.

Of course he can take the children out to buy shoes! Why on earth not? Shoe shops have opened and families are going there. Shoes can be tried on. As usual.

Tesco never closed and families have shopped there throughout as they soon found it impractical to enforce the stupid "one person" rule. They gave up on that soon after they tried it last year!

I tried on some shoes in Tesco only a few weeks ago. I just picked some, found a seat which was on the end of an aisle in the clothing section and did it. Nobody challenged me. Nobody gave a shit or paid me the blindest bit of attention.

We have to stop this bullshit of dancing around arbitrary and imagined Covid rules like this. It is ridiculous.

@FurForksSake

I don't think this is a silly question. Lots of shops have had single shopper only signs up and now it feels confusing what is and isn't allowed. Particularly if you haven't been in the shops much due to lack of need.

We want to go to a garden centre as a family today (husband and I need to go together so kids need to go) but we aren't sure whether we are allowed!

You are absolutely allowed to visit a garden centre as a family. Just do it if you want to. Nobody will bat an eyelid.

It looks as though some people decide whether or not to try things on without asking randoms on an internet forum.

@Dustyhedge

I had my daughter’s shoes fitted today. There were families queuing out if the door. They said they’d been rammed since they were allowed to open. Still find it baffling that children’s shoes weren’t essential retail.

Me too, especially as supermarkets were still allowed to sell shoes but proper shoe shops weren't allowed to open.

Our local(ish) Clarks was booking appointments so I would recommend doing that if you can.

Buy a foot measure on Amazon. They are cheap. Splurge for a good wood one. Still cheap and will last forwever. I can’t believe I didn’t buy one the very first time dd needed shoes.

It's totally fine to go shopping together. But I would try the shoes on as quickly and discreetly as possible, as he might get told it's not allowed (I've heard Sainsbury's workers telling people not to try stuff on). It might be easier just to buy the shoes in a few different sizes and try them on at home?

We are now going shopping together.

Sorry but this and the garden centre post are crazy! Things are open now you can go to pubs, hairdressers, the gym, on self catered holidays and adults are actually questioning if they are “allowed” to go to buy shoes or to a garden centre with their children, the government have done a seriously good job of psychologically conditioning people into being unable to think for themselves and feeling like they need permission to do the most basic of things. It really is scary!