Panic buying

[John Isherwood]

Well - my flabber is well-and-truly gasted !!!

 

A knock at the front door announced the (totally unexpected) arrival of a banana box, crammed with grocery essentials - free of charge from the Government !

 

It was all in there - from cereals to pasta and pasta sauce, bread, milk, ham, biscuits, fresh and tinned fruit and vegetables, etc., etc. - and a couple of toilet rolls.

 

Presumably, because we are a couple of 70+ pensioners, one of whom is classifed as extremely vulnerable, we have qualified for this largesse.

 

Coming as it does, hard on the heels of last evening's priority two-week shop from Asda, the storage cupboards are now stocked to bursting.

 

Thank you HMG - it is greatly appreciated !

 

John Isherwood.

Edited April 16, 2020 by cctransuk

[Fat Controller]

We've been using Sainsbury's on-line delivery service since January, initially because I was confined to barracks following a heart operation, and subsequent to the 'lock down' because my wife is classed as highly vulnerable, and has to be shielded

The first post-lockdown delivery had a lot of things that were unavailable; this has now settled down to the odd item. On one or two things, we've had short-dated stuff, but that's advised on a note that accompanies the delivery, and you are offered the opportunity to refuse them. Their deliveries have been within minutes of what they said when offering the slot. All-in-all, I've been very pleased with them.

[boxbrownie]

53 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

We've been using Sainsbury's on-line delivery service since January, initially because I was confined to barracks following a heart operation, and subsequent to the 'lock down' because my wife is classed as highly vulnerable, and has to be shielded

The first post-lockdown delivery had a lot of things that were unavailable; this has now settled down to the odd item. On one or two things, we've had short-dated stuff, but that's advised on a note that accompanies the delivery, and you are offered the opportunity to refuse them. Their deliveries have been within minutes of what they said when offering the slot. All-in-all, I've been very pleased with them.

Have you had pre booked slots or are you just picking a slot each time you log into shop?

[Fat Controller]

2 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Have you had pre booked slots or are you just picking a slot each time you log into shop?

Apparently, we have a choice from the available slots. Lynne says she tries to pick the 'green' slots, which are those where the van would have been in the vicinity anyway, and so cost less. I don't have any direct input in the ordering; I simply say what we need, and Lynne inputs it.

[boxbrownie]

1 minute ago, Fat Controller said:

Apparently, we have a choice from the available slots. Lynne says she tries to pick the 'green' slots, which are those where the van would have been in the vicinity anyway, and so cost less. I don't have any direct input in the ordering; I simply say what we need, and Lynne inputs it.

So does Sainsbury’s know your classed as vulnerable? 
 

I’m just trying to work out why we still haven’t been contacted by anyone!  Online form filled, letter arrived, consultants and Doctors letter there......but still not a peep from anyone, 92 year old Mum with ongoing Cancer treatment, wife with RA and also undergoing cancer treatment and me being a miserable old git......and getting more so by the day! 

[Enterprisingwestern]

8 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

me being a miserable old git......and getting more so by the day! 

 

, and you wonder why nobody will deliver to you??

 

Mike.

[boxbrownie]

1 minute ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

, and you wonder why nobody will deliver to you??

 

Mike.

[dhjgreen]

3 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

So does Sainsbury’s know your classed as vulnerable? 
 

I’m just trying to work out why we still haven’t been contacted by anyone!  Online form filled, letter arrived, consultants and Doctors letter there......but still not a peep from anyone, 92 year old Mum with ongoing Cancer treatment, wife with RA and also undergoing cancer treatment and me being a miserable old git......and getting more so by the day! 

I do not know is this number is still valid.  It was press button automated and took about 4 days to validate (Nectar card number needed).

 

If you live in England and you are over 70 years of age

You can get access to priority home delivery slots by calling us on 0800 953 4988

[polybear]

5 hours ago, cctransuk said:

A knock at the front door announced the (totally unexpected) arrival of a banana box, crammed with grocery essentials - free of charge from the Government !

 

Thank you HMG - it is greatly appreciated !

 

 

Don't speak too soon....your tax code will be going up next year....

[pH]

6 hours ago, cctransuk said:

Well - my flabber is well-and-truly gasted !!!

