My shopping adventure

[beejay]

Introduction: Normally, my wife would get the shopping cos she loves it; looking all day for items with her name on, so to speak. But due to these unusual circumstances, my wife is on 90-day shielding so I have had to go instead.

Story: I set off for my local Asda supermarket before 8 am, with my wife's list of shopping, and also a neighbour's list.

Next to me in the queue was a woman in her 50's that was very bubbly and excited – she told me that she had contracted Covid 19.

She had been very ill for a while but had fully recovered and was given the all clear by her doctor's to leave her home again after about 2 months' confinement.

This was her first day out and I was the first person she'd met and talked to. I felt quite honoured and elated for her having pulled through, but rather nervous too, from then on.

After half an hour, with my ears feeling like they'd dropped off with the cold, I at last got into the shop and then gotten half way through the task when a loud alarm started to sound off.

The staff said it was a fire alarm and everyone had to vacate the premises quickly, therefore leaving our shopping trolleys in the store. Mine was in aisle 5.

When we were allowed back in, which incidentally, was a false alarm, I then finished the rest of my shopping and queued for a check-out's.

But then, I was in for another shock as I found I hadn't brought enough money – I was £10 short – I left the shopping at the store and drove home pronto.

Grabbing some more money I raced back to the store – I bypassed the queue to get back in, as I'd already made the attendant of the queue aware of my situation.

I finally made it home with the shopping at 11 am, in time for a late late breakfast. Pheeuuw! The End.

[Cathy]

You had quite a day beejay. Congratulations on surviving your shopping trip. You did well.
It happens to me too, that total strangers start a conversation with me and just about end up telling me their life story.
It has happened so often to me, I could probably write a book . I must have that kind of face.
Wishing you and Mrs beejay well.

[Stanley]

I love these stories as long as they happen to someone else. My idea of personal hell.
Consider a debit card, contactless payment has really come into it's own! One less avenue of infection. That's the way to survive, play the odds. (Never thought I'd say that but once again I was wrong.)

[chinatyke]

My idea of hell, too. Luckily my wife loves going to the shops, any shops! She can visit 3 or more supermarkets on the same trip and gloat that she has saved a few pence by doing the rounds. Not my idea of excitement.

[plaques]

My last visit to a super store was one of those 'while you're out can you call in Sainsburys and get .... & .... Since I was walking this was another 1½ miles extra. Always glad to please, I know what's good for me. Found what I wanted and headed to checkout. Amazingly bumped into two very good friends, short chat, and continued to self service area, 10 machines but only two open, one at each far corner which I never saw. Wandered round lifting covers until one of the lady assistants pointed me at an open one. With my usual blank look asked "what do I do now"? Have you got a nectar card/ then offer it up to the screen, then with each item look for the bar code and do the same then place them on the out tray. Now totally baffled, "I've a suggestion, you put them through and I'll pay for them", I'm pretty good at paying when out with Mrs P. Her eyes rolled to the top of her head, we both laughed and I was out in a flash. Sometime next year I may try it again.

[Stanley]

Couldn't agree more P. I refuse to use the self-service tills on the grounds that I love the interaction with a human being. Self service is one of the biggest con-tricks ever played on the customer and if followed to its logical conclusion means the elimination of old fashioned 'shop assistants. The name says it all!
How long until they have us stacking the shelves? [Oh, and while you're at it, shove this brush up your bum and sweep up as you go round.]

[plaques]

if followed to its logical conclusion means the elimination of old fashioned 'shop assistants. Its already on its way Stanley. Before the lockdown we called in Asda at the Colne boundary. You can pick up your own scanner (must register your details first) then go round picking and scanning the items you put in your basket. Finally you unload your scanner and pay by card. There is also an App that you can put on your mobile phone. As a clone of Mr Bean it takes what's left of the fun out of shopping.

[Cathy]

Heaven forbid, one day the only way to shop for groceries will be to shop on-line , and have them delivered. No oo oo!