 

A knock at the front door announced the (totally unexpected) arrival of a banana box, crammed with grocery essentials - free of charge from the Government !

 

It was all in there - from cereals to pasta and pasta sauce, bread, milk, ham, biscuits, fresh and tinned fruit and vegetables, etc., etc. - and a couple of toilet rolls.

 

Presumably, because we are a couple of 70+ pensioners, one of whom is classifed as extremely vulnerable, we have qualified for this largesse.

 

Coming as it does, hard on the heels of last evening's priority two-week shop from Asda, the storage cupboards are now stocked to bursting.

 

Thank you HMG - it is greatly appreciated !

 

John Isherwood.

 

By coincidence, as I was reading this post, my wife showed me a picture sent by her sister in London of exactly such a box! She and her husband are over 70, and he is classed as 'vulnerable'. Sister-in-law hadn't said who/what it was from, so this saves us asking.

[Gwiwer]

I understand that the Government has drawn up the list of those to receive free deliveries of food based upon the criteria used to send letters advising highly vulnerable people to be shielded.  That is not to say that each and every one of those who got "the letter" will also get a delivery but there is a correlation and the Government is aware of your age and certain medical information about you and is thus able to determine who is in the greatest (apparent) need.  Obviously they won't know that any particular household has just managed to get a regular supermarket delivery but it all helps especially when you cannot - or should not - be going out even to shop for essentials.  

 

Sainsburys bases their priority delivery slots upon information they hold on customers who have signed up.  They may not have everyone's date of birth neither do they have anyone's medical details and therefore they offer a phone line to register for priority delivery slots.  I believe Tesco also do the same.  

[Paul.Uni]

Update from the DIY store. The following was correct before the extension of the lockdown was announced, so may be incorrect now.

 

Today we were told that 14 stores across the UK will reopen at the weekend for a trial of new social distancing measures. In those stores there will be no Key Cutting, Paint Mixing, Showrooms Design Services or Timber Cutting. The stores will also not take cash. Should the trial be successful, other stores will reopen.

 

The store I work at isn't one of those that is reopening for the trial.

[midlands]

8 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

I’m just trying to work out why we still haven’t been contacted by anyone!  Online form filled, letter arrived, consultants and Doctors letter there......but still not a peep from anyone,

 

I'm wondering if the name registered on the website for vunerable poeple is the same person who owns accounts on the various food distributers, As if the names, DoB and or address /email doesnt match up with the gov.uk list of vunerables the system will fail. also, the account holders telephone number needs to be available to the supermarkets to send text ect to poeple who fit the parameters.

 

I seriously think online shopping won't improve untill all the able bodied people stop ordering online and return to their usuall method of shopping. At least it would give shops a chance to catch up and provide a proper service.

Here in east midlands I am in the catchment area of at least 8 large supermarket companies but so far only one company has contacted me with an offer of help. So i'm guessing the whole system is still under more stress then it can handle.

 

I'm pretty sure that some people in order to beat the panic buyers and shortages in shops to be playing the shops from all angles, both ordering online AND going shopping in person.

 

On a lighter note, a friend of mine who works in a garden centre that is currently closed to the public has been visiting her local neighbours and asking them if they need any gardening produce and has been delivering it for them...at least they have something to do eh? sweet.

[Gwiwer]

9 minutes ago, midlands said:

all the able bodied people stop ordering online and return to their usuall method of shopping

 

Online for delivery is our usual method of shopping.  Any other option requires a train or bus trip and limits the amount we can carry - particularly of the bigger and heavier stuff.  I suspect the same has become true for a modest proportion of city dwellers these days.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Gwiwer

[midlands]

2 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

 

Online for delivery is out usual method of shopping.  Any other option requires a train or bus trip and limits the amount we can carry - particularly of the bigger and heavier stuff.  I suspect the same has become true for a modest proportion of city dwellers these days.

 Yes indeed, I appreciate that fact and if online shopping has been your normal shopping method then I would suggest that you and those like you are not part of the problem. I think we can agree the problems with online shopping has only been during the rush hour? caused by the virus panic?

[melmerby]

59 minutes ago, midlands said:

 

I seriously think online shopping won't improve untill all the able bodied people stop ordering online and return to their usuall method of shopping. At least it would give shops a chance to catch up and provide a proper service.

 

Except that there is a general feeling of keeping out of the shops if you can, especially if you are more vunerable.

I feel perfectly able bodied but I am 74 next month, asthmatic (fortunately not chronic) and have several other health niggles (but I'm not classed as one of the Governments vunerable class), so will keep out of the way if I can and order online.

It's not however going particularly smoothly as Asda still seem to be having problems with stock levels of such things as Rice, Pasta, Tea bags and other things (I haven't even tried to get toilet rolls) and our food cupboard is getting slowly depleted of some products.

 

[zarniwhoop]

5 hours ago, melmerby said:

It's not however going particularly smoothly as Asda still seem to be having problems with stock levels of such things as Rice, Pasta, Tea bags and other things (I haven't even tried to get toilet rolls) and our food cupboard is getting slowly depleted of some products.

To be fair, my experience for perhaps the last 3 years (before the first panic buying started) has been that stocks of some food / drink products I wanted to regularly buy (Sainsburys, Tesco, Waitrose) have been somewhat erratic - often, 2 weeks out of 3 I could get a product, but the other week it was not available so I tried to keep a small stock (also in case I got unwell and didn't want to go out).

 

So, I'm not surprised that shortages are still arising after the great shelf-emptying.

 

But best wishes to you and everyone else for either getting the things you desire, or for finding tolerable substitutes.

[rockershovel]

Ocado weekly shop arrived yesterday. 

 

Some minor substitutions, particularly a rather pricey brown sauce of a brand previously unknown to me (Epicure) for HP or own brand. Spaghetti, for the first time since the great shelf-emptying (although we did get a small pack of linguini last week). Smooth Branston, another previously unknown commodity which probably won’t be on my “first choice” list in future, either.. ordered a dozen eggs, received a 20-box of a different size so obviously THEY are back in transit again... 

 

Stopped at the local Co-op and found lime pickle (not available at Ocado) and small crusty loaf, because it was there... 

 

 

[boxbrownie]

10 hours ago, midlands said:

 

I'm wondering if the name registered on the website for vunerable poeple is the same person who owns accounts on the various food distributers, As if the names, DoB and or address /email doesnt match up with the gov.uk list of vunerables the system will fail. also, the account holders telephone number needs to be available to the supermarkets to send text ect to poeple who fit the parameters.

 

I'm pretty sure that some people in order to beat the panic buyers and shortages in shops to be playing the shops from all angles, both ordering online AND going shopping in person.

 

On a lighter note, 

Apart from my Mum who we are the carers for my wife is the registered very vulnerable person and it is her that has the account at both ASDA and Waitrose so not sure what’s going on there, just another glitch in the system I suppose.

 

As for the doubling up we know for sure that’s going on as well as recurring slots booked just in case, it’s been stated in here by contributors.

 

And on our lighter note, we had some milk and fresh veg delivered yesterday from our lifesaver of a quayside shop (who are doing home deliveries during the crisis to help vulnerable customers) in that while he was delivering he help out neighbour fell a tree that has been threatening to fall for the past year or so, all part of the service 

[boxbrownie]

9 hours ago, melmerby said:

Except that there is a general feeling of keeping out of the shops if you can, especially if you are more vunerable.

I feel perfectly able bodied but I am 74 next month, asthmatic (fortunately not chronic) and have several other health niggles (but I'm not classed as one of the Governments vunerable class), so will keep out of the way if I can and order online.

 

 

But I thought at that age with Asthma you are classed as vulnerable, whether you feel able bodied or not, certainly the letter I got from my GP which stated that anyone who gets a letter each year offering the flu jab is classed as vulnerable (although not “very” I guess, whatever the scale is?)

 

There is a list which includes the “very vulnerable” which includes patients undergoing certain treatments and with particular conditions, it’s all been a bit unclear from the start and telling everyone to stay indoors just muddies the issue for those with less comprehension of the situation, most likely the same people who go out for a 40 km bike ride or a car trip to a national park for a walk as exercise and then stay at home and order their shopping online.