[Whyperion]

if followed to its logical conclusion means the elimination of old fashioned 'shop assistants. Its already on its way Stanley. Before the lockdown we called in Asda at the Colne boundary. You can pick up your own scanner (must register your details first) then go round picking and scanning the items you put in your basket. Finally you unload your scanner and pay by card. There is also an App that you can put on your mobile phone. As a clone of Mr Bean it takes what's left of the fun out of shopping.

i find it useful, but now have the app on the phone, I get random checks by an assistant to ensure I have not mis-scanned anything. If you use the big bags it is quicker on leaving the store with all the packing pre-done. I tend to buy the same stuff week in and week out, but I have not been out due to the medical conditions in the household so its been deliveries instead - most of what I order arrives, some does not, I miss picking up the short date bargains though.

[Stanley]

Unfortunately you are right P. (Again!) We got a small indication of how fragile the centralised model of distribution and sale is when the supermarket shelves emptied as soon as the Covid crisis struck. It is without doubt a marvel of computerisation and JIT techniques but is so wasteful, they can only make profit on scale. Materials are purchased and shipped (in the case of imports, many thousands of miles) into centralised warehouses and then shipped many miles again to the retail outlet. In order to make this work producers have to be screwed down to below cost of production prices using the power of mass buying and the highest prices extracted from the customers. This of course is ultimately self defeating as it destroys the local production base but hey, who cares, this year's bottom line and sales volume is the only measure of achievement.
We have seen the government fall into the same trap with their neglect of home manufacturing and reliance on 'cheap' imports, in particular with PPE essentials. They made the same mistake with neglect of local resources in testing and tracking by over reliance on central resources that fell short of the mark. Exactly the same flaws as the supermarket model.
Can we please get back to a local, smaller scale and pay a proper market price for goods produced by methods that ensure that any subsequent profit is shared locally as well in the shape of living wages and job security? That's the best way in the long run to stabilise society and cut the need for what is euphemistically called 'Social Security'.

[Cathy]

Aust. Our Woollies Supermarket CEO has been keeping us up to date often with changes etc during the Coronavirus. This week he told us that due to easing of demand, they have been able to lift the products limits on several essentials. Just 6 categories still have limits in place, down from 45 at the height of the surge for demand.
On the critical issue of Toilet Paper, sales dropped by 4 million rolls last week, now below the sales of the corresponding week last year!
This week we are on track to sell between 9 million and 9.5 million rolls, well down on our peak of 39.7 million rolls a week in mid March, or 11 million rolls this time last year.

[plaques]

You Aussies must spend all your free time on the toilet. The population o Australia is about 25 million. 9 million rolls a week looks like a lot of polishing going on or is it paper aeroplanes?

[chinatyke]

Sounds a lot but 9 million rolls per week x 52 = 468 million per annum or 18.72 rolls per person. At 200 sheets per roll that is 10.25 sheets per day each. I would have thought that was a normal average use in a civilised country. Many years ago I was told that the average use in UK was 9 sheets per sheet!

[Cathy]

Thanks China, I tried to work it out, so how many rolls per person from 39.7 million rolls??

[plaques]

Trust China to know these intimate facts. Actually upmarket paper gives you less sheets per sheet, as China put it. Toilet Rolls - 2 ply 160 Sheets per roll .
I think the military allocation was three per visit. Two wipes and one polish. Not many people know that.

[chinatyke]

That 39.7 million was said to be one week in March = 1.588 rolls per person for that week = 45 sheets per day per person or 36 sheets per day if using the 2-ply 160 sheets per roll! But people were still building up their stockpiles and not using them.

[chinatyke]

Trust China to know these intimate facts. Actually upmarket paper gives you less sheets per sheet, as China put it. Toilet Rolls - 2 ply 160 Sheets per roll .

At the time I was working with a dentist who was trying to patent an invention/new process to do with toilet paper and he gave me the figure of 9 sheets per go. I assume he was correct.

[Cathy]

Thanks China.

[Cathy]

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