 

So stay safe and stay indoors....if you have to 

Edited April 17, 2020 by boxbrownie

[Joseph_Pestell]

5 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

But I thought at that age with Asthma you are classed as vulnerable, whether you feel able bodied or not, certainly the letter I got from my GP which stated that anyone who gets a letter each year offering the flu jab is classed as vulnerable (although not “very” I guess, whatever the scale is?)

 

There is a list which includes the “very vulnerable” which includes patients undergoing certain treatments and with particular conditions, it’s all been a bit unclear from the start and telling everyone to stay indoors just muddies the issue for those with less comprehension of the situation, most likely the same people who go out for a 40 km bike ride or a car trip to a national park for a walk as exercise and then stay at home and order their shopping online.

 

So stay safe and stay indoors....if you have to 

 

I agree, the early guidance was confused. All diabetics get offered the flu jab. But we have not been told that we should go for the full self-isolation, even my cousin who has very serious problems arising from his diabetes.

[melmerby]

I get the flu jab every year and have been getting it long before I was 65.

[boxbrownie]

2 minutes ago, melmerby said:

I get the flu jab every year and have been getting it long before I was 65.

Yes me too, because of the Asthma.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

1 hour ago, boxbrownie said:

... the letter I got from my GP which stated that anyone who gets a letter each year offering the flu jab is classed as vulnerable...

The wife and I have been offered (and accepted) flu jabs from our GP from well before age 60, despite being 'completely invulnerable'. But we were registered as carers for multiple elderly relatives, all very vulnerable in way or another, and it was for their protection. So the 'flu jab letter' isn't enough to define someone as vulnerable. Whether the NHS records are good enough to reliably  filter out those offered the flu jab solely to protect other vulnerable individuals would be the question. (I can hear Dr Chris Whitty tiptoeing his way around the difficulties in using the data the NHS has available, much of which was not designed for coping with the present situation, but is 'what we have'.)

 

12 hours ago, midlands said:

...I'm pretty sure that some people in order to beat the panic buyers and shortages in shops to be playing the shops from all angles, both ordering online AND going shopping in person...

Oh you bet, we know two such who are 'working it' every which way, and asking around our neighbourhood 'wives network' for have you got or can you look out for X, Y or Z please? Here's the why: both are large extended/blended families, each living in one property. One has nine to shop for, the other thirteen, and there's a lot of kids in both families.

 

From the accustomed situation of total plenty: more than adequate income, an array of delivery services bringing in the supplies like clockwork, a large choice of eateries for lunch and dinner; now it is hard to obtain many products, and all has to be done at home. Their way of life was every child's dietary preferences catered for in detail, starting from 'their' breakfast goods preference. It's not like my 50s/60s upbringing where the food on the table was what you ate. Talk about having made a rod for their backs. (My suggestion that this is the moment to begin training in 'eat and be grateful for what there is' is apparently a non-starter.)

[Jol Wilkinson]

5 hours ago, rockershovel said:

Ocado weekly shop arrived yesterday. 

 

Some minor substitutions, particularly a rather pricey brown sauce of a brand previously unknown to me (Epicure) for HP or own brand. Spaghetti, for the first time since the great shelf-emptying (although we did get a small pack of linguini last week). Smooth Branston, another previously unknown commodity which probably won’t be on my “first choice” list in future, either.. ordered a dozen eggs, received a 20-box of a different size so obviously THEY are back in transit again... 

 

Stopped at the local Co-op and found lime pickle (not available at Ocado) and small crusty loaf, because it was there... 

 

 

I would think that getting online deliveries is good way to minimise the risk of getting Coronavirus by avoiding local shops, so what is the point if you still go to the the Coop?

 

On a rather different point, I am confused by what are regarded as essential items. Having spoken to a friend in Staffordshire who is using C&C to get garden and DIY products, I tried to do the same with the local Wickes. I can order Cuprinol garden paints for delivery only (at a cost) but can C&C a club hammer (also needed for a garden project).  So a hammer is an essential item , paint isn't. No wonder domestic abuse is on the rise.

 

I see B&Q are trial opening stores in Paisley and West  Thurrock. Surprised it is only two stores but presumably they take the view that the reactions of customers at those two outlets will give them enough data as to the business case for opening more